| Illinois Probable Starters (Based on Previous Game) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G/F |
20 |
Ty Rodgers |
6-6 |
210 |
So. |
5.9 |
4.2 |
2.1 |
3.0 assists per game over last 4 contests |
| G |
0 |
Terrence Shannon Jr. |
6-6 |
225 |
5th |
21.7 |
4.0 |
2.6 |
20+ points in 6 of last 7 games (23.4 ppg) |
| G/F |
3 |
Marcus Domask |
6-6 |
215 |
Gr. |
11.4 |
4.9 |
1.9 |
Career-high 33 pts (15-21 FG) vs #11 FAU |
| G/F |
13 |
Quincy Guerrier |
6-8 |
230 |
Gr. |
8.0 |
6.7 |
0.3 |
Season-highs 22 pts & 3 3FGs at #17 Tenn. |
| F |
33 |
Coleman Hawkins |
6-10 |
230 |
Sr. |
6.8 |
5.9 |
2.8 |
Season-high 12 points at #17 Tennessee |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
2 |
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn |
6-1 |
185 |
Fr. |
4.3 |
1.6 |
0.8 |
9 pts, 4 reb in just 13 mins. vs. WIU |
| G |
4 |
Justin Harmon |
6-4 |
200 |
Gr. |
4.8 |
3.2 |
0.7 |
10 pts (2-2 3FG) in win vs. #11 FAU |
| G |
5 |
AJ Redd |
6-3 |
170 |
So. |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
Scored first-career point vs. EIU |
| G/F |
10 |
Luke Goode |
6-7 |
205 |
Jr. |
8.1 |
4.8 |
0.6 |
Tied career high w/ 7 rebs. at #17 Tennessee |
| G |
11 |
Niccolo Moretti |
6-1 |
170 |
r-Fr. |
4.0 |
2.3 |
2.7 |
Career-high 6 points vs Valpo |
| G |
25 |
Max Williams |
6-2 |
200 |
Sr. |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Transfer from DePaul |
| F |
35 |
Amani Hansberry |
6-8 |
240 |
Fr. |
3.0 |
3.7 |
0.7 |
8 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. Southern |
| F/C |
42 |
Dain Dainja |
6-9 |
255 |
r-Jr. |
8.0 |
4.4 |
0.2 |
Team-high 67% (34-51 FGs) this season |
| Redshirt |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Sencire Harris |
6-4 |
170 |
So. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Plans to redshirt 2023-24 season |
| G |
22 |
Keaton Kutcher |
6-2 |
200 |
Jr. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Transfer from South Dakota |
Career Record: 230-108 (.680), 11th year
At Illinois: 121-81 (.599), 7th year
Big Ten: 67-52 (.563)
Series History
All-Time Record vs. Colgate: Illinois leads 4-0
Record in Champaign: Illinois leads, 3-0
Last Meeting: Illinois 75, Colgate 55 (11/9/2013 in Champaign)
Underwood vs. Western Illinois: First meeting
Opening Tips
- No. 16 Illinois returns to State Farm Center for its first home game in 23 days, hosting Colgate, the reigning Patriot League champions, on Sunday afternoon (12 p.m. CT, BTN).
- The matchup is the first game of a men's basketball-women's basketball doubleheader on Sunday at State Farm Center, followed by the Fighting Illini women hosting Braggin' Rights vs. Missouri (3 p.m. CT, BTN).
- This weekend also marks the annual Illini Men's Basketball Reunion which will include a halftime recognition celebrating the 40th anniversary of the 1983-84 Big Ten Championship team that advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight.
- The Illini are coming off a stretch of three straight games away from home. The trip began with a 76-58 win at Rutgers in their Big Ten opener, followed by a 98-89 victory over No. 11 Florida Atlantic in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden, before a hard-fought 86-79 road loss at No. 17 Tennessee.
- Illinois has 18 wins over Top 25 teams the last three-plus seasons, fourth-most nationally. Both of the team's losses this season have been by single-digit margins against other top-25 foes.
- Illinois' matchup vs. Colgate is the team's third in a stretch of five consecutive non-conference games against programs that qualified for the 2023 NCAA Tournament. The Orange and Blue close out their non-conference slate with a pair of marquee matchups, starting with the McBride Homes Braggin' Rights game vs. Missouri (Dec. 22 in St. Louis), followed by a sold-out home game vs. Fairleigh Dickinson on Dec. 29.
- Illinois is the Big Ten's winningest team in conference play since the start of 2019-20. Following the team's win at Rutgers on Dec. 2, the Illini are now 56-25 in league games over the last four-plus seasons.
- Terrence Shannon Jr. is leading the way for the Fighting Illini. The fifth-year star is currently ranked No. 3 in the early race for KenPom National Player of the Year, and highest among all guards.
- Shannon Jr. ranks second in the Big Ten and 12th in the NCAA in scoring at 21.7 points per game.
- Defensively, Illinois ranks sixth nationally in field goal percentage defense (.366) and ranks 50th in the NCAA in scoring defense (65.0 ppg) and 35th in scoring margin (+15.0).
- Illinois also ranks among the top three nationally in two defensive categories via KenPom, leading the nation in 2-point defense (.394), and ranking third in effective field goal percentage defense (.410).
- KenPom also rates the Illini among the top-25 programs nationally in adjusted efficiency on both offense (24th, 115.7) and defense (13th, 93.4). Illinois is one of only 10 programs to rank inside the top 25 in both metrics.
- The Illini rank third the NCAA in defensive rebounds per game (32.44) and are fourth in total rebounds per game (45.00), while ranking 18th in rebound margin (+10.1).
- The Illini outrebounded their opponents in seven straight games to open the season before losing the rebounding battle in their two most recent games vs. FAU (-2) and Tennessee (-9).
- Illinois has pulled down 50+ rebounds in five games on the season, including a stretch four straight – vs. Valpo, vs. Southern, vs. Western Illinois, and at Rutgers – that marked the longest streak of consecutive games with 50+ rebounds since the 1963-64 season.
- Quincy Guerrier leads one of the nation's most tenacious rebounding teams, ranking 14th in the Big Ten at 6.7 rebounds per game, overall, and eighth in the league in defensive rebounding (5.56 per game).
- Luke Goode and Shannon Jr. rank as two of the top 3-point shooters in the Big Ten. Shannon leads the league in both 3-pointers per game (2.78) and 3-point percentage (.424), while Goode ranks third in the league at 2.44 triples per game.
- After missing the three previous games due to a knee injury, Coleman Hawkins has played in three straight contests for the Illini and is averaging 9.0 points and 4.7 rebounds in 28 minutes per game since his return.
- Head Coach Brad Underwood had Illinois ranked by the AP in four straight preseason polls for the first time since the preseason poll began in 1961-62.
- Illinois' 15-man roster features an experienced blend of returning talent and impact transfers, combined with a top-25 freshman class. Eight players, including three starters, are back from the 2022-23 team, with five new players joining the Illini as Division I transfers, and two incoming freshmen.
- Entering the season, Illinois' eight returning players had combined to play 347 games at the NCAA Division I level with 159 combined starts by the group. Likewise, the team's five transfer players opened the year with 304 career games with 198 starts under their belts.
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Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)
