| Illinois Probable Starters (from the previous game) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
3 |
Te'Jon Lucas |
6-0 |
170 |
Fr. |
4.0 |
1.0 |
2.4 |
Started last 2 gms |
| G |
5 |
Jalen Coleman-Lands |
6-3 |
190 |
So. |
8.7 |
2.3 |
1.1 |
Team high 47 3FG |
| G |
21 |
Malcolm Hill |
6-6 |
225 |
Sr. |
17.5 |
5.9 |
2.7 |
1,628 career points |
| F |
12 |
Leron Black |
6-7 |
220 |
r-So. |
9.2 |
6.6 |
0.4 |
15 rebs vs. OSU |
| C |
22 |
Maverick Morgan |
6-10 |
245 |
Sr. |
10.2 |
3.9 |
0.7 |
13.1 ppg in last 7 |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
0 |
D.J. Williams |
6-7 |
210 |
So. |
2.5 |
1.0 |
0.5 |
5 BLK |
| G |
1 |
Jaylon Tate |
6-3 |
170 |
Sr. |
2.7 |
1.4 |
3.2 |
2.3 A/TO |
| F |
2 |
Kipper Nichols |
6-6 |
225 |
r-Fr. |
4.0 |
3.6 |
0.0 |
8 pts, 6 rebs at PSU |
| G |
13 |
Tracy Abrams |
6-2 |
185 |
Gr. |
8.8 |
2.7 |
2.4 |
Team high 22 steals |
| G |
23 |
Aaron Jordan |
6-5 |
190 |
So. |
1.2 |
1.1 |
0.3 |
6-16 3FG |
| C |
33 |
Mike Thorne Jr. |
6-11 |
280 |
Gr. |
5.4 |
3.7 |
0.3 |
55.3% FG |
| G |
35 |
Samson Oladimeji |
6-5 |
195 |
Fr. |
0.5 |
0.8 |
0.0 |
4 G |
| G |
41 |
Clayton Jones |
6-0 |
170 |
r-Jr. |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
6 G |
| F |
43 |
Michael Finke |
6-10 |
230 |
r-So. |
7.3 |
4.5 |
0.4 |
1.7 OREB/G |
| G |
44 |
Alex Austin |
6-4 |
190 |
r-Sr. |
0.6 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
7 G |
| Sitting Out |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
10 |
Drew Cayce |
6-1 |
165 |
So. |
- |
- |
- |
Sitting out season (transfer) |
| F |
45 |
Cameron Liss |
6-6 |
220 |
Jr. |
0.6* |
0.0* |
0.2* |
Redshirting season |
Head Coach John Groce
Career Record: 175-126/.581 (9th year)
At Illinois: 90-70/.563?(5th year)
Big Ten: 32-49/.395
Series Notes vs. Wisconsin
Series Record: Illinois leads 110-84
Series Streak: Wisconsin W-10
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 68-25
Series Streak at Champaign: Wisconsin W-4
Last Year's Meetings: WIS 63, ILL 55 (1/31/16 at ILL) | WIS 69, ILL 60 (2/21/16 at WIS)
Groce vs. Wisconsin: 0-7
Opening Tips
• Illinois plays three of its next four games at home, beginning with Tuesday night's match-up against 10th-ranked Wisconsin at State Farm Center (8 p.m. CT, BTN).
• Victorious in 10 of its 12 home games, Illinois is shooting nearly 50 percent from the field (355-711) and 43 percent from 3-point range (107-250) this season at State Farm Center.
• Tuesday's game features the Big Ten's active career scoring and rebounding leaders in Illinois' Malcolm Hill (1,628 pts, 596 reb) and Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes (1,621 pts, 678 reb).
• Illinois is aiming for its first win against a top-25 opponent this season. The Illini's most recent win over a ranked foe was a 68-66 victory over No. 20 Iowa in last year's Big Ten Tournament (March 10, 2016). The Illini's last win over a top-10 team, meanwhile, was a 74-72 home victory over No. 1 Indiana on a Tyler Griffey layup at the buzzer during Coach Groce's first season (Feb. 7, 2013).
