The Illini are listed as a team to watch in the Big Ten in this 247 preview:
https://247sports.com/college/illin...rams-looking-toward-2019-20-season-133538497/
Illinois Fighting Illini
* 2018-19 Record, Postseason: 12-21 overall, 7-13 Big Ten (tied for 10th)
* Coach: Brad Underwood (third year at Illinois, 26-39; seventh year overall, 135-66)
* Key Returnees: G Alan Griffin, G Trent Frazier, F Kipper Nichols, G Tevian Jones, G Andres Feliz, G Ayo Dosunmu, F Giorgi Bezhanishvili, G Da’Monte Williams, C Samba Kane
* Newcomers (freshmen unless noted): C Kofi Cockburn (ranked 44th nationally), F Bernard Kouma (ranked 341st), F Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (unranked)
* Key Departures: G Aaron Jordan (graduation), C Adonis De La Rosa (graduation), G Anthony Higgs (transfer)
* National Rankings: NCAA.com, 36th
* ESPN Bracketology: Not listed
* The Skinny: Illinois went to the NCAA Tournament 16 times in the 21-year period between 1993 and 2013. But the Fighting Illini have not been back to The Big Dance in the six years since then.
But Underwood may be the coach to end that drought and it could happen in 2019-20 if all the pieces come together. It helps that Dosunmu (13.8 ppg, 4.0 rpg) considered a professional jump before returning to school. He and Frazier (13.7 ppg) should form one of the Big Ten’s
BEST backcourts.
The 6-9 Bezhanishvili (12.5 ppg, 5.2 rpg) is coming off a tremendous freshman season. He will be joined inside by the national top-50 signee Cockburn. The 7-foot, 290-pound Cockburn, who starred at Oak Hill Academy, is a native of Jamaica.