5 huge observations from the Illinois basketball win over Florida State

3. One day, Gretchen Dolan is going to have a huge game

I am a huge Gretchen Dolan fan. I think this kid has the potential to do big things at the college level, and once she gets more shine next season, watch out world.

This was just the first game of the season, but even with a loaded roster, Dolan still played 25 minutes off the bench. She has earned a lot of trust with Shauna Green, and overall, Dolan had a good game.

Dolan finished the Florida State contest with 11 points and two rebounds on 5-of-12 shooting from the field. I am not too worried about the 1-of-4 from three-point range or the -10 plus-minus she had on the night. She is still getting her feet underneath her at the college level.

When I watch Dolan, though, I feel like you can see a ton of potential just ready to bust out. I think she is one of the quicker players I have seen on an Illinois roster. She moves well and can get from one end of the court to the other with great speed.

Dolan is also great at slashing to the basket. There were a couple of times she beat her opponent to the basket but the layup didn’t go in. Once Dolan gets more acclimated to a bigger role, I think she is going to put up massive numbers. The fact Illinois has a player like Dolan coming off the bench is such a luxury. She is going to end up being a great player for this program.