Wisconsin (9-5) will look to make it five wins in a row when it plays host to Illinois (10-5) at the Kohl Center on Wednesday evening.
The Badgers took down the Fighting Illini in both matchups between these programs last season and have had extraordinary success in this series throughout recent years, winning 14 consecutive games. The last time Illinois beat Wisconsin? Jan. 2, 2011.
That being said, while the Badgers have been on a roll as of late and are coming off of their best win of the season at No. 5 Ohio State last Friday, Wednesday could very well be the day the Illini finally get back in the win column against Wisconsin. There’s still work to be done in order to enhance the resume, but head coach Brad Underwood has a roster this season that should have Illinois contending for its first NCAA Tournament since 2013.
The Illini have been playing some pretty good ball as of late, winning four of their last six games starting with a 71-62 victory over No. 5 Michigan back on Dec. 11. They also destroyed Purdue at home, 63-37, the last time they took the court. However, it’s worth noting that Illinois has dropped three of its four road games this season (against Arizona, Maryland and Michigan State), with the only win coming against Grand Canyon in the second game of the season.
If they are going to take down a Wisconsin group that has been excellent at home so far, these three players are going to need to step up for the Fighting Illini.
Kofi Cockburn – Center
Current stats: 15.0 ppg, 9.3 rpg, 1.4 bpg, 55.6 FG%, 64.8 FT%
As a poor rebounding team, the Badgers are in for a long night on the boards against Illinois, one of the nation’s best in that category. The Illini’s prowess in the paint begins and ends with Cockburn, a 7-0, 290-pound behemoth of a center who is likely to give Wisconsin’s bigs nightmares for weeks.
He’s just a freshman, but the Jamaica native has been a man among boys all season long. Cockburn ranks second in the Big Ten and No. 16 nationally in offensive rebounds and is No. 5 in the conference in total rebounds per game. He’s also Illinois’ top shot-blocker and No. 2 scorer (just 0.1 points below the next player on this list).
A five-time Big Ten Freshman of the Week honoree, Cockburn is likely shoo-in for the conference’s Freshman of the Year award at the end of the season.
Ayo Dosunmu – Guard
Current stats: 15.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 2.8 apg, 1.0 spg, 46.9 FG%, 27.5 3P%
A former five-star recruit out of Chicago, Dosunmu lived up to the hype throughout his first go-around in Champaign last season by becoming the first true freshman in school history to lead Illinois scoring. It’s been more of the same type of production for the 6-5 floor general this year.
Dosunmu is second on the team in assists and third in steals, but his primary purpose for the Illini is to get buckets. He’s been quite successful in that regard as the Big Ten’s No. 7 scorer at 15.1 points per game, and his 46.9 percent shooting clip from the floor the eighth-highest in the conference.
That being said, Dosunmu has struggled mightily against the Badgers to this point in his young career, going a combined 8-31 from the floor in Illinois’ two losses to Bucky last season.
Andres Feliz – Guard
Current stats: 10.9 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.5 apg, 0.7 spg, 49.1 FG%, 29.4 3P%
Underwood has been having Feliz come off his bench, but you could argue he’s been Illinois’ most valuable player this season.
Cockburn and Dosunmu are legitimate stars and future pros, but every good college basketball team needs a player like Feliz. I’ve watched a few of the Illini’s games this season, and the senior floor general’s leadership, hustle and toughness are palpable. Those intangibles aside, Feliz will also stuff the box score as well: he’s third on the team in scoring and rebounding, and he leads Illinois and ranks ninth in the Big Ten in assists per game.