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MBB vs. Nebrask - Big Ten Tournament Semifinal - 3-16-24 (Kevin Snyder)
Kevin Snyder - Illinois Athletics

Men's Basketball

No. 13 Illinois Set for B1G Tourney Championship Matchup vs. Wisconsin

PREVIEW

#13 ILLINOIS (25-8, 14-6) vs. Wisconsin (22-12, 11-9) // Big Ten Tournament Championship
Tournament Central BigTen.org
Championship vs. No. 5 seed Wisconsin
Date | Time Sunday, March 17, 2024 | 2:30 p.m. CT
Location Minneapolis, Minn. | Target Center
Tickets AXS.com
Broadcast CBS (Ian Eagle, Bill Raftery, Grant Hill, & Tracy Wolfson)
Live Stream CBSSports.com/watch/college-basketball
Radio Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 84, SXM App 84
Live Stats StatBroadcast
Printable Notes Illinois
2023-24 Stats Illinois | Wisconsin | Big Ten
Record Book Illinois
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Social Media @IlliniMBB | #Illini | @IlliniMBB 129943 | Facebook | YouTube
Illinois Probable Starters
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG APG Note
G/F 20 Ty Rodgers 6-6 210 So. 6.7 5.5 2.1 10.0 ppg & 11.5 rpg in B1G Tourn.
G 0 Terrence Shannon Jr. 6-6 225 5th 22.6 4.1 2.1 B1G Tourn. record 40 pts vs Nebraska
G/F 3 Marcus Domask 6-6 215 Gr. 15.7 4.8 3.5 11.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg & 6.0 apg in B1G Tourn.
G/F 13 Quincy Guerrier 6-8 230 Gr. 10.2 6.5 0.3 13 pts (5-8 FG) vs Nebraska (3/16)
F 33 Coleman Hawkins 6-10 230 Sr. 12.6 6.2 2.7 8.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg & 2.0 bpg in B1G Tourn.
Off the Bench
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG APG Note
G 2 Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn 6-1 185 Fr. 2.4 1.0 0.4 9 pts & tied career-high w/ 4 rebs vs. FDU
G 4 Justin Harmon 6-4 200 Gr. 6.2 2.9 1.2 90.9% FT (40-44)
G 5 AJ Redd 6-3 170 So. 0.4 0.3 0.0 First-career FG vs. Missouri
G/F 10 Luke Goode 6-7 205 Jr. 6.0 3.6 0.6 12 pts (4-9 3FG) & 6 reb vs Nebraska (3/16)
G 11 Niccolo Moretti 6-1 170 r-Fr. 1.7 0.9 0.7 Career-high 9 points (2-2 3FGs) vs. Iowa (2/24)
G 25 Max Williams 6-2 200 Sr. 0.3 0.3 0.0 First-career points (2 FTs) vs. Michigan (2/13/24)
F 35 Amani Hansberry 6-8 240 Fr. 2.3 2.3 0.4 4 points & 4 rebounds vs Iowa (2/24)
F/C 42 Dain Dainja 6-9 255 r-Jr. 5.7 3.3 0.2 18 points & 8 rebounds vs. Ohio State (3/15)
Out
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. -- -- -- Plans to redshirt 2023-24 season

Head Coach Brad Underwood

Career Record: 248-114 (.685), 11th year
At Illinois: 139-87 (.615), 7th year
Big Ten: 80-58 (.580)
Big Ten Tournament: 6-4 (.600)

Series History - BTT Championship vs. No. 5 Seed Wisconsin

Series Record: