This is the first game of the season for Illinois basketball. Illinois plays Jackson State University and they are going to dominate them. The only way Jackson State would
have a chance to win if prime Deion Sanders was playing. The State Farm Center is going to be rocking. Zombie nation is going to be playing the students are going to be jumping up and down, the orange crush is going to be so loud. This is the first home game that students can attend since March 8, 2020, when Illinois beat Iowa by two points. That is also when the iconic picture was taken of Da'Monte Williams and Connor McCaffery.
Andre Curbelo is going to be a stud all season. Curbelo has a chance to win the Bob Cousy Award, which is given to the best point guard in the country. Kofi Cockburn has a chance to win the player of the year in both the Big 10 and in the country. Illinois returns Trent Frazier and Da'Monte Williams. Both are key players and leaders who set the tone on defense. The list goes on and on. Illinois could have a nine-man rotation if the freshman plays to expectations.
Last year Illinois lost to Loyola in the tournament and the season ended earlier than fans and players wanted. That is not going to happen this year. The team has a sour taste in their mouth and wants to prove they can make a deep run in March. That journey to the final four starts today.
All the big J journalists who don't cover Illinois are saying they don't have Ayo they won't be as good. They're wrong. Illinois played amazing without Ayo last year and they will again this year. It will be more team-oriented basketball.
To start the year, those same journalists have Illinois ranked third in the power rankings in the Big 10 and 11th to start the year. They will prove over the year that they should've been ranked higher in the national stage and definitely will prove they are a better team than Michigan and Purdue.
I'm very excited for this season it's going to be a lot of fun. I expect them to bring home some trophies this year.
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