5 big questions for the Illinois basketball team against Minnesota

5. Where in the world is Ty Rodgers?

I believe Ty Rodgers is a really good basketball player. He is someone who can take a team from good to great if he is given a chance.

Rodgers started to blossom this season. While Brad Underwood tried to form him into a point guard, Rodgers has shown he is much better as a dynamic wing who can post up on the block.

Lately, Rodgers has gone missing in action. I feel like he has gone back into the shadows and hasn’t been seen in a while. Where in the world is Rodgers?

Rodgers is an extremely unique player. The talented sophomore averages 6.6 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. At 6-foot-6, he is third on the team in both rebounds and assists. That is impressive.

Over the last five games, Rodgers has disappeared, though. He is averaging 4.3 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.0 assists per game. His minutes have not been reduced either.

I believe his production has dipped because Illinois isn’t going to him nearly as much. There was a stretch of games, especially when Terrence Shannon Jr. was suspended, when Rodgers looked his best. Illinois was playing a freer game, and Rodgers was getting the ball on the block a lot more.

Illinois has gone completely away from Rodgers, though. He has only averaged 3.6 shot attempts per game in the last five contests. Rodgers has disappeared in part because Illinois has changed the focus of the offense. He is still a huge part of this team, though. On Wednesday, let’s see if Rodgers can be fed the ball a little more. Get the talented wing involved in the game. He is an impact player who needs to the reins.