ILLINOIS (10-5, 2-2) at Wisconsin (9-5, 2-1)
Date	Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2020 | 8 p.m. CT
Location	Madison, Wis. | Kohl Center (17,287)
Tickets	Buy Online
Television	BTN (Cory Provus, Robbie Hummel & Olivia Dekker)
Live Stream	FoxSports.com & Fox Sports App
Radio	Fighting Illini Sports Network | Audio | TuneIn  | SXM-385 Streaming-975
Live Stats	UWBadgers.com
Printable Notes	Illinois | Wisconsin | Big Ten
2019-20 Stats	Illinois | Wisconsin | Big Ten
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Social Media	@IlliniMBB | #Illini | @IlliniMBB | Facebook | YouTube

Head Coach Brad Underwood

Career Record: 145-71 (.671), 7th year
At Illinois: 36-44 (.450), 3rd year
Big Ten: 13-29 (.310)

Series Notes vs. Wisconsin

Record: Illinois leads 110-89
Streak: Wisconsin W-15
Record at Madison: Wisconsin leads 58-39
Streak at Madison: Wisconsin W-8
Last Year's Meetings: WIS 72, ILL 60 (1/23/19 @ILL)  //  #22 WIS 64, ILL 58 (2/18/19 @WIS)
Underwood vs. Wisconsin: 0-3

Opening Tips

• Illinois plays its third contest in a stretch of four games in less than 10 days, facing Wisconsin in Madison on Wednesday night (8 p.m. CT, BTN). 

• Illinois is aiming to halt Wisconsin's 15-game series win streak, which is the longest ever by a UI opponent. The Illini's last victory in the series was a 69-61 win in Champaign on Jan. 2, 2011. It has been 10 years since the Illini last won at Kohl Center, meanwhile, a 63-56 victory over the 11th-ranked Badgers on Feb. 9, 2010.  

• Illinois' win over Purdue on Sunday night marked the program's 1,800th all-time victory, as the Fighting Illini became the 18th program to join college basketball's 1,800-win club.

• Illinois' defense has allowed an average of just 59.4 points on 38.5% shooting and 28.7% from 3-point range over the last seven games. 

• The only Illini opponent to top 64 points in the last seven games was Michigan State (the nation's No. 1 offense by kenpom) on the Spartans' home court. In its last outing Illinois held Purdue to 37 points – marking PU's lowest output since 1949 – on 25% shooting, the lowest field goal percentage in Boilermaker history.

• Illinois ranks first in the Big Ten in kenpom defensive efficiency during conference play (87.8).

• Illinois is aiming to move above .500 in Big Ten play for the first time since March 6, 2015 (9-8). 

• Illinois leads the NCAA in rebound margin (+11.7).

• Illinois has outrebounded its opponent in 11 of 15 games, and nine times by double digits.

• Illinois ranks fifth nationally in offensive rebound percentage (39.1%) and is scoring 13.1 second-chance points per game.  

• Illinois is No. 5 in the nation in defensive free throw rate at 20.3% (FTA/FGA), a complete contrast from last season when the Illini defense ranked 338th out of 353 teams in that same category (42.4%).

• Illinois' 71-62 victory over No. 5 Michigan on Jan. 11 marked its first win over a top-5 team since toppling No. 1 Indiana on Feb. 7, 2013. The Illini have now recorded three victories over opponents ranked in the top 15 dating back to last January.

• Illinois is shooting 54.3% on 2-pointers (342-630), which ranks 38th nationally. 

• The Illini are 10-1 this season, and 30-3 in the Underwood era, when shooting better than the opponent.

• Illinois has made 60 more free throws than its opponents have attempted on the season, consistently winning the battle at the free throw line.

• The Illini are currently outscoring foes by an average of 7.7 points per game at the free throw line.  

• An underclassman has been the Illini's leading scorer in 13 of 15 games on the season.

Notes From The Last Time Out: Illini Rout Purdue

• Illinois won its 1,800th game in program history, becoming the 18th team to reach 1,800 wins.

• Illinois held Purdue to 25% shooting (15-60), the Boilers lowest ever according to Purdue's record book.

• Purdue's 37 points marked the fewest allowed by an Illini opponent in 12 years, since a 70-37 win over Northwestern on Jan. 27, 2008.

• It was the fewest points scored by Purdue, meanwhile, since Jan. 3, 1949 (33). 

• Illinois held Purdue to 20.6% shooting in the second half (7-34), Purdue's fourth-worst second half accuracy in the last 50 years.

• Illinois' 26-point margin of victory was the eight-largest Illini win over Purdue in the 190-game series history dating back to 1906.

• Illinois held Purdue under 40 points for the first time since a 34-32 win in Champaign on March 7, 1942, a span of 122 games.

• Illinois outrebounded Purdue, 46-34, marking the ninth times the Illini have won the battle of the boards by double digits, and 11th time overall in 15 games.

• The Illini converted baskets off their first five offensive rebounds of the game, and ended with a 17-to-5 advantage in second chance points.

• Sophomore Alan Griffin recorded his first career double-double, finishing with 16 points on 6-8 FG and a career-high 12 rebounds in just 20 minutes.

• Junior Trent Frazier reached double figures for the first time in six games, scoring 12 points.

• Senior Kipper Nichols had six points and season-high five rebounds while playing a season-best 24 minutes.

Griffin Brings Big Boost off the Bench

Sophomore Alan Griffin is providing energy and effectiveness as a reserve, seeing his playing time, role and production all increasing in recent weeks. Entering the Old Dominion game on Dec. 14, Griffin was averaging 6.6 points and 3.6 rebounds in 14.6 minutes.

But over the last five games, Griffin has averaged 14.8 points and 6.0 rebounds on 66.7% shooting and 45.5% 3-point shooting while playing 20.6 minutes per contest. His numbers are even better over the last three contests, where he is averaging 17.0 points and 8.0 rebounds while shooting 72% from the field, 50% from 3-point land, and a perfect 8-8 from the foul line over the last three games. 

The result has moved him up to fourth on the team in both scoring (9.5 ppg) and rebounding (4.4 rpg) on the season.

» Complete Illinois-Wisconsin Game Notes (PDF)