Illinois Basketball needs this version of Will Riley

Illinois basketball freshman Will Riley had his best game in quite some time. Against the Michigan State Spartans, Riley played 26 minutes off the bench scored 19 points, and grabbed 6 rebounds. Because Kasparas Jakucionis played a total of 9 minutes today, Riley was called upon to play a lot more minutes. Riley stepped up to the plate and got back to effortless scoring.  The only knock on Riley was his 3-6 performance from the free-throw line. In a two-point loss, those free throws ended up proving crucial. This kind of performance was huge for Illinois basketball as they will need Riley’s scoring punch as the season goes on.

The game vs the Spartans was the highest scoring output for the freshman since November 23rd vs UMES. After an impressive start to the season, Riley ran into the freshman wall and struggled vs high major opponents. In the 11 games prior, Will Riley only scored double digits three times.

A turning point? 

The Illini need reliable scoring off the bench. So far, Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn has been an outstanding punch on both sides. However, when teams inevitably load up on Kasparas Jakucionis, Riley is the perfect counterpunch to score a lot of baskets. As the Illini head into the second half of conference play, hopefully, Riley can use this game as a springboard back into the conversation as one of the top freshmen in the country.

“Taking contact! And he’s letting them hear about it!”

Will Riley getting it going for @IlliniMBB pic.twitter.com/SA208Cuhty

— CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) January 19, 2025

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