For the first time in nearly a decade, Illinois basketball watched Selection Sunday knowing they’d be playing in the NCAA tournament. With one of the best teams in program history, Brad Underwood’s squad is prepared to make a deep run through March and April.
I broke down five things the Illini need to do to make a historic run for the University’s first National Championship title.

Ayo needs to be Ayo

This is a no-brainer. While the Illini still won when Dosunmu was out with the an injury, the NCAA tournament is a different animal. Dosunmu will need to be at the top of his game each round, but that doesn’t just mean scoring.
What makes Dosunmu so special is his ability to make the players around him better. He’s averaging over five assists per game while also scoring over 20 points a game. When Dosunmu is able to facilitate and create his own shots, the Illini offense flows at a different level.
Dosunmu’s energy also just radiates through the team. When Dosunmu gets hyped or makes a huge shot, the entire bench and crowd go insane. That type of team energy can create so much momentum, which is even more important in a lose-and-go-home game.
Luckily for the Illini, Dosunmu was born for the spotlight. He rarely, if ever, hesitates in big moments or lets his team down when the game is on the line, so there’s no doubt that will continue once the Big Dance rolls around.

Kofi needs to prove he’s the better center

It’s difficult to outscore Iowa’s Luka Garza in any scenario; Garza is a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year for a reason. But on Saturday in the conference tournament semifinals, Cockburn established he was the stronger center — in that game. Cockburn scored 26 points on 65% shooting compared to Garza’s 21 points on 38% shooting.
While there’s no doubt Garza is the better player as a whole, Cockburn was better that night, which is all that matters in March Madness. In the past, Cockburn has struggled with using his size to his advantage, defending on the perimeter and keeping the ball secure. But in recent weeks, or even months, Cockburn has improved in all of those areas. Saturday night, Cockburn was more physical than Garza, stuck with him along the perimeter and was strong with the ball, even passing out of a double or triple team at times.
Cockburn has seen the best of the best when it comes to centers. Not every tournament team is going to have a Garza or an E.J. Liddell, so the key for Cockburn is keeping that same energy for any center that comes his way. And, of course, the Illini need to continue to find ways to get him the ball nearly every play, something that’s not always easy.

Freshmen must play like veterans

With Dosunmu gone near the end of the regular season, guys like Andre Curbelo, Adam Miller, Trent Frazier and Jacob Grandison all stepped up to fill the massive void left by their star. And while you can’t possibly think the injury was a “blessing in disguise,” it gave some other Illini guards the chance to establish their own games.
This entire season Curbelo and Miller each struggled with consistency. One game they’d look like future program leaders and another game they’d look like struggling freshmen. But down the stretch, Curbelo has tightened up his game — limiting turnovers, making smarter looks and finding ways to get to the hoop — while Miller has found consistency in his deep ball while also turning himself into one of the team’s best defenders.
When the freshmen duo is playing at their highest level, neither of them can be stopped. They’ve each proven if Dosunmu or Cockburn aren’t having their best scoring nights, one of them can step in and put the points up.

Kills, kills, kills 

This Illini defense is legit; there’s no doubt about it. But, what makes them so dynamic is how they can turn defense into offense so quickly. Their main goal throughout games is to get kills — three stops in a row.
What is so important about kills is they let the Illini offense get in transition. And while we all know Dosunmu is a transition god, the rest of the offense also thrives at that pace. Whether it’s Frazier or Miller pulling up for a quick three, an alley-oop to Cockburn or a crafty layup from Curbelo, Illinois’ transition game almost never fails.
And, of course, there’s always the saying, “offense wins games, defense wins championships.” While very cliche, it’s almost always true, and when the Illini are slapping the floor on defense and locking down each guy, even the best offensive teams struggle to get good looks. With an electric Illini offense, that combo is deadly.

Free throws

Illinois’ weakest point this season is arguably its production at the free-throw line, something that is a huge factor come tournament time. It’s rare you see big blowouts in March Madness, so every point counts, especially the free ones.
As a team, the Illini are shooting 68% from the line and Cockburn, who shoots the most free throws, makes only 55% of his attempts. The Illini score more of their points in the paint than from the perimeter, so they inevitably get to the line a lot in games. Having the poise and confidence to knock down those shots could be the difference-maker late in the tournament.

@gabby_h11

[email protected]