5 huge questions for the Illinois basketball team against Ohio State

4. Do the Illini not settle for perimeter shots?

I will go to the grave yelling these words. Illinois is playing the best basketball when we are aggressive toward the basket and not settling for three-point shots.

It pains me to watch the Illini jack up three-pointers from all over the court. Sometimes they are heavily guarded. Other times the shot clock is running down. But settling for three-pointers regardless is a bad idea.

That is why I want to see if Illinois stays aggressive against Ohio State. If we can attack the basket, we will win the game. Can the Illini not settle for perimeter shots?

I have been impressed with the adjustments Illinois has made in recent weeks. In the last eight games alone, the Illini have shot 27 three-point attempts or fewer in each game. This includes the last three contests where we have shot 16 three-pointers in each of those contests.

Illinois didn’t settle for three-pointers in the first Ohio State game either. We were attacking the basket and got to the free throw line for 20 attempts and converted 18 of those free throws.

In that first game against the Buckeyes, the Illini shot a total of 17 three-pointers. We were able to go 7-of-17, 41.2%, from three-point range, which is incredibly efficient.

Terrence Shannon Jr. needs to be a bulldog on Friday afternoon against Ohio State. Get him going downhill and attacking the basket. I love how aggressive Coleman Hawkins has gotten in the last couple of weeks. He used to settle for three-pointers but is now faking the shot and driving to the paint. Let’s continue this trend.