5. These blowout games will only help Will Riley
This has been a pretty wild season for the Illinois basketball program. I don’t know if I have ever seen this many big-time blowouts in a single season.
When Illinois plays an A- game or better, we are beating down opponents. These huge margins are great for the fanbase because we don’t have to sweat games, and it is also great for certain players.
The biggest benefit from a blowout game is Will Riley. The kid entered the season as a five-star recruit and a projected first-round NBA Draft pick. After his first game when he put up 31 points, Riley has dropped off the face of the Earth.
Riley’s game feels like you are fitting a square peg in a round hole. He is used to being the man on every team he has played on, and now he is coming off the bench. That has to be a huge change in mentality.
Over the past few weeks, it seems that Brad Underwood has almost hit the reset button on his plans for Riley. It feels like we are easing him into playing time, so he can develop his game.
This is why I think blowout games benefit Riley greatly. When Illinois is crushing other teams, that enables us to play bench players more often. Getting Riley on the court so he can learn his role is crucial.
Against Indiana, Riley played 10 minutes. I thought he looked decent with his five points, two rebounds, and two assists. However, a lot of development is still needed. Riley is a work in progress. Let’s hope he comes back for a second season so he can continue to develop his game.