Illinois Basketball: Who made the initial eight man rotation?

Illinois basketball came into this season with a lot of hype. After coming off an Elite Eight appearance, fans were ecstatic about the amount of talent that the Illini accumulated. However, as the offseason progressed, we knew that there would be at least one or two of these pieces that would have to take a lesser role. Illinois basketball, and most programs in the nation, have typically run with an eight-man rotation. In fact, former Michigan Basketball coach and current BTN Analyst, John Beilein, has always mentioned that teams always roll out an eight-man rotation no matter how talented the entire team is.

After six games, that rotation is starting to take shape and it is clear who the main players will be for this Illinois basketball season.

The eight-man rotation:

Starters:

G: Kasparas Jakucionis

G: Kylan Boswell

F: Tre White

F: Ben Humrichous

C: Tomislav Ivisic

6th man: Will Riley

Bench: Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn and Morez Johnson Jr.

Who seems to have missed the cut?

Carey Booth and Jake Davis are the two odd men out. On top of that, freshman Jason Jakstys looks like he will redshirt the year and so will junior forward, Ty Rodgers. Rodgers redshirting certainly makes the minutes allocation a lot easier for Brad Underwood. Through the first six games, it is no surprise that both Davis and Booth will likely only play spot minutes. Davis has looked sped up in his limited time and is only 1-7 from behind the three-point line. Simply put, Kasparas Jakucionis, Kylan Boswell, and Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn are just more steady, reliable options on both ends of the floor.

With the emergence of Morez Johnson Jr, Notre Dame transfer, Carey Booth, has fallen out of favor. After playing 30 total minutes between the first two games, Booth has only played 25 minutes in the last four games. In fact, he only played three minutes in the game vs Alabama. Booth has an intriguing skillset, however, he does not have as good of a motor as Morez Johnson Jr. and does not have the defensive upside that Johnson carries off the bench. If Johnson Jr. or Ivisic struggles with foul trouble, look for Carey Booth to maybe get a look.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

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]. Additionally, 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!