Illinois Basketball: 3 keys for Illini beating Duke in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

By Adam Childs | Dec 7, 2020

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - DECEMBER 02: Brad Underwood the head coach of the Illinois Fighting Illini gives instructions to Andre Curbelo #5 and Ayo Dosunmu #11 in the game against the Baylor Bears during the Jimmy V Classic at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on December 02, 2020 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

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Kofi Cockburn Illinois Basketball (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

1. The big two

If Illinois wants to win this game it starts and ends with the big two players in Kofi Cockburn and Ayo Dosunmu. They are two of their top three scorers and are the heart and soul of this team.

Cockburn has a big size advantage in this game and the Illini need to exploit it. Cockburn is one of the best in the country scoring down low and with the lack of size by any of the Duke regulars, he could have a big night.

What could get the Illini in trouble is if the Blue Devils can get him in foul trouble early. But if Cockburn can stay on the court for a majority of the game, the Blue Devils are going to have a tough time stopping him.

But stopping him isn’t going to be easy when you have a player the caliber of Dosunmu also on the court. Dosunmu is leading the Illini in scoring with just over 23 points per game and he has been even better than he was last year as a Sophomore.

Dosunmu is hitting 47% of his three-pointers this year and has created a great inside-out game with Cockburn. They are arguably the best duo in the Big Ten right now and maybe in the country.

It will be extremely difficult for anyone to stop and if they are playing well, this game should end up with the Illini on top. They must get them going early and put pressure on the Blue Devils and they should come away with a victory.

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