Big Ten Basketball: Michigan’s rout puts them on top of Power Rankings

3. Illinois Fighting Illini (9-4, 5-2 Big Ten)

At the beginning of the season, Illinois was a trendy pick to take the Big Ten. Maybe they still do. But some of their flaws are beginning to be exposed.

Take their second conference loss, a defeat at the hands of the inferior Terrapins. Illinois lost that game 66-63. The Fighting Illini hit just 41 percent of their shots. Trent Frazier played through a shoulder injury he suffered in the first half and failed to score in the first or the second. Kofi Cockburn and Ayo Dosunmu combined for 44 of the team’s 63 points and two starters were held scoreless.

Finding contributions outside of their two stars was always going to be the key to Illinois’ season. At times, Frazier, Adam Miller, and Andre Curbelo appear ready to fulfill that role. At other times, however, they go missing – none of the three are averaging double-digit scoring.

There was no update on the health of Frazier after the loss to Maryland. Illinois’ next game was postponed, so the team will hope to have him healthy by Saturday afternoon’s game against Ohio State.

After the Buckeyes, Illinois has a home date against Penn State before a trip to Michigan State. That will be followed by their only contest against Iowa in the regular season, a home game against the Hawkeyes that has been circled all year.