Welcome to “Good Morning, Illini Nation,” your every day dose of school basketball information from Illini beat author and AP High 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll supply up insights each morning on Brad Underwood’s crew:
The 2020-21 Illinois basketball season is completed. Prior to anticipated. Earlier than tackling what’s subsequent, we have a look again on the season that was for the Illini. Up first?
Ayo Dosunmu
Season averages: 20.1 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 5.3 apg, 1.1 spg
Capturing slash: 48.8/38.6/78.3
Notable superior stat: 29.5 p.c utilization charge (an estimate of the share of crew performs utilized by a participant whereas he was on the ground); Dosunmu’s, no shock, was the very best on the crew
Finest sport: It feels unusual to do that, however I am not selecting both of the triple-doubles (and it might be the Wisconsin triple-double if I did). As a substitute, it was the way in which Dosunmu utterly took over in Illinois’ highway win at Nebraska scoring the ultimate 10 factors of regulation and first 5 in additional time en path to 31 for the sport. It was arguably his most dominant stretch of the season, and the Illini definitely do not win with out him.
Lasting influence: How concerning the truth Illinois basketball is again? Dosunmu may not have completed all of his enterprise in Champaign falling in need of a nationwide title, however he adopted by means of on his dedication promise in elevating this system again to its anticipated degree.
What’s subsequent: Whereas Dosunmu has not but formally declared for the 2021 NBA Draft, that second is coming. A junior does not undergo “Senior Night time” and kiss the ground (a la Malcolm Hill or each participant at Michigan State) if he intends to come back again. Moreover, even Illinois coach Brad Underwood mentioned there’s nothing left for Dosunmu to achieve in school basketball. It is time to snap an excellent longer streak — i.e. no Illini drafted since Meyers Leonard in 2012.
