https://indiana.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1766205
Some of you guys will be relieved to know that Mike Pegram at IU Rivals picks Illinois to finish 9th in the conference next season just below Iowa and above NU, Minn., Neb., Penn St., and Rutgers. I think Illinois has enough talent to finish at least 6th next season.
Maryland will be really good even nat'l title good, and I expect Michigan to challenge for the conference title.I really doubt Mich. St. will be the second best team in the conference. IMO, IU is a better team than the Spartans, but coaching might be the deficit with the Hoosiers. Ohio St. returns 4 players that saw minutes last season. They loads of talent, but not of experience after their top 5-6 players. Illinois should be able to finish ahead of Iowa, OSU, and MSU imho.
Illinois (9-9, 19-14)
Returnees: 6'2 G Tracy Abrams (10.5 ppg in '13-14), 6'6 G Malcolm Hill (14.4 ppg), 6'3 G Kendrick Nunn (11.1 ppg), 6'7 F Leron Black (5.0 ppg), 6'3 Jaylon Tate (3.6 ppg), 6'10 C Maverick Morgan (2.5 ppg)
Graduation losses: 6'4 G Rayvonte Rice (16.5 ppg), 6'11 C Nnanna Egwu (6.5 ppg), 5'9 Ahmad Starks (7.7 ppg)
Transfer/pro losses: Austin Colbert (1.7 ppg)
Additions of note:, 6'11 C Mike Thorne (10.1 ppg/Charlotte), 6'3 G Jalen Coleman-Lands (#39), 6'4 G Aaron Jordan (#94), 6'7 F D.J. Williams (#118), 6'8 Darius Paul (JuCo)
Summary: Illinois was one of the league's biggest disappointments, a team that looked like it wanted its season to end sooner rather than later in March. It lacked point guard play, shot selection and never had much offensive post presence. Getting Tracy Abrams back should help solve the point issue and Thorne may be a big help inside. If Paul puts his past problems behind him, he can also help the frontline quite a bit. This team is loaded at the wings with Coleman-Lands and Jordan joing Hill and Nunn. If this team has the desire, it can get itself back into the NCAA tourney. - See more at: https://indiana.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1766205#sthash.yT09eYTW.dpuf
Some of you guys will be relieved to know that Mike Pegram at IU Rivals picks Illinois to finish 9th in the conference next season just below Iowa and above NU, Minn., Neb., Penn St., and Rutgers. I think Illinois has enough talent to finish at least 6th next season.
Maryland will be really good even nat'l title good, and I expect Michigan to challenge for the conference title.I really doubt Mich. St. will be the second best team in the conference. IMO, IU is a better team than the Spartans, but coaching might be the deficit with the Hoosiers. Ohio St. returns 4 players that saw minutes last season. They loads of talent, but not of experience after their top 5-6 players. Illinois should be able to finish ahead of Iowa, OSU, and MSU imho.
Illinois (9-9, 19-14)
Returnees: 6'2 G Tracy Abrams (10.5 ppg in '13-14), 6'6 G Malcolm Hill (14.4 ppg), 6'3 G Kendrick Nunn (11.1 ppg), 6'7 F Leron Black (5.0 ppg), 6'3 Jaylon Tate (3.6 ppg), 6'10 C Maverick Morgan (2.5 ppg)
Graduation losses: 6'4 G Rayvonte Rice (16.5 ppg), 6'11 C Nnanna Egwu (6.5 ppg), 5'9 Ahmad Starks (7.7 ppg)
Transfer/pro losses: Austin Colbert (1.7 ppg)
Additions of note:, 6'11 C Mike Thorne (10.1 ppg/Charlotte), 6'3 G Jalen Coleman-Lands (#39), 6'4 G Aaron Jordan (#94), 6'7 F D.J. Williams (#118), 6'8 Darius Paul (JuCo)
Summary: Illinois was one of the league's biggest disappointments, a team that looked like it wanted its season to end sooner rather than later in March. It lacked point guard play, shot selection and never had much offensive post presence. Getting Tracy Abrams back should help solve the point issue and Thorne may be a big help inside. If Paul puts his past problems behind him, he can also help the frontline quite a bit. This team is loaded at the wings with Coleman-Lands and Jordan joing Hill and Nunn. If this team has the desire, it can get itself back into the NCAA tourney. - See more at: https://indiana.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1766205#sthash.yT09eYTW.dpuf
