5. How big can the Illini get the rebounding margin?
The final slide kind of piggybacks off the previous slide. Illinois has great size on the perimeter, but we aren’t the biggest team in the world. We don’t have that traditional big man who eats up rebounds.
Despite not having a Kofi Cockburn type of player, the Illini have been great at rebounding the basketball this season. The same can’t be said for Penn State, though. This is a game of contrasting rebounding abilities.
I am going to be watching the rebounding battle against Penn State. How big can the Illini get the rebounding margin on Wednesday night?
For the season, Illinois has been one of the best rebounding teams in the country. We average 42.2 rebounds per game, which ranks No. 4 in the nation.
Penn State is on the opposite end of the spectrum. They are only pulling down 31.6 rebounds per game, which ranks No. 325 in the country.
Illinois hasn’t been great at rebounding the basketball lately, though. We are only pulling down 34.7 rebounds per game in the last three contests. Thankfully, I believe our size will win out in the rebounding battle.
The Illini are going up against a Nittany Lions team that only has one player averaging over 4.0 rebounds per game. They also lost Kanya Clary, who was fifth on the team in rebounding with 2.9 rebounds per game.
I expect Coleman Hawkins to pull down nearly double-digit rebounds on Wednesday night, but it is the Illinois guards on the glass who I will be watching more. Marcus Domask is coming off a 12-rebound game against Maryland. I bet he can hit that number again against the Nittany Lions.