Illinois basketball is entering game two on Friday night, and it will be tough to follow up a 113-point performance.
The Illini looked great against Jackson State. We were firing on the offensive end of the court, and the defense was suffocating. The Tigers didn’t have answers, and it reflected in the 113-55 victory.
On Friday night, Illinois plays Florida Gulf Coast. This isn’t a very good team, but there are a few things I want to keep an eye on in this contest.
Here are three key questions for Illinois basketball vs Florida Gulf Coast
1. Can Illinois keep up the same defensive intensity?
This early in the season, it is hard to gel defensively with so many new pieces on the team. Illinois managed to do a good job against Jackson State, though.
The Illini only gave up 55 points against the Tigers. Moreover, Jackson State shot just 30.6% from the field and 24.1% from three-point range.
I am genuinely surprised by Illinois’ great defensive effort against Jackson State. We have newcomers and freshmen, and that could spell bad news at times. The Illini were great on the perimeter. I loved the communication, especially from players like David Mirkovic. It also helps to have a lineup full of trees. Let’s see if that defense keeps up against Florida Gulf Coast.
2. Does Keaton Wagler continue his great play?
We have seen it a million times. A freshman comes onto the scene and has a big first game as a member of the Illinois basketball team. After that, the player drops off and shows back up somewhere midseason.
I want to see if Keaton Wagler can keep up his same great play that we saw against Jackson State. I was extremely impressed with the former Kansas Player of the Year, as he dropped 18 points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. He also shot 50% from the field and was a perfect 2-of-2 from three-point range.
Wagler can do a little bit of everything on the court. What is going to win Brad Underwood over the most is being strong defensively, though. Wagler has the ability to win his matchups on both ends. If he can continue this great play, look for Wagler to be a mainstay in the Illinois rotation.
3. Will Illinois’ 3-point shooting stay above 38%?
Illinois was one of the worst three-point shooting teams in the country last season. We shot 31.3% from three-point range, which ranked No. 305 out of 364 teams in DI basketball.
With that team last season, there were spot games when the Illini managed to get hot from behind the three-point arc. I want to avoid that and continue shooting well. I think that can happen, too.
The Illini shot 45.9% from three-point range against Jackson State. I am not expecting that against Florida Gulf Coast, but if we can keep it at around 38% or higher, then I will be happy. Illinois has the horses to do it, too. Let’s see if we can keep shooting well.