3 key takeaways from Illinois' dominating win over Jackson State

The women's Illinois basketball team has now extended their winning streak to nine games after an 86-43 throttling of the visiting Jackson State Lady Tigers.

It was ugly from the very beginning, with Jackson State failing to score a point through the first five and a half minutes of game time. The Tigers were just trying to survive against this Illini squad, and Illinois was just playing their game to the best of their ability.

This game marked Illinois' eighth 20+ point win in their first twelve games. It was yet another one-sided affair for Shauna Green's crew, and a story that could be told by just reading the scoreboard. But having said that, there were still some big takeaways from this game that we should keep an eye on as we move forward in the season.

1. Aaliyah Guyton set a career high in Champaign

I've said it before, and I'll say it again: the Illini have been one of the most well-rounded units in the nation so far this season. At every level of this roster, there is at least one woman who can take over a game at a moment's notice.

Last night, that woman was sophomore guard Aaliyah Guyton. Guyton, a transfer from the Iowa Hawkeyes, scored a career-high of 13 points off the bench to go along with her five rebounds and three assists. She was one of five players to score double digits in the contest, and she was able to achieve it in only 20 minutes of play.

Guyton was on another level against Jackson State, shooting 4-of-6 from the field while making all five of her free throws. Her ability to drive inside and create shots in traffic really shone through in this game. If she can continue this progression throughout conference play, then Guyton has a chance to become another pivotal depth piece off the bench for Illinois.

2. Illinois' three-point shooting was a bit concerning

I don't mean to nitpick a 40-point win, but Illinois' three-point shooting against Jackson State was a bit of a concern on Friday night. This team has been rather formidable from long range this season, shooting a little over 32% from beyond the arc.

That was not the case against the Tigers, as the Illini only shot 21% (3-of-14) from three-point land. They struggled to make the long ball all night long, with the likes of Berry Wallace, Gretchen Dolan, and Jasmine Brown-Hagger failing to sink a shot from long range.

I get it, this could be another blip on the radar. It's a small abnormality in a game where Illinois dominated from the opening tip to the final whistle. But with three of their next four games being against ranked opponents, this team is going to need to be on their game. Struggling in that department against a squad like Jackson State is just not a great look.