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Key questions for the Illinois basketball Super Bowl Sunday clash with USC

We are about to have a super Sunday, and it all starts with a Big Ten bout between the Illinois basketball team and USC.
ByKellen Sherman|
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Feb 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Shauna Green during the third quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images
Feb 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Shauna Green during the third quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Pauley Pavilion presented by Wescom. Mandatory Credit: Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images | Robert Hanashiro-Imagn Images

The women's Illinois basketball team is ready to kick your Super Bowl Sunday off right with a Big Ten matchup against the USC Trojans at the State Farm Center.

For weeks, Shauna Green and the rest of the Illini have been eagerly trying to get Illinois fans to pack the stands. The women's basketball program hasn't sold out a game in Champaign in over 20 years, and they're hoping to do it today before the big game kicks off at 5:30 p.m. CT/6:30 p.m. ET.

The Illini will be looking to add another signature win to their resumé before the end of the regular season. But what are some questions that we should be asking ourselves before their 12:00 p.m. CT tip-off?

Will the Illini stop sensational freshman guard Jazzy Davidson?

If you don't know who Jazzy Davidson is, then you haven't been paying attention. The Clackamas, Oregon, product has been one of the shining lights on the Trojans' roster all season long, leading USC in everything from points and assists to steals and blocks.

The five-star recruit has been absolutely sensational for Lindsay Gottlieb's squad. Her exceptional play at the guard position has kept the Trojans in the national spotlight after they finished No. 5 in the country last season.

Granted, Jazzy does still have a slip-up from time to time, but that will dissolve as she continues to develop. But even with that, her versatility and uncanny ability to create shots at all three levels need to be focused on. Expect Illinois to key in on Jazzy to help slow down USC's offense.

Can the Illini win the rebounding battle against a guard-heavy unit?

The Illini have one of the most dynamic frontcourts in the entire country; that's a fact. Forwards Berry Wallace and Cearah Parchment have become the perfect 1-2 punch for Illinois, especially when it comes to their ability to stretch the floor.

The Trojans, on the other hand, don't have the most elite frontcourt in the world. This program uses a stout guard-heavy approach in their game plans, with their forwards only averaging seven-to-15 minutes per contest.

The speed and the agility of USC's guards are going to be on full display in today's game, especially with how long and versatile they can be. The Trojans are going to be flying all over the State Farm Center, and it's going to be Wallace and Parchment's job to ground them and limit the second-chance buckets.

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