It’s the final matchup of a three-game homestand for Illinois (2-0) when it takes on Oakland (1-1) this Wednesday. The Illini are looking to keep their streak of 30-plus point wins after out-scoring EIU by 45 and SIUE by 32.
The opponent
After upsetting No. 3 Kentucky in the first round of last season’s NCAA tournament, Oakland is back with a roster that no longer includes breakout star guard Jack Gohlke, who is now playing professionally in Europe. The Golden Grizzlies played the Illini early last season and only lost by 11. The game was relatively close throughout the first half, with Illinois only being up by one at halftime. However, Oakland’s top three scorers in that game are no longer with the team this season.
Oakland, coached by Greg Kampe, loves to play zone defense and limit the amount of possessions in the game on the offensive end. They slow the game down, something the Illini try to do the opposite of with their quick ball movement and transition scoring.
“It’s a game that he (Kampe) wants to control the possessions; that zone allows that,” said Illinois head coach Brad Underwood.
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Kampe’s squad has started the year off in a rough patch. Despite winning their opening game against the NAIA Defiance Yellow Jackets 75-52, the Golden Grizzlies looked rough in their most recent matchup. Oakland lost by 44 points to Boise State on Nov. 6. They haven’t played since then, making the game against the Illini their first in a week.
Who to keep an eye on
For Illinois, keep an eye on freshman forward Will Riley. Riley is a three-level scorer and can get a bucket from just about anywhere. The Illini have tried to only take threes and shots in the paint for the most part. But Underwood mentioned that Riley has been allowed to take more mid-range shots because he makes them at a high clip.
Against an Oakland team that likes zone defense, there will be weaknesses around the elbow, high post and along the three-point line. Riley can thrive against the zone with his ability to create his shot and get to any spot he likes.
“He’s a really elite hard shot maker,” Underwood said about Riley. “What I’m more curious of now is how do teams start guarding him?”
Sophomore center Tomislav Ivisic is primed to have a big game against Oakland. The Golden Grizzlies’ tallest player is 6-foot-9 junior forward Deng Majak, who pales in height compared to the 7-foot-1 Ivisic. Ivisic is averaging 16 points and 10.5 rebounds per game in the Illini’s first two contests. With such a large height advantage, look for Ivisic to be dominant on the glass and attack in the post on the offensive end.
Freshman forward Morez Johnson could also have a strong performance, with the Illini having the advantage in the paint.
Illinois’ starting guards freshman Kaparas Jakucionis and junior Kylan Boswell have been very different to start the year. Jakucinois has been very effective with aggression on offense to get to the free-throw line and his ability to create opportunities for his teammates. He had 13 assists against SIUE.
“KJ’s doing a great job of taking care of the basketball,” Underwood said. “He’s got the ball in his hands a lot.”
Boswell, on the other hand, has been relatively timid on offense. He went 2-8 from the field in his first two games. However, his on-ball defense has been strong, which earned praise from Underwood.
“He hasn’t forced anything,” Underwood said. “He’s had a couple go in and out. He’s done it before; I mean, he’s had 20-point nights. He’s the last thing I worry about. But I love what he’s doing on the defensive side because he’s leading us there.”
Look for Jakucionis to keep doing what he’s been doing. Also, keep an eye on Boswell to make strides on the offensive end and get some shots to fall.
Illinois’ keys to win
In hindsight, Illinois should have no problem beating Oakland. However, there are some things the team needs to focus on for Wednesday.
First, on-ball defense needs to be a priority for the Illini. For a team with defensive concerns coming into the season, the Illini showed improvement against SIUE on Friday, holding the Cougars to 30.1% shooting. For an Oakland team that likes to slow down on the offensive end, Illinois must be locked in for the entire 24-second shot clock to break down their offense and force bad shots.
“They’re very, very comfortable playing in the late shot clock,” Underwood said.
Three-point shooting volume will also be key for Illinois. The team has averaged 40 long-range attempts per game over their first two outings. They need to continue to do so, especially against a zone defense. The likes of Riley and fifth-year forward Ben Humrichous should be open for catch-and-shoot attempts on the perimeter.
The Illini will also want to get out in transition and push the pace. Oakland is known to try and limit the amount of possessions in the game. If Illinois has an opportunity to run and score quickly, especially early on, it can help them garner control of the game speed.
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