3 issues plaguing Illinois at the season’s midway point

Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty ImagesThere’s always a light at the end of the tunnel.

But sometimes that light is an oncoming train.

No, I’m not saying this to be hyperbolic. This season for Illinois Men’s Basketball was once confusing. But now it’s coming into focus. And the conclusions aren’t all sunshine and rainbows.

Illinois lost 73-60 to Northwestern at Welsh-Ryan Arena in Evanston. Northwestern rubbed salt in the wound by wearing their “City Edition” jerseys.

The native Chicagoan in me would like to send out a gentle reminder that Evanston is not Chicago.

So let’s rip the bandage off and get to it.

To be clear, my colleague Billy Lawton did an excellent job breaking down the state of the…