NBA News NBA News, Match Reports and Updates
CBS Sports will feast on Thanksgiving Day with NFL action to kick off the day featuring the Bears vs. Lions followed this year by college basketball — featuring a neutral site game between No. 19 Arkansas and Illinois – to help settle the stomach in the evening directly after the NFL game concludes. It’s the first time CBS will carry a college hoops game on Turkey Day, so as expected, CBS Sports analyst Clark Kellogg has some thoughts on the special occasion special occasion.
I talked with Kellogg to preview the game and talk through some early-season storylines. He ran through everything from Arkansas-Illinois, early surprises he’s seen this season and teams that have caught his eye more than others.
Kellogg has watched more hoops in the last month than most will watch all season. And he has plenty of thoughts about how 2024-25 has gone thus far — and which teams will help decide how it ends.
The interview below has been edited for length and clarity.
What are your expectations for Thursday’s game between Arkansas and Illinois?
Kellogg: Two really intriguing young and talented teams. When you look at Kasparas Jakucionis, Will Riley, Morez Johnson — Illinois has some really nice pieces. Brad Underwood is a perennially undervalued and underrated coach who has had success wherever he’s been. And, of course, John Calipari — he’s a Hall of Famer with a talented team. Arkansas does a good job of pressuring the ball and looking to score in transition. The question for Illinois, though, is consistency in shooting from the perimeter. I think they have capable shooters, but they haven’t quite translated their forms into results yet.
Offensively, Illinois is talented, but they need to develop more physicality. It’s tough for young players to reach that level during the course of a season. Against Alabama, for instance, they got bumped around but fought back, showing resilience and competitive…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-basketball/news/cbs-sports-analyst-clark-kelloggs-early-season-observations-before-arkansas-illinois-on-thanksgiving-day/
Author : Kyle Boone
Publish date : 2024-11-27 19:02:00
Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.
