Pregame-- Illini Basketball: North Carolina A&T

 

After having a week break the Fighting Illini are back. The last outing, against Mizzou, is one that most Illini fans would like to forget, and hopefully, that will be the case with this game today. 

 

Know the Foe: 

 

NCAT or the Aggies for short, are 3 and 10 this season, and are in the MEAC(Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference) and have yet to play a conference game yet this season. The Aggies are averaging just over 57 PPG while allowing over 70(the Illini are averaging 79 and allowing 63.)  Aggie Head Coach, Jay Joyner was suspended indefinite earlier this week by the college for a reason that I still don’t know. 

 

Players to Watch: 

 

The two players that the Illini will need to contain are Ronald Jackson and Fred Cleveland Jr. Jackosn a senior is averaging 12.9 PPG(team-leading scorer) 8.8 RPG, and 0.7 APG. He is a four-year starter and plays a majority of the minutes at the 4 spot. Fred Cleveland Jr(Chicago Native) is 10 PPG, 1.2 REB, and 1.2 AST per game. He does not start even with statically being their best player.  

 

Get Right: 

After the loss to the out of state foe in St. Louis, the Illini need to use this game and clean a lot of things up, limiting turnovers, improving cohesion on the court, and finishing games. This is the last “lower tier” opponent before Big Ten play resumes this Thursday in East Lansing.