| 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. |
12.4 |
3.0 |
4.0 |
5.1 apg over last 11 games |
| G |
11 |
Alfonso Plummer |
6-1 |
180 |
Gr. |
14.9 |
2.5 |
1.1 |
1st in B1G in 3FG (3.0 avg) |
| G |
20 |
Da'Monte Williams |
6-3 |
215 |
Sr. |
4.0 |
5.4 |
3.0 |
2.96 assist/turnover ratio |
| G/F |
3 |
Jacob Grandison |
6-6 |
210 |
Gr. |
9.9 |
4.0 |
2.3 |
40.2% on threes (45-112) |
| C |
21 |
Kofi Cockburn |
7-0 |
285 |
Jr. |
21.4 |
11.3 |
0.9 |
2nd in NCAA with nine 20/10 games |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
0 |
Brandin Podziemski |
6-5 |
200 |
Fr. |
1.6 |
1.1 |
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. |
2.0 |
1.8 |
0.2 |
63.3% FG (19-30) |
| G |
5 |
Andre Curbelo |
6-1 |
175 |
So. |
8.4 |
2.9 |
3.2 |
15 points at Purdue |
| G |
10 |
Luke Goode |
6-7 |
200 |
Fr. |
2.1 |
1.7 |
0.6 |
Career-high 9 points vs MSU |
| C |
12 |
Brandon Lieb |
7-0 |
220 |
So. |
0.8 |
0.7 |
0.1 |
Career-high 4 points vs St. Francis Pa. |
| F |
13 |
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk |
6-8 |
235 |
r-So. |
1.9 |
2.4 |
0.7 |
Career-high 8 points vs MSU |
| G |
15 |
RJ Melendez |
6-7 |
205 |
Fr. |
4.0 |
1.8 |
0.7 |
10.7 ppg over last three games |
| 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. |
5.2 |
4.0 |
1.5 |
3rd on team in steals (19) & blocks (13) |
Career Record: 198-90 (.688), 9th year
At Illinois: 89-63 (.586), 5th year
Big Ten: 51-42Â (.548)
Series Notes vs. Michigan State
All-Time Record:Â Michigan State leads 64-61
Streak: Illinois W-1
Last Meeting: #24 Illinois 56, #10 Michigan State 55Â (1/25/2022Â at Champaign)
Record at East Lansing: Michigan State leads 40-20
Streak at East Lansing: Michigan State W-4
Last Meeting at East Lansing: Michigan State 81, #5 Illinois 72Â (2/23/2021)
Underwood vs. Michigan State:Â 2-5
Opening Tips
• No. 12 Illinois finishes its stretch with four out of five on the road on Saturday afternoon at No. 19 Michigan State (11 a.m. CT, ESPN).
• Illinois is 2-3 versus ranked opponents this season with both wins coming at home, against then-No. 10 Michigan State on Jan. 25 and then-No. 11 Wisconsin on Feb. 2.
• Illinois has won nine of its last 13 games against top 25 teams.
• Illinois has lost four straight at Michigan State, looking for its first win in East Lansing since 2015.
• Illinois has won eight of its last 11 Big Ten road games, and 13 of its last 17.
• Illinois has totaled 18 road wins in Big Ten play over the last three years, three more than the next closest team (Wisconsin, 15). Illinois is 18-10 during this stretch (.643), one of only three teams above .500 in B1G road games.
• Illinois has 11 wins combined in Quads 1 and 2, tied for seventh-most nationally.
• Illinois has 11+ Big Ten wins for a third-straight season. The Illini last achieved that as part of a seven-year streak from 2000 through 2006.
• Illinois is one win away from its 12th Big Ten victory. The Illini are aiming to win at least 12 B1G games in three straight years for just the third time in school history, joining the 1951-53 and 1987-89 stretches.
• Illinois is the Big Ten's winningest team over the last three seasons, with a 43-15 (.741) record vs. league foes.
• Illinois is 25-5 in its last 30 games versus Big Ten opponents.
• Illinois is first in defensive efficiency (98.0) in Big Ten play by kenpom, with its defense ranking first in effective field goal percentage (.455) and second in both 2-point percentage (.449) and 3-point percentage (.315).
• Leading the way for Illinois is National Player of the Year candidate Kofi Cockburn, the only player in the country averaging at least 21 points and 10 rebounds this season.
• Cockburn is the only NCAA player listed in the top 10 in both points and rebounds, ranking eighth in scoring at 21.4 ppg and sixth in rebounding at 11.3 rpg.
• Cockburn has nine 20-point, 10-rebound games the season, ranking second in the NCAA.
• Cockburn has 42 career double-doubles, the Illinois all-time record and most in the NCAA over the last three years.
• Despite missing five games, Cockburn still ranks eighth in the NCAA in double-doubles this season with 14.
• Cockburn is 11 points away from 1,400 career points, and nine rebounds shy of 800 career boards.
• Cockburn has scored in double figures in 35 straight games dating back to Feb. 2, 2021. According to Elias, that is the third-longest active streak in the country.
• Since his return after missing two games, Cockburn is averaging 22.2 points (133) on 64% shooting (55-86) over his last six outings.
• Senior Trent Frazier is one 3-pointer away from 300 career threes, and one steal shy of 200 career steals.
Underwood Contending for Coach of Year
Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood has been named to the 2022 Werner Ladder Naismith Men's Coach of the Year Late Season Watch List, the Atlanta Tipoff Club announced Friday.
Underwood is one of 15 coaches on the late season list, and one of just two coaches from the Big Ten along with Wisconsin's Greg Gard:
Illinois is currently ranked No. 12 in the AP and Coaches polls and is one-half game out of first place in the Big Ten with an 11-4 record. Underwood is leading the Illini to another successful season while managing continued lineup changes. Illinois has had nine different starting lineups with rotation players missing a combined 45 games to date.
Rising Star
Former Illini star Ayo Dosunmu is having a sensational rookie season with the Chicago Bulls. The second-round pick (No. 38 overall) has started 20 times while playing nearly 26 minutes per game. He has gained the respect of his teammates and praise from coach Billy Donovan for playing a vital role during the Bulls' resurgence.
Dosunmu is averaging 8.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 3.1 assists and shooting better than 52% from the field and 40% from three. He has scored in double figures 20 times, highlighted by a season-high 24 points Jan. 24 at Oklahoma City, and has recorded four double-doubles.
Dosunmu will play in the Rising Stars game as part of NBA All-Start Weekend, one of 12 rookies selected to the roster. The exhibition takes place Friday at 8 p.m. CT on TNT.
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 – 21.4 ppg 11.3 rpg
Kickin' Cancer with Kruger and Self
Illinois coach Brad Underwood hosts a fundraising dinner and auction each spring to raise money for Coaches vs. Cancer. The pandemic put the event on hold the last two years, but it is back in a big way in 2022. Former Fighting Illini head coaches Lon Kruger (199-2000) and Bill Self (2001-03) are returning to the Champaign area, joining Underwood and Illini fans for a festive night to raise money in the fight against cancer.
The Kickin' Cancer dinner and auction is set for April 12 at Gordyville USA in Gifford, Illinois. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at CoachesVsCancerIllinois.com.
Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)