• Illinois also is looking to stop the longest Badger win streaks overall (10) and in Champaign (4) in series history.
• Senior Malcolm Hill is only four rebounds away from becoming just the fifth Illini player in school history – and the 11th active Div. I player – in the career 1,600-point/600-rebound club.
Last Time Out: Penn State 71, Illini 67 (Jan. 28)
Illinois' furious comeback bid fell just short in a four-point loss at Penn State on Saturday.
After playing to a one-possession game through the first seven minutes, PSU went on a 13-2 run to open up a 29-14 lead. The hosts later outscored the Illini 14-2 over the final 3:54 to take a 45-25 advantage into the locker room.
The second half was a complete reversal of the first, with the Illini offense and defense taking hold. Illinois went on an early 12-2 run and added another 11-2 spurt to trim a 22-point deficit to five with 4:46 remaining. The Illini then pulled to within three points on two occasions in the final three minutes.
The Illini had the ball down 65-62 before a Penn State steal with 1:17 left put the Orange and Blue in need of a defensive stop. They got it, forcing an off-balance 3-point attempt with the shot clock expiring. But the Lions got the offensive rebound and made two free throws after a UI foul.
A Leron Black dunk with nine seconds left again brought it to within three, but PSU drained four more free throws over the final eight seconds to seal the game.
Illinois shot 53 percent in the second half to outscore the Lions 42-26 over the final 20 minutes, but it was not enough to overcome the UI's 29 percent shooting in an opening stanza controlled by the hosts. Illinois outrebounded PSU 40-27 for the game, including a 16-5 advantage on the offensive glass. The Illini's 16 offensive boards equaled a season high and led to 18 second-chance points.
Malcolm Hill led the way with a game-high 19 points along with a season-high seven assists and six rebounds. Jalen Coleman-Lands scored all 13 of his points in the second half and grabbed a career-high seven boards. Maverick Morgan had 10 points and Kipper Nichols added eight points and six rebounds in 16 minutes.
Hill Nearing Historic Club
Senior Malcolm Hill scored his 1,600th career point in last week's win over Iowa. Hill is just four rebounds away, meanwhile, from grabbing 600 during his tenure, on pace to become just the fifth Illini player ever in the 1,600-point/600-rebound club:
Deon Thomas (1991-94) – 2,129 points 846 rebounds
Brian Cook (2000-03) – 1,748 points 815 rebounds
Eddie Johnson (1978-81) – 1,692 points 831 rebounds
Mark Smith (1978-81) – 1,653 points 722 rebounds
Malcolm Hill (2014-) – 1,628 points 596 rebounds
Post Production
Illinois has received consistent play in the post from center Maverick Morgan. Over the last 12 games, the senior has scored in double figures 10 times, averaging 12.7 points (152) on 60.6 percent shooting (60-99). Morgan is Illinois' second-leading scorer during Big Ten play, averaging 12.0 points on 58.3 percent shooting (4th in B1G).
One of the Best
Along with climbing the Illinois all-time scoring list, Malcolm Hill also ranks among the nation's leading active career scorers. Hill's current total of 1,628 points ranks 25th in NCAA Div. I, and third when looking at players from the six major conferences. Hill's total of 467 made free throws, meanwhile, ranks seventh nationally and third among major-conference players. In the Big Ten, Hill ranks behind only Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes in each category:
NCAA Div. I Active Career Scorers (Major Conferences)
1. Bryce Alford, UCLA 1,729
2. Josh Hart, Villanova 1,659
3. Malcolm Hill, Illinois 1,628
4. Nigel Hayes, Wisconsin 1,621
5. Michael Young, Pittsburgh 1,614
JCL Feeling It
Jalen Coleman-Lands had a record-setting freshman year for the Illini last season, draining 87 treys, the most ever by an Illini rookie. Now in his sophomore season, Coleman-Lands is once again hitting from long distance. He leads the Illini with 47 three-pointers this season, ranking ninth in the Big Ten with an average of 2.1 treys per game. He is shooting 44.4 percent from behind the arc during conference play, connecting on 20-of-45.
