Texas basketball vs. Illinois: 3 bold predictions for Jimmy V. Classic
The next high-stakes matchup that lies ahead for head coach Chris Beard and No. 2 ranked Texas basketball comes on Dec. 6 against head coach Brad Underwood and the No. 17 Illinois Fighting Illini. Texas will look to remain undefeated on the season while Illinois is looking to bounce back from its second loss of the campaign.
Beard and the Longhorns come into the Jimmy V. Classic with a record of 6-0 (0-0 Big 12) following a close 72-67 win at home over the No. 7 ranked Creighton Blue Jays on Dec. 1. Texas now has two wins over ranked opponents on the season, including a victory over the No. 2 Gonzaga Bulldogs at home at the Moody Center on Nov. 16.
Meanwhile, Illinois comes into this game sporting a record of 6-2 (0-1 Big Ten) following a slip-up in its conference opener on Dec. 2 on the road against the No. 22 Maryland Terrapins. Illinois fell short to Maryland by the final score of 71-66.
While Texas has a couple of nice wins over ranked opponents this season, this team has yet to accomplish this feat away from the friendly confines of the Moody Center in Austin. In fact, Texas has yet to play a true road game yet this season.
Bold predictions for Tyrese Hunter and Texas basketball vs. Terrence Shannon Jr. and Illinois
Nonetheless, here’s a look at three bold predictions as the Longhorns ready up to face Illinois in the Jimmy V. Classic at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 6, with the tip-off time set for 6 p.m. CT.
https://twitter.com/TransferTapes/status/1516187418264756231
Tyrese Hunter registers a season-high three steals
A major issue that the Fighting Illini dealt with through the first eight games of the season is turnovers. Illinois is turning the ball over nearly 15 times per game this season, good for the most of any team in the Big Ten.
Now, part of the reason why Illinois turns it over so many times per game is it also plays at the fastest pace of any team in the Big Ten, averaging roughly 72.5 possessions per game.
Yet, it’s still not a great look for Illinois as it has two of its starters posting turnover percentages north of 23.0. And one of those starters who has a turnover percentage north of 23.0 is the starting point guard, 6-foot-3 and 200-pound freshman Skyy Clark.
The frequency at which Clark is turning the ball over this season is something that I would imagine standout sophomore guard Tyrese Hunter takes full advantage of in this game.
Hunter is playing some very disruptive perimeter defense for the second straight season. And it is translating to a lot of fast break points for the Longhorns.
So far this season, Hunter is averaging around one steal per game. He has one steal per game against the two ranked opponents that Texas has faced this season.
But neither Gonzaga nor Creighton turned the ball over as much as Illinois, especially in the starting backcourt.
This looks like a great opportunity for Hunter to have a big game on the defensive end of the floor with some disruptive hands on the perimeter.