4. Morez Johnson Jr. was able to stay on the court
Some say, the best ability is availability. If you can’t stay on the court, then why even play you?
There have been quite a few times this season when Morez Johnson Jr. couldn’t stay on the floor. He would get into foul trouble, and this would hurt Illinois because we need him and his great rebounding ability.
I thought Johnson was going to have a big coming-out party against Maryland. This was his chance to shine, but he fell flat. Johnson’s four fouls hindered him, and he only had five points and two rebounds.
Thanks to Tomislav Ivisic having Mono, Johnson got another crack at the starting job against Northwestern. If he could just stay on the floor, I figured his numbers would be impressive. That is exactly what happened.
Johnson was a monster in the paint. He finished the Northwestern game with 15 points, nine rebounds, three blocks, and one assist. The best part about Johnson’s performance was the fact he played a season-high 35 minutes in the game. That is 14 minutes more than his previous career high.
I believe Johnson’s energy was great for Illinois as well. Less than a minute into the game, Johnson had already hit the floor for a ball, and he caused a tie-up and gave the Illini possession. Johnson has Lucas Johnson’s heart, Nnanna Egwu’s defense, and an ability to rebound the basketball that I am not sure I have ever seen. This kid is special.