Illini Team Trends
• Illinois ranks sixth in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 75.5 ppg. The Illini have scored at least 75 points in 12 of their 13 wins.
• Illinois is 93rd nationally in field goal percentage at 46.2 percent. The Illini are 9-0 this season when shooting at least 46 percent, and are 12-1 when shooting better than their opponent.
• Illinois has shown improvement on the offensive glass, recording double digits in 15 games on the season and averaging 10.4 o-boards per game. Last season Illinois ranked last in the Big Ten with 7.6 offensive rebounds per contest.
• Illinois has scored more second-chance points than its opponent in 14 of 22 games, including five of the last seven contests.
• Illinois is also getting it done on the defensive glass. The Illini rank third in the Big Ten and 45th nationally in defensive rebounding percentage (.743).
• In conference play, Illinois is second in defensive rebound percentage (.738).
• Illinois is 11-2 when outrebounding the opponent.
• Illinois has shot at least 50 percent during the second half in nine of its 13 wins.
Illini Player Trends
• Preseason Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and Senior CLASS Award candidate Malcolm Hill ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring (17.5 ppg).
• Hill has scored in double figures in 20 of 21 games against Div. I opponents, including an active streak of 16 straight.
• Hill has nine outings of 20+ points and two 30-plus point performances on the season.
• Hill ranks 10th on the Illinois career scoring chart (1,628 points). At his current season average, Hill would finish as the Illini's No. 4 all-time leading scorer.
• Hill is shooting 60.9 percent on 2-pointers during Big Ten play (39-64).
• Hill has seven kenpom game MVP accolades this season, trailing only Iowa's Peter Jok for most by a Big Ten player.
• Hill's career-high 40 points vs. Northern Kentucky (Nov. 13) is tied for the No. 12 scoring performance in the NCAA this season.
• Hill has scored in double figures in just the second half of nine games this season.
• Hill has made 37 three-pointers in 22 games after making 37 treys in 34 games last season.
• Hill continues to be one of the nation's best at getting to the line. He ranks 34th in the NCAA with 108 made free throws. His 135 attempts, meanwhile, rank 47th nationally. Hill leads all Big Ten players in each category.
• Hill ranks third all-time at Illinois with 469 career made free throws. Last season he went 193 of 235 from the line, ranking as the second-highest single-season school totals for free throws made and attempted.
• Hill is drawing 6.4 fouls per 40 minutes, ranking 74th nationally.
• Hill has totaled 19 assists over the last four games (4.8 apg).
• Senior Maverick Morgan is second on the team in scoring, also averaging double figures at 10.2 ppg. In conference games only, Morgan's average increases to 12.0 points.
• Morgan has scored in double figures in 10 of the last 12 games, averaging 12.9 points (152) on 60.9 percent shooting (60-99) over this stretch.
• Morgan ranks sixth in the Big Ten in field goal shooting at 59.3 percent.
• Sophomore Leron Black ranks third on the team in scoring, averaging 9.2 points. He entered the year as a 4.9 ppg career scorer.
• Black has scored in double figures eight times through 18 games, after totaling seven double-digit scoring performances in 40 career games entering the season.
• Black has been the Illini's leading rebounder in nine games and leads the team on the year, averaging 6.6 boards (10th in B1G).
• After missing the last two years due to injury, sixth-year senior Tracy Abrams has scored in double figures in eight games, ranking fourth on the team in scoring (8.8 ppg).
• Abrams is shooting 40.8 percent from 3-point range this season (31-76) after entering his final season as a 27 percent career 3-point shooter.
• Freshman Te'Jon Lucas has totaled 27 assists in 145 minutes over the last seven games (3.9 apg).
• Lucas has combined for 28 points over the last four games (7.0 ppg).
• Lucas has grabbed at least two steals in four of the last five games.
• Sophomore Michael Finke has made 18-of-28 shots over the last six games (64.3 percent), including 10-of-16 on threes (62.5 percent).
• Finke leads the Illini in offensive rebounding on the season with 37. He has grabbed six over the last two games.
