2. Can Illinois stop laying an egg from three-point rage
I know that Kasparas Jakucionis is hurt, but there is no excuse for the way the Illinois basketball team has been shooting from three-point range.
In the recent loss to USC, the Illini looked terrible from distance. They only hit 21.9% from three-point range, which was the third-worst three-point shooting performance of the season.
Indiana has a good team from top to bottom. If Illinois wants any chance to knock off the Hoosiers in Bloomington, we are going to need to start hitting from deep.
One scary part about Indiana is the fact they can defend the three-point arc well. The Hoosiers are only allowing opponents to shoot 30.9% from three-point range, which ranks No. 70 in the country.
Kylan Boswell and Tre White were a combined 0-of-9 from three-point range against USC. Illinois needs to be smarter about shots.
White is not a good three-point shooter. He went 0-of-4 against the Trojans and has now shot 1-of-10 from three-point range in the last three games. He is more of a slasher and mid-range guy, and that is what he needs to go back to against Indiana.
I was surprised by Boswell’s lack of shooting against USC. That was the first time Boswell failed to convert a three-point attempt since December 14. He is a decent three-point shooter, but his decisions were terrible against the Trojans. He chucked up too many early shots and didn’t have the patience to find a good look.
This season, when Illinois shoots at least 27% from three-point range, we are 10-1. When the Illini shoot worse than 27% from three-point range, we are 2-3. Let’s get that number to 30% just to be safe, and we can come out of Bloomington with the big victory.