Don't Expect Another Hot Start From Illinois Fighting Illini

By Trevor Lowry
Illinois Fighting Illini
Bradley Leeb-USA TODAY Sports

The Illinois Fighting Illini got off to a hot start last year, but don’t expect the same thing in the 2013-14 college basketball season.

Illinois was known as a three-point shooting team last year and although that is great when a team is making its threes, what happens when it is not? Well, that team simply does not win basketball games.

Sure, the Fighting Illini could have a completely different identity in the upcoming season, but the team should still have a lot of three-point firepower. The only difference between the upcoming season and this past one is that Illinois will not be as talented. Losing both Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson will not be easy to rebound from.

Whether the case, Illinois’ true colors showed once conference play started. It ended up finishing the Big Ten with an 8-10 record and a 23-13 record overall. Don’t forget that this team did start the season off on a 12-game winning streak.

Well, a start like that is not likely to happen. Not to mention, the Fighting Illini will be lucky to dance once again.

Sure, the season hasn’t even started and Illinois will be getting plenty of new faces, but it does play in the Big Ten, which was one of the best conferences in college hoops last season–usually is the case on a yearly basis.

Hopefully Illinois can somehow rebound in the 2013-14 season, but that does not look like it will be the case when seeing all of the departures–top two leading scorers.

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