PITTSBURGH — Kofi Cockburn returned to Illinois for NCAA Tournament redemption.
The first-team All-American center flirted with going to the NBA after the Fighting Illini got knocked out in the second round a year ago.
But the 7-foot center returned for his junior year with his eyes on winning a title.
Arguably the most dominant player in this year’s tourney, Cockburn and his teammates will face Chattanooga in the first round of the South Region on Friday.
The Fighting Illini are a more relaxed team than they were a year ago, when COVID-19 protocols muted their fun.
