Illinois Basketball: 2023-24 season preview for the Fighting Illini

Jan 10, 2023; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (0) and forward Coleman Hawkins (33) looks over the court against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first half at Pinnacle Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports /

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Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

Projected starting lineup

Point Guard: Ty Rodgers

Rodgers returns for the Illinois Fighting Illini after appearing in all 33 games as a freshman looking to contribute with more minutes at the forward/wing spot. One of the more versatile players, Rodgers averaged 17.4 minutes of action along with 3.3 ppg and 4.0 rpg. After missing out on a few point guard targets from the portal, look for Illinois to give him a shot to run the offense.

Shooting Guard: Terrence Shannon

Terrence Shannon returns looking to lead the Fighting Illini to more success following a strong stint at the point guard role. He’s a size mismatch at 6-foot-6 who earned first-team All-Big Ten honors this past season with 17.2 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.8 apg and 1.3 spg on 32.1 percent shooting from deep and 44.2 percent shooting from the floor. As a super senior and Illinois’ fearless leader in 2023-24, look for him to compete for the Big Ten Player of the Year award.

Small Forward: Marcus Domask

Marcus Domask joins the rotation out of MVC’s Southern Illinois. The Big Ten will be an adjustment for him, but if he can find a way to utilize his inside-out game (6-foot-6, 215 pounds) as he did in the past, look for him to find his way in the Fighting Illini’s starting rotation. He averaged 16.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 3.8 apg and 1.0 spg on 34.8 percent shooting from deep in 2022-23.

Power Forward: Coleman Hawkins

Coleman Hawkins is another returner to the starting lineup for the Fighting Illini looking to do a lot more damage at the stretch-forward spot. He’s a 6-foot-10 prospect set to break out in his second year in the starting rotation. He blossomed well in his junior season across 33 starts, posting 9.9 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 1.2 bpg and 1.1 spg. He’ll continue his development as an anchor in the painted area and continue to show he can stretch the floor with his shooting ability.

Center/Forward: Dain Dainja

Dain Dainja is the final returner to the starting lineup as he shores things up at the center position. He’s another name who’s quietly developed for the Fighting Illini over the past two seasons. He worked well in bigger minutes in 2022-23, averaging 9.5 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 1.2 bpg on 63.6 percent shooting from the floor. He’ll look to be another potential All-Conference performer for them as his acts as their defensive anchor in 2023-24.

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