3 Big Questions for Illinois Basketball at Michigan

The Illini will need to turn the tide on the glass and find some consistency from deep to pull off the upset in Ann Arbor

Feb 25, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Tre White (22) shoot s the ball over Iowa Hawkeyes forward Pryce Sandfort (24) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

After snapping its three-game skid with a convincing 81-61 win over Iowa on Tuesday, Illinois (18-11, 10-8 Big Ten) turns north to Ann Arbor for a matchup with No. 15 Michigan (22-6, 14-3 Big Ten), which has won eight of its last nine.

After making a few important defensive adjustments in the victory over the Hawkeyes and holding them to a season-low scoring total, the Illini will be faced with a novel task Sunday (2:45 p.m. CT, on CBS): slowing one of the best 1-2 frontcourt punches in the country: 7-footers Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin.

Aside from that conundrum – and the difficulty of pulling it off without 6-foot-9 forward Morez Johnson Jr. (broken wrist) – here are three big questions that should help determine the final result:

Which Illini team will show up to shoot threes?

It's been a tell-tale sign of the outcome in nearly every Illinois game: Against Power Four competition, the Illini are 10-2 when shooting better than 28 percent on threes. When they shoot below that figure? They're 2-9.

Coming off what can now be considered an “impressive” three-point shooting performance for Illinois against Iowa (31.0 percent), the Illini have a chance to carry a bit of momentum into Ann Arbor on Sunday. After going 1-for-12 across Illinois’ three-game skid, center Tomislav Ivisic went 2-for-5 against Iowa. His presence should force Michigan to stretch out its defense and push the rim-protecting presence of Goldin out to the perimeter.

Behind-the-back pass. Knock-down three.

A thing of beauty. pic.twitter.com/i4RIQx7mAU

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) February 26, 2025

Will Michigan take care of the ball?

The Wolverines’ average of 14.4 turnovers per game leads the Big Ten by a wide margin, and that number has hardly budged throughout the season – UM is on an eight-game streak of committing at least 10 turnovers. Meanwhile, the Illini – who only force 9.6 turnovers per game – turned a usually sure-handed Iowa squad over 16 times earlier this week.

Michigan will need Wolf (3.2 turnovers per game) to limit his miscues and the trio of Goldin, Tre Donaldson and Roddy Gayle Jr. (all averaging at least two per game) to be similarly conscientious to prevent Illinois from getting easy buckets on the other end.

Can Illinois get back to winning on the boards?

Asking this question heading into a game a month ago would have been unfathomable. But times change. After losing Johnson, the Illini – who had been leading the nation in rebounding margin at the time – lost the battle of the boards in their next three games, including against the Big Ten’s worst rebounding squad in Iowa.

Taking on a Michigan team, with its pair of 7-footers, that maintains a healthy margin on the boards of plus-5.3, the Illini will need an excellent showing on the glass from their own big man in Ivisic, plus four additional bodies crashing on each shot attempt.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Is Illinois Basketball Finally Over Its Turnovers Woes?

KenPom, NET Metrics Tell a Surprising Story Heading Into Illinois vs. Michigan

More Bigs, More Problems for Illinois Basketball vs. Michigan