Illinois Basketball: 2022-23 season preview and outlook for Fighting Illini
By Joey Loose
Key Reserves
Guard – Sencire Harris (Freshman)
A 4-star shooting guard from Akron, Harris arrives at Illinois with a chance to contribute from the beginning. He’s a bit undersized and may need to bulk up, but he had impressive shooting numbers and showed solid defense while starring at St. Vincent-St. Mary, the same high school that produced LeBron James.
Guard – Jayden Epps (Freshman)
Epps is another Top 100 recruit another young combo guard that has both size and quickness. He’s another piece that the Illini can plug in on the perimeter and help replace some of what they lost with Frazier and Plummer graduating; but he’s also great from all over the court.
Guard/Forward – Luke Goode (Sophomore)
Just like Melendez, the Illini are hoping that Goode can take a big step forward as a sophomore. He shot 37% from long range last season, albeit with very limited chances on the court. However, you’ll see much more Goode this season, and he’s the kind of player who can provide push in the frontcourt while also hitting shots from outside.
Center – Brandon Lieb (Junior)
A 7’0 big man from the suburbs of Chicago, Lieb saw time in just fifteen games in his first two seasons but could have an expanded role as a backup piece now that Cockburn is gone. Lieb has impressive size, though he’s got plenty to work on if the Illini can count on him as a backup piece in the frontcourt.
Guard – Ty Rodgers (Freshman)
Rodgers is yet another Top 100 piece that Underwood has brought to Champaign, and he might be one of the most important pieces. He’ll likely get minutes at the point right away and has the ability to play all over the court. At 6’6 he has a physical presence and his defense has been superb; we’ll just have to see how those shooting numbers look moving forward.
Forward – Dain Dainja (Sophomore)
A former 4-star big man who couldn’t find his role at Baylor, Dainja has only played in three collegiate games the last two seasons, redshirting his first season before transferring after last season. Dainja rates as a strong shot-blocker and rebounder who can also get business done in the paint, but we’ll have to see if he can continue to develop into that proficient player we thought back when he was in high school.