Illinois freshman Luke Goode joined the list of Illini struck by the injury bug, missing games with back spasms against Cincinnati and Kansas State as part of the Hall of Fame Classic.
He’s good-to-go now, and with the growing list of Illini on the injury and illness list, Illinois is going to need a solid game from Goode against Notre Dame in the Big Ten / ACC Challenge on Monday.
Goode returned to play a career-high 18 minutes against UT-RGV on Friday, scoring five points and grabbing three rebounds, to go along with a suburb defensive effort. He had to play during critical points in a tight game and came through.
“Luke Goode came in and gave us really good minutes,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said after the game. “I’m a big fan of Luke. He can really shoot it. His pull-up shot was excellent.”
Illinois will need more of the same against the Irish. Guards Andre Curbelo and Trent Frazier seem unlikely to return, along with wing Jacob Grandison who is out with the flue. Underwood added forward Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk and freshman Brandin Podziemski to the list today.
Without Frazier, the Illini don’t have one of their most reliable leaders and defenders. Goode has some of the intangibles to make him an impactful replacement. Underwood said Goode is a natural leader and has a “positive vibe” about him.
Sitting at 4-2 after a couple of early and unexpected losses during Kofi Cockburn’s suspension, the Illini need a win against unranked Notre Dame, and Goode figures to be thrown into the fire.
“He’s going to have to be huge for us tomorrow,” Underwood said. “You got guys out and not able to go, three of your key guys, it’s good to see certain guys step up.”
Toughness and physicality were things Underwood was very unhappy with in the too-close-for-comfort win over UT-RGV. At the Monday press conference, he said it was the softest that he’s seen any of his teams play.
Goode can add that needed grit, Underwood said. He’s a versatile defender and is active on the glass at 6-foot-7. He suited up for the football team at Homestead HS in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and Underwood said that football mentality carries over.
“Luke is a tough hombre,” Underwood said. “He can respond to anything. Everything about him is competitive. I think it’s all the way you’re brought up. His dad was a football player, and his mindset is he’s a football player.”
Underwood isn’t affair to throw freshmen in the mix. Frazier, Curbelo, and Cockburn were all integral pieces as freshmen, along with current Chicago Bull Ayo Dosnumu, and 2020 recruit Adam Miller who transferred to LSU.
Goode is thrown in largely because of injuries, but he’s in the same mode as that group in terms of his confidence. In addition to his defense and blue-collar mentality, the Illini may need him to knock down some shots against Notre Dame.
“He doesn’t lack for confidence,” Underwood said. “He’s very confident, he’s very smart. . He’s not afraid to take a shot. He’s not afraid to a take a three. So, he’s just an ultra-competitive kid, and raised that way.”
Through the first six games, Goode is averaging 3.8 points and 3.0 rebounds in 12.8 minutes. He's made just 5 of 13 field goals, but we're likely to get a bigger sample size against the Irish.
With an opportunity to get more quality playing time, Goode could be poised for a coming out party on a big stage.
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