Nov 23, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Combating Illini ahead Will Riley (7) shoots the ball over Maryland-Jap Shore Hawks ahead Jalen Ware (24) in the course of the first half at State Farm Heart. Necessary Credit score: Ron Johnson-Imagn Photos Illinois wing Will Riley might nonetheless be in highschool. The freshman reclassified within the spring to go to school this fall.
Riley additionally might be within the beginning lineup for No. 25 Illinois. The 6-foot-8 Canadian has discovered a technique to lead the Combating Illini (4-1) in scoring regardless of coming off the bench in all video games to this point.
Coming into Monday’s non-conference residence recreation in opposition to Little Rock (3-3) in Champaign, Riley paces Illinois in scoring (18 factors per recreation) and 3-point taking pictures (14 of twenty-two). He’s including six rebounds per recreation.
Riley is athletic and lengthy sufficient to crash the offensive glass successfully and expert sufficient to get his personal shot at any time when the ball is in his fingers. He even took a spin at level guard late in Illinois’ 87-40 win over Maryland Jap Shore on Saturday.
“Will simply hoops,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood mentioned. “Will simply merely … I’ll use a man’s title, Michael Beasley, that I used to be round at Kansas State. Nothing fazes them. Nothing fazes Will.”
Beasley, after all, was a one-and-done at Kansas State. After he averaged 26.2 factors and 12.4 rebounds for the Wildcats, he went No. 2 within the 2008 NBA Draft. Riley would not appear more likely to go that prime within the draft, however perhaps that is underestimating his capacity to adapt and enhance.
For instance, when Illinois performed at No. 8 Alabama on Wednesday, Riley missed his first 4 area targets and first two free throws within the opening 12 minutes. He regarded slightly rushed and tried some atypical pictures attempting to unravel Alabama’s tall and athletic frontcourt.
Then, with 6:23 left within the first half, Riley confirmed he is a quick learner. He acquired the ball on the high of the arc, faked a shot to get his defender to fly previous, then took one small step to the left and cashed in a 3-pointer. He completed with a team-high 18 factors, a career-high 9 rebounds and 4 assists with no turnovers in a 100-87 loss to the Crimson Tide.
“He simply performs the sport. The factor I used to be most upset with him at Alabama was he took contested twos with about 20 seconds on the shot clock,” Underwood mentioned.
And he sees nice potential in his freshman.
“When he learns to proceed to get fouled, phew. These are what lottery picks appear to be,” Underwood mentioned of Riley. “He is acquired a present to not be apprehensive about what I say, not be apprehensive a few missed shot (or) a foul half. He simply performs within the second and takes what the sport offers him.”
Riley and the Illini determine to face their second-toughest take a look at of the season up to now in Little Rock, which collected 20 of the 22 first-place votes within the Ohio Valley Convention’s preseason ballot, with groups unable to vote for themselves.
On Friday night time, Little Rock fought again from a 22-point first-half deficit at No. 20 Arkansas to get as shut as seven factors earlier than winding up with a 79-67 loss.
“I feel if we hadn’t dug such a giant gap for ourselves within the first half, it will have been lots simpler for us to remain within the recreation,” ahead Mwani Wilkinson mentioned.
Whereas the Trojans have excessive expectations, they don’t seem to be at one hundred pc. OVC preseason participant of the 12 months KK Robinson might miss the entire season attributable to a knee damage suffered in late October, whereas backup energy ahead Creed Williamson — the son of Corliss Williamson, a two-time All-American at Arkansas and a former 12-year NBA participant — has missed the previous two video games with a foot damage.
Of their absence, Creighton switch Johnathan Lawson (16.3 factors, 7.2 rebounds, 4 assists) and Wilkinson (17.2 factors), an LSU grad switch, give the Trojans a pair of productive wings with high-major measurement and expertise. They’re additionally prolific 3-point shooters who every hit at a 41 p.c clip or greater.
“We will see a workforce that mixes up defenses,” Underwood mentioned. “It is a excellent Little Rock workforce. Let’s not neglect they might have been an NCAA Event workforce final 12 months. They’re very lengthy, very athletic.”
–Area Stage Media