2. Kylan Boswell’s game is aggression
I like having Kylan Boswell on the roster. He has provided much-needed production when on the court. But I think Boswell’s role and place on this team is pretty set.
Illinois doesn’t need someone chucking up three-point attempts and missing them. Boswell attempts to be a good three-point shooter but isn’t good at shooting from a long range. He was 0-of-3 from three-point range against Northwestern, and this has been a trend.
Over the last seven games, Boswell has hit just 5-of-26, 19.2%, from three-point range. That is horrific. But just because he is bad at three-point shooting doesn’t mean he doesn’t have a place on this team offensively.
I think Boswell can be a Russell Westbrook type of player. He is also bad at shooting from deep, but Westbrook affects the game in other ways. Boswell fits that mold. He can get to the basket and finish around the rim. When he doesn’t, he at least causes contact and can get to the free throw line.
Boswell can also bring an energy and aggression to the court that is not easily matched. He can play some bully ball, and teams will have a hard time stopping him.
In the game against the Wildcats, while Boswell failed to hit all three of his three-point shots, he did get to the charity stripe 10 times and converted nine free throws. On top of that, he was also 4-of-5 from the field, meaning he got to the hoop and was able to finish.
I am not a fan of Boswell shooting from three-point range. Letting the kid loose in the paint and having him be aggressive toward the basket is the way to go. Hopefully, his game shifts more in that direction.