Illinois Basketball: Three key takeaways from season opener vs EIU

The Illinois basketball season tipped off on Monday night against Eastern Illinois. The Illini took care of business against the Panthers winning 112-67. The offense was firing on all cylinders shooting just under 50% from the floor. They also knocked down 16 3-point attempts and had 16 assists. The Illini were expected to win this one, but that does not mean there can’t be takeaways from the win. Let’s dive into the top takeaways from the Illinois basketball win.

Will Riley: Sixth Man of the Year?

Illinois 6’8” freshman Will Riley dropped 31 points in his debut vs Eastern Illinois pic.twitter.com/dVyjeZ5iUP

— ᗩᑎT ᗯᖇIGᕼT (@itsAntWright) November 5, 2024

Not only was it the debut of the Illinois basketball team, but it was the debut of five-star freshman Will Riley. It was a question of who the starting five would be heading into this and the odd man out was Will Riley. However, it did not phase the freshman as he scored 31 points off the bench. The silky smooth scorer just had it going all night long. He finished 10-13 from the floor and 5-6 from downtown with 31 points. Perhaps, what was even more impressive was his seven rebounds as a freshman. I know it was against EIU but if Riley continues to put up to score off the bench at will, he will win the Sixth Man of the Year Award. He looked to fit perfectly in that role, as a microwave scorer.

Tomislav Ivisic’s Passing Ability

This Tomislav Ivisic one handed pass to the corne for a Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn three pic.twitter.com/DDE1O78H3D

— Hoop Informatics (@HoopInformatics) November 5, 2024

We know that the offense will ultimately run through Kasparas Jakucionis. However, what I loved seeing last night was the ability of Tomislav Ivisic to pass the ball out of the post from multiple angles. I think Illini fans took Coleman Hawkins’s versatility for granted. I had thought that creation could be an issue if Kasparas was having a tough night. That may not be the case if they can just run offense through Ivisic at times. Ivisic has great touch, not only around the rim but with his passing ability. He finished with 14 points and 14 rebounds with two assists. Ivisic is as advertised.

 Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn’s Role

A perfect transition pass by Kasparas Jakucionis to Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn pic.twitter.com/ZLr6UfqH4V

— Hoop Informatics (@HoopInformatics) November 5, 2024

After last night’s game, I think it is safe to say Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn solidified his spot in the rotation. With Ty Rodgers surprisingly deciding to redshirt this season the Illini need defensive help. We saw at times last year that DGL could come off the bench and be that defensive menace, and he will need to do that again. He even added to the offense last night scoring 21 points in 21 minutes going 4-8 from behind the three-point arc. DGL may not always get 20+ minutes each night, but he will need to be a key contributor off the bench if the Illini want to make another deep postseason run.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We at Armchair Illini are proudly sponsored by Hamilton Walker’s Steak, Seafood, and Spirits. Located in the heart of downtown Champaign, there is no better restaurant for Illini fans to visit. Order online here or call (217) 350-0363 to make a reservation.

For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at [email protected]. Please use our Seatgeek code for $20 off your purchase on Seatgeek.com: ARMCHAIRILLINOIS. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing Illinois media outlets around!

Thank you for reading Armchair Illini!