Illinois Basketball: Kylan Boswell emerging as lockdown defender

Illinois basketball has some ways to go in regard to team defense. In their most recent game, they gave up 100 points to the Alabama Crimson Tide. Though Alabama is touted as one of the best offensive teams in the country, 100 points in a 40-minute game does not sit well. Despite the team improvements they need to make, they do have one player emerging as a true lock-down defender.

Through four games, junior guard Kylan Boswell has brought it on the defensive end. His on-ball pressure and ability to keep his man in front of him is elite. On Wednesday, Boswell helped hold All-American candidate, Mark Sears to 0 points. Though Illinois basketball lost the game, this is a silver lining that will certainly benefit them in Big Ten play.

Kylan Boswell guarding Mark Sears.. defense doesn’t get much better than this pic.twitter.com/pOIiX2iHCB

— ᗩᑎT ᗯᖇIGᕼT (@itsAntWright) November 21, 2024

A conference of guards

Penn State: Ace Baldwin

Wisconsin: John Blackwell

Oregon: Jackson Shelstad

Indiana: Myles Rice

Rutgers: Dylan Harper

Maryland: Ja’Kobi Gillespie

Michigan State: Jaden Akins

Purdue: Braden Smith

UCLA: Dylan Andrews/Sebastian Mack

Ohio State: Meechie Johnson

The list above shows how each Big Ten team has a top perimeter player. It additionally lines up with the fact that these players are these teams’ best players. The Illini certainly have two studs in their backcourt in Kasparas Jakucionis and Kylan Boswell. Boswell emerging as a lockdown defender bodes well for the Illini as they hope to improve their defensive efforts. With Boswell shutting off the opponent’s best players’ water each night, the Illini should hopefully become a major force to be reckoned with once they start to gel.

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