5 massive questions for the Illinois basketball team against Morehead State

2. Will the Illini take advantage of our size?

I have mentioned this quite often this season, but Illinois is a big team. We have a unique starting lineup that features mostly forwards by description. This roster has given us a huge size advantage.

No, we don’t have a typical big man, but Illinois throws out a lineup that features no one shorter than 6-foot-6. I am not sure I have seen that with a college team in a long time

But will this size come in handy against Morehead State? Will Illinois take advantage of the great size we put out on the court?

The Eagles’ best player is guard, Riley Minix. He is a great player, and he is also the biggest guard on the team, checking in at 6-foot-7. Minix is currently averaging 20.8 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Those are great numbers, and I am sure he has taken advantage of his size in the Ohio Valley Conference.

My hope is that the size Illinois puts on the court will disrupt Minix. I am curious about who will guard Minix on Thursday. I honestly believe any Illinois player could be matched up on him, but I think maybe someone like Quincy Guerrier will get the call.

Guerrier isn’t a terrible defender, and he has the size and length at 6-foot-8 to give Minix even more problems. I like Guerrier’s athletic ability as well. This is probably the best matchup.

I also believe Illinois’ size will help a lot on the offensive end of the court. We should be able to get to the rim and finish well with the height advantage. This will also help get clean looks from three-point range. Illinois should be too much for the Eagles to handle on Thursday.