https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/game/_/gameId/401830778/illinois-michigan-stILLINI 78-MSU 64
ILLINI are holding the cards right now....Coen is the only player that we do not match up with. Fears is a player, but he wants to get into the lane to make his shots, drive the ball....well we neutralize that with 6'6'-6'7'-6'9 and bigger on the floor pretty much all the time. ALL of our guys INCLUDING Jake from State Farm Arena can and will keep him in check.
ILLINI should play plenty of matchup zone again, MSU is terrible as far as shooting the ball....Kohler is the wildcard here. He can go outside as well...when Tomi is in not that big a deal, but when Z is in he will be used to draw Z out, and open lanes for Fears/Coen.
I really like the unlimited ceiling of this team this year....multiple double figure scorers, multiple games all year.....MSU has had 6 different leading scorers during the schedule....Fears and Kohler make up 14 of those 23 games playes so far.
The ILLINI have had 7 has leading scorers with 15 of those being Wagler/Stoyakovic. The diffference is we DON'T need one or both of them being our leading scorers, MSU pretty much NEEDS both of those guys to lead them or be 1-2 high scorers.
Good Luck Izzo....have the Kleenex ready, he will be crying the entire game to the REFS.