The Round of 32 tips off on Saturday, and Illinois basketball is a part of the festivities.
It has been a great start to the NCAA tournament for the Illini. A 105-point performance against Penn put the Orange and Blue on the minds of all the talking heads.
The second round matchup is a bit of a surprise, though. No. 11 VCU knocked off No. 6 North Carolina. Illinois now has a chance to get to the second weekend and the Sweet 16 by beating two double-digit seeds.
VCU isn’t just going to roll over, though. This team is gritty with a ton of talent, and they are looking to slay another giant in the game.
Here are three keys for Illinois basketball to avoid the upset against VCU
1. Don’t let Terrence Hill Jr. gain confidence
Illinois is running into a team in VCU that has the world by the you know what. They are coming off a win against one of the elite blue bloods of the college basketball world.
The leader of that victory for the Rams was Terrence Hill Jr. The Tar Heels didn’t have an answer for him, as he went for 34 points, five rebounds, and five assists. Hill is also the leading scorer for VCU this season, averaging 14.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.9 assists per game.
Hill is an electric player. He isn't a one-trick pony either. This kid can do everything on the court. The thing that scares me is how well Hill moves without the ball. He is always finding space and the right spots.
Illinois can’t let Hill get going and get confidence. We need someone on him at all times. I think this is a perfect opportunity for Kylan Boswell to show his defensive prowess. I don’t need much from Boswell offensively, but he is going to be crucial on the defensive end of the court.
2. Use Tomislav Ivisic more in the paint than the perimeter
Whatever Tomislav Ivisic did in the offseason to bulk up has completely ruined his three-point shooting ability. He isn’t a player who is going to scare opposing teams on the perimeter.
What I have noticed in the last month or so is that Ivisic can be more of a traditional back-to-the-basket big man. We haven’t really had one of those since the Kofi Cockburn days.
Over the past eight games, Ivisic is 8-of-37, 21.6%, from three-point range. Let’s stop that nonsense. Brad Underwood should move Ivisic down in the paint more.
This would be an easy transition for Illinois. We have plenty of players who can shoot from the outside, and someone like Keaton Wagler can create his own shot. Stretching the floor isn’t a big priority right now.
Moreover, Ivisic has a ton of talent around the basket. He has incredible touch, and I think this could also boost his rebounding numbers. A big reason he isn’t pulling down more boards is that he isn’t always around the bucket.
This season alone, Ivisic is shooting 31.2% from three-point range. From two-point range, he is 73.1%. Let’s bang around in the paint and use his 7-foot-1 size to our advantage.
3. Illinois needs to keep letting David Mirkovic make decisions
The Illinois basketball team has a freshman who is great at bringing the ball up the court, passing, and shooting. No, I am not necessarily talking about second-team All-American Keaton Wagler.
David Mirkovic is just as good as Wagler. He didn’t get the shine of the Illini guard, but Mirkovic took the NCAA tournament stage by storm in the first round. His legendary performance of 29 points, 17 rebounds, and three assists shattered multiple Illinois tournament records.
What I think the Illini need to continue doing is giving Mirkovic the rock. I don’t necessarily mean in the paint either. He is someone who can make great decisions to help his teammates get better.
I think Illinois could benefit from Mirkovic and Wagler sharing the ball in the backcourt at times. Wagler does great with or without the ball. His movements are phenomenal, and he can go start using screens more and let Mirkovic make some decisions passing.
It is incredible how much talent Illinois has on the roster. Mirkovic isn’t talked about enough, and I think he could carve up VCU on Saturday.