Georgia Southern at Illinois

Illinois managed to win 20 games last year, but it wasn't always pretty. The Illini shot poorly much of the time, finishing the season at just 41.1% from the field, and just 31.7% from beyond the arc. They will need to shoot the ball much better in conference play this season to rise above the middle of the pack where they are projected. Help is on the way with a pair of transfers that could bridge the gap in Ahmad Starks (Oregon State) and Aaron Cosby (Seton Hall). Georgia Southern has found success on the gridiron, but don't expect the same results on the hardwood. The Eagles have not had a better than .500 team in six years, and are projected to finish dead last in the Sun Belt Conference this season. This is a tough matchup against Illinois, as Georgia Southern has become dependent on 1-on-1 play for scoring, and they are simply overmatched in this one to have success. That is evident by the 9.7 assists per game last season. Lay the big number and play on Illinois.