2. Will Quincy Guerrier wake up?
Illinois beat Indiana just days ago, but I would argue that it was one of the uglier games of the season. The fact we can still beat a Big Ten team and play that poorly shows you the talent on the Illinois basketball team.
One of the worst performances in that game against the Hoosiers was from Quincy Guerrier, which is a bit of a surprise. Guerrier finished with two points, four rebounds, one assist, and one steal. He didn’t attempt a shot all night and only made 2-of-6 from the free throw line.
This was a weird performance by Guerrier, who is one of Illinois’ best players. I want to see if this game was just a one-off. Will Guerrier wake up against Ohio State?
The 16 minutes Guerrier played against Indiana tied his season low. The fact he didn’t register a shot attempt is also a bit shocking. He has been one of the best offensive weapons Illinois has had this season. Guerrier is currently averaging 11.3 points and 7.9 rebounds per game and had scored double-digit points in the three games prior to the Hoosiers contest.
I believe the game against Indiana will be a one-off for Guerrier. He is way too talented and athletic to not be scoring more than two points against the Hoosiers. I think Indiana was just a bit of a mismatch.
I think Illinois got out of our normal game against Indiana too. Terrence Shannon Jr. was the center of attention in the first eight minutes of the game, and then Brad Underwood started to go with the hot hand in Luke Goode and Justin Harmon off the bench. Ty Rodgers also had more looks.
Guerrier is going to bounce back. I think he is poised for a big game against the Buckeyes. Don’t be shocked if he drops 15 points on Tuesday night.