A Look At the Illinois Fighting Illini's Joseph Bertrand For the Upcoming Season

By Trevor Lowry
Illinois Fighting Illini
Jim Cowsert-USA TODAY Sports

Making the NCAA tournament will not be easy for the Illinois Fighting Illini in the 2013-14 college basketball season, but there is still a chance of that happening. Whether the case, let’s take a look at Joseph Bertrand for the upcoming season.

Bertrand averaged 7.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game last season. He only played 22.7 minutes per game, so with some more playing time both of those numbers could go up.

He shot 50.2 percent from the field and 32.1 percent from behind the arc.

However, with so many key players gone, Bertrand is going to have to get better in the upcoming season. He certainly has the talent to do so, but some more playing time will be a must. Improving from behind the arc would also be helpful since he is a 6’6” guard and all.

Illinois managed to earn a No. 7 seed in the 2013 NCAA Tournament. It had an overall record of 23-13 and a Big Ten record of 8-10. Matching those numbers would get it into the dance once again, but the Fighting Illini lose their two best players, so that might not be the case.

There are a number of teams in the conference that will have more talent than Illinois entering the season. However, that was arguably the case last season since Illinois finished tied for seventh in the conference standings. Who knows if they could make the dance if they finished in seventh once again, but the Fighting Illini will likely have to at least win 20 games.

Bertrand stepping up could help lead to that.

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