00:00The Illini check in as a slight favorite in this basketball game, but with respect to UConn never far out,
00:10some of those two and a halves have come on down to one and a half.
00:15For a game, Coach, that we actually saw earlier this year and has to be one of the most useless
00:24games you could imagine when you talk about, oh, we saw that game.
00:31Why do I say that?
00:33Keaton Wagler played 14 minutes.
00:35Taris Reid played 15 minutes, and I immediately suggest we all strike the game from the record.
00:40I'm not saying that because UConn won.
00:42Look, I'll spoil it. I'll be on UConn in this game, but just it's each team's most important player.
00:48They played less than a combined 30 minutes when tonight they will each be playing.
00:54It's likelier that these two play 40 minutes, okay, than 15 in this ballgame tonight, barring any injuries, of course.
01:04Coach, take me through it, man. UConn, Illinois, how do you break this game down?
01:10You know, I think you mentioned the X factor, and you know, Kevin, I'm usually going to go with the
01:17bigs.
01:18It's Taris Reid.
01:20He is playing at a level in which I think Coach Hurley was hoping for out of the big man.
01:30I mean, yeah, we're going to really take into account a 15-minute 0-3 performance for Taris Reid and
01:37say, yep, we're going to take the under and Taris Reid in the game tonight.
01:41No, that is absolutely not happening.
01:43This guy has been absolutely cooking as of late, playing big minutes, keeping himself out of fouls, up to 14
01:51.7 points per game, about eight or nine rebounds,
01:54and just a ferociousness inside that I think as he has gotten going, they have gotten better.
02:03And those back-to-back 20-point and 26-point performances by Taris Reid really kind of lets you know
02:10that he is the anchor of that team.
02:14Because if he's able to score and dominate inside, now what do you do?
02:22You may have to bring a double team.
02:24You may shade your defense.
02:26Now Ball, now Demary, now Caravan, now Mullins.
02:30Those guys get open.
02:31And if you think about UConn, maybe not the way Donovan and Klingon was a post-presence in regards to
02:40just making post-moves.
02:42He wasn't present enough that you've got to give him the ball.
02:45You have to think about him, whether it's offensive boards or dunk spot or simple post-moves.
02:50Same thing with Adonis Sonogo.
02:53UConn is at their best when they've got someone in the pivot that you have to worry about.
02:58And if you worry about that, then everything else opens up.
03:03That's the X factor.
03:05And that's why I think UConn's going to win, because he will get the better of any big on Illinois.
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