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Big Ten Basketball: Ranking each team’s league schedule for 2021-22 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

Feb 13, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 13, 2021; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Michigan State Spartans head coach Tom Izzo during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Jack Breslin Student Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports /
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Big Ten Basketball Illinois Fighting Illini (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
Big Ten Basketball Illinois Fighting Illini (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

14. Illinois Fighting Illini

Home & Away – Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Purdue, Rutgers
Home Only – Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin
Away Only – Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska

As a team that is on the brink of the top-tier in the Big Ten, this difficult schedule would end up being advantageous, if of course, they are able to win. In the same light, as a team hoping to stave off other top-tier hopefuls, this schedule would end up being a detriment if they lose.

The difficulty of this schedule is highlighted by the two matchups versus Michigan and Purdue. Despite the fact that Hunter Dickinson and Trevion Williams are great match-ups defensively for Kofi Cockburn, as neither center poses much of a threat on the perimeter, the same can be said for the two big-men guarding Cockburn.

Last season Cockburn got the best of Dickinson, as the Wolverines’ freshman has held to six points on 2 for 8 shooting on as Cockburn scored 12 points. Illinois also got a 66-58 victory over Purdue as Cockburn and Williams led their teams with 14 points each.

Related Story. Illinois depth chart. light

The two games versus Michigan State could create match-up problems for both teams on the defensive end. Whereas the Spartans ‘big men’ are not offensively inclined, if head coach Tom Izzo plays Joey Hauser at the five-spot, Cockburn will struggle defensively on the perimeter as much as Hauser will struggle to defend the paint. The match-ups are even enough that Michigan State can win at home.

The games versus Wisconsin and Penn State at the State Farm Center are essentially wasted home games, as the Fighting Illini would get the win versus them anywhere. A home game versus Indiana would be much more beneficial as the newly arrived Xavier Johnson and Miller Kopp will have enough motivation in front of their crowd to support Trayce Jackson-Davis. With Northwestern being the lone fourth-tier opponent that plays Illinois home and away, the Fighting Illini’s schedule will be a battle.

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