Big Ten Basketball: Each team’s best acquisition out of 2023 transfer portal

Marcus Domask – 6’6 Wing/Forward – Illinois Fighting Illini

Marcus Domask is another player from the MVC that’s joining the Big Ten ranks heading into 2023-24 from the Southern Illinois Salukis. Domask looks to breathe life into the Illinois Fighting Illini’s offense after a fifth place finish in the conference standings and another early exit in the NCAA Tournament.

Domask looks to build on his career-best production in 2022-23 as one of four additions out of the transfer portal. He’s got tremendous two-way potential at the wing-forward spot. He posted 16.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.8 apg and 1.0 spg on 34.8 percent shooting from 3-point range and 44.7 percent shooting from the field in 2022-23.

The 6-foot-6 wing man filled up the stat sheet back on Jan. 29, 2023 in a close loss to Illinois State. Across 39 minutes of action, he produced a career-high 32 points on 13-of-25 shooting from the floor and 6-of-12 from 3-point land along with six rebounds and four assists.

He also set a career-high mark of nine assists back on Feb. 23, 2022 against Illinois State as well.

He generated an offensive rating of 107.0 and a defensive rating of 96.1, which was a big reason for the Salukis 23-10 record and 14-6 finish in the MVC. As an All-MVC first-team selection, he finished with a career-high 125 assists, good for fifth in the conference, after finishing third a season prior with 120 assists.

Domask does a tremendous job of operating off the bounce and knows how to make opponents pay with his ability to get to the free throw line. He finished second in the MVC in free throws made (120) and ninth in the conference in free throw attempts (137) while leading the conference in free throw percentage (87.6%).

The former MVC Rookie of the Year has improved on the hardwood since his addition to the Southern Illinois squad in 2019. He’ll look to keep the development going as he joins a competitive Fighting Illini rotation.