| Illinois Probable Starters (from the last game) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Trent Frazier |
6-2 |
175 |
Sr. |
13.1 |
3.1 |
3.6 |
16.3 ppg over last seven games |
| G |
11 |
Alfonso Plummer |
6-1 |
180 |
Gr. |
15.8 |
2.7 |
1.2 |
1st in B1G in 3FG (3.1 avg) |
| G |
20 |
Da'Monte Williams |
6-3 |
215 |
Sr. |
3.9 |
5.6 |
3.1 |
2nd in B1G in assist/to ratio (2.82) |
| G/F |
3 |
Jacob Grandison |
6-6 |
210 |
Gr. |
10.7 |
3.9 |
2.1 |
42.7% on threes (38-89) |
| C |
21 |
Kofi Cockburn |
7-0 |
285 |
Jr. |
21.1 |
11.6 |
1.0 |
2nd in NCAA with seven 20/10 games |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
0 |
Brandin Podziemski |
6-5 |
200 |
Fr. |
1.8 |
1.2 |
0.4 |
5 points vs Northwestern |
| F |
2 |
Connor Serven |
6-9 |
235 |
So. |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
Team's lone walkon in second year |
| F |
4 |
Omar Payne |
6-10 |
240 |
Jr. |
2.2 |
2.0 |
0.3 |
7 pts, 3 reb, 2 blk vs MSU |
| G |
5 |
Andre Curbelo |
6-1 |
175 |
So. |
10.2 |
4.5 |
4.3 |
20 points in return vs Purdue |
| G |
10 |
Luke Goode |
6-7 |
200 |
Fr. |
2.4 |
1.8 |
0.7 |
Career-high 9 points vs MSU |
| C |
12 |
Brandon Lieb |
7-0 |
220 |
So. |
0.9 |
0.8 |
0.1 |
Career-high 4 points vs St. Francis Pa. |
| F |
13 |
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk |
6-8 |
235 |
r-So. |
2.3 |
2.6 |
0.9 |
Career-high 8 points vs MSU |
| G |
15 |
RJ Melendez |
6-7 |
205 |
Fr. |
3.1 |
1.6 |
0.6 |
Career-high 6 points vs Northwestern |
| G |
22 |
Austin Hutcherson |
6-6 |
190 |
Gr. |
2.8 |
2.0 |
0.5 |
Out for remainder of season |
| F |
33 |
Coleman Hawkins |
6-10 |
215 |
So. |
6.2 |
4.6 |
1.6 |
3rd on team in steals (17) & blocks (12) |
Career Record: 195-88 (.689), 9th year
At Illinois: 86-61 (.589), 5th year
Big Ten: 48-40Â (.545)
Series Notes vs. Wisconsin
All-Time Record: Illinois leads 113-89
Streak: Illinois W-3
Last Meeting: #5 Illinois 74, #19 Wisconsin 69Â (2/27/2021 at Madison)
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 69-28
Streak at Champaign: Illinois W-1
Last Meeting at Champaign: #12 Illinois 75, #23 Wisconsin 60Â (2/6/2021)
Underwood vs. Wisconsin:Â 3-4
Opening Tips
• Big Ten co-leaders meet Wednesday at State Farm Center, as 8-2 Illinois hosts 8-2 Wisconsin (8 p.m. CT, BTN).
• Illinois is 8-2 at the halfway point of Big Ten play for the second time in the last three seasons.
• Illinois is facing a ranked opponent for the second straight home game in No. 11 Wisconsin. In its last appearance at State Farm Center, the Illini defeated No. 10 Michigan State, recording its ninth top-10 win in the last three years. That ranks second nationally behind Baylor's 10.
• Illinois has won nine of its last 10 Big Ten home games.
• Illinois is the winningest team over the last three Big Ten seasons.
• Illinois is 22-3 in its last 25 games versus Big Ten opponents.
• Illinois has had nine different starting lineups this season, the most among high-major conference teams.
• Illinois rotation players have missed a combined 40 games so far this season.
• Leading the way for the Illini is National Player of the Year candidate Kofi Cockburn. He returned to action Saturday after missing two games, recording game highs of 22 points and nine boards in the win at Northwestern.
