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Big Ten Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

By Jerran Anderson

WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 12: Big Ten logo on the floor before the Big Ten Men's Basketball Final against the Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan Wolverines at the Verizon Center on March 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Wolverines won 71-56. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
WASHINGTON, DC - MARCH 12: Big Ten logo on the floor before the Big Ten Men's Basketball Final against the Wisconsin Badgers and Michigan Wolverines at the Verizon Center on March 12, 2017 in Washington, DC. The Wolverines won 71-56. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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Big Ten Basketball
Illinois Fighting Illini Kofi Cockburn Big Ten Basketball Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports /

481. . . . Fighting Illini . 2. team

Things are looking up for Illinois basketball after a disappointing finish to the 2020-21 campaign. Head coach Brad Underwood still ended a six-year tournament drought, not counting 2019-20’s cancellation, but the Fighting Illini finished underwhelmingly as a No. 1 seed. They fell in the second round to Loyola (IL.), 71-58

This might be one of the deepest squads Illinois basketball fans have seen with four players with starting experience among 10 returners in the 2021-22 rotation. With Kofi Cockburn drawing all the attention down low, the door is wide open for shooters like Trent Frazier and Jacob Grandison to up their shooting production after successful shooting seasons on the perimeter.

Frazier shot 36.2 percent from behind the arc while scoring 10.2 ppg and Grandison averaged 4.6 ppg while shooting 41.5 percent from behind the arc. They’re due to up their production with Cockburn playing distributor out of the post as is lead guard Andre Curbelo. He fared well in 31 appearances off the bench this past season, earning the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year honors and should be comfortable in the starting lineup this season.

Curbelo posted 9.1 ppg, 4.2 apg and 4.0 rpg off the bench in 21.5 mpg. That production will only rise with the departure of Ayo Dosunmu. He’s not the greatest 3-point threat but his ability to finish around the rim will be key to the success of the Fighting Illini.

Senior returner Da’Monte Williams should be up for the Big Ten basketball’s Most Improved Player in 2021-22 as well. The 6-foot-3 guard knocked 54.7 percent (35-of-64) of his 3-pointers while producing 5.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg and 1.7 apg in 2020-21. He’s set to break out in the rotation any minute.

Cockburn, Frazier, and Curbelo will be enough of a load to take on for Big Ten basketball opponents and with Omar Payne (Florida) roaming the post as a reserve and Alfonso Plummer (Utah) joining the lineup, there’s reason to believe Illinois basketball can win yet another Big Ten title and earn a No. 1 seed.

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