3 Keys for Michigan Basketball to beat Illinois

Hunter Dickinson needs to be his best

Michigan lost the first game against Illinois by double digits but the Wolverines were shorthanded and didn’t have Hunter Dickinson and even then, they put up a fight.

So this time around, with the Wolverines in desperation mode and motivated to win for their head coach, it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

One thing is certain though, Michigan isn’t going to win without a big game from Hunter Dickinson.

Of course, that can mean a number of different things. He doesn’t have to score 25 points and grab 15 rebounds for Michigan to win. But he can’t be 1-for-8 as he was last season against the Fighting Illini.

Dickinson has clearly improved his game and added to his offensive arsenal but having a solid game against Kofi Cockburn would really show something and if he can force Illinois to help, it can lead to open looks for guys like Caleb Houstan, who also needs to step up, leading up to our final key.