• Cockburn is the only NCAA player in the top 10 in both points and rebounds, ranking ninth in scoring at 21.1 ppg and fourth in rebounding at 11.6 rpg.
• Cockburn is one of just two players nationally averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds on the season.
• Cockburn is the sixth high-major conference player since 1993 to average 21+ points and 11+ boards.
Another Step Toward Wooden Award for King Kofi
2021 Wooden Award All-American Kofi Cockburn has been named to the Late Season Top 20 Watch List for this year's John R. Wooden Award presented by Wendy's, the Los Angeles Athletic Club announced Monday.
Cockburn is a top contender for the Wooden Award, which has been presented annually since 1976 to the nation's most outstanding college basketball player. He is having a dominant season for the Orange and Blue:
• Ninth in NCAA in scoring at 21.1 ppg
• Fourth in NCAA in rebounding at 11.6 rpg
• One of just two players nationally averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds
• Second in NCAA with seven games of 20+ points and 10+ boards
• Only player ranked in the top 10 in the country in both scoring and rebounding
• Fifth nationally in kenpom offensive rating (117.3)
• Eighth in NCAA in double-doubles (11), despite missing five games
• 39 career double-doubles, most in the NCAA over the last three years
• 16th in NCAA in field goal shooting at 58.9%
Players not chosen to the late season list are still eligible for the Wooden Award National Ballot. The National Ballot consists of 15 top players who have proven to their universities that they meet or exceed the qualifications of the Wooden Award. Nearly 1,000 voters will rank in order 10 of those 15 players when voting opens prior to the NCAA Tournament and will allow voters to take into consideration performance during early round games.
The Wooden Award All-American Team will be announced the week of the Elite Eight round of the NCAA Tournament. The 2022 John R. Wooden Award will be presented by Wendy's following the NCAA Tournament in April.
Notes from the Last Time Out: #24 Illini 59, Northwestern 56 | Box Score
• Illinois remained in first place in the Big Ten standings.
• Illinois is 8-2 at the halfway point of Big Ten play for the second time in the last three seasons:
2022, 8-2
2021, 7-3Â (16-4 final)
2020, 8-2Â (13-7 final)
• Illinois faced a 51-46 deficit with 5:36 remaining, but outscored the hosts 13-2 down the stretch to pull away, 59-53 (NU made a three at the buzzer for final score of 59-56).
• Illinois' defense held Northwestern to season lows in points (56) and field goals (20).
• Illinois has now won seven of its last eight Big Ten road games, and 12 of its last 14.
• Illinois won its seventh straight game against Northwestern. This is the Illini's longest winning streak against the Wildcats since taking 11 in a row from Feb. 28, 2004 through Dec. 30, 2009.
• Kofi Cockburn returned to the lineup after missing two games, but Andre Curbelo remained sidelined. Illinois has had nine different starting lineups, the most among high-major conference teams.
• Cockburn had game highs of 22 points and nine rebounds in his return. It was his ninth 20-point game this season, and 10th time in 15 games leading the Illini in scoring.
• Da'Monte Williams had nine rebounds to tie for the game-high with Cockburn. It was Williams' best rebounding output in Big Ten games this season.
• Williams had five points, with his final two the biggest of the night, scoring on an offensive rebound dunk with 1:34 left to put the Illini ahead for good, 55-53.
• Illinois held Northwestern to a drought of 7+ minutes without a made shot in the first half.
• Illinois outrebounded Northwestern, 36-30. The Illini have outrebounded 15 of 20 opponents.
• Illinois outscored Northwestern in the paint, 32-16.
Among the Greats
Kofi Cockburn is putting up rare numbers that rank among some of the most dominant big men in recent college basketball history. Cockburn is the first player from a high-major conference in the last four years to average at least 21 points and 11 rebounds, and just the sixth player to do so since 1992-93:
Michael Beasley, Kansas State, 2006-07 – 26.2 ppg 12.4 rpg
Kevin Durant, Texas, 2006-07 – 25.8 ppg 11.1 rpg
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, 2008-09 – 22.7 ppg 14.4 rpg
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, 2008-09 – 23.3 ppg 11.8 rpg
Marvin Bagley, Duke, 2017-18 – 21.0 ppg 11.1 rpg
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois, 2021-22 – 21.1 ppg 11.6 rpg
Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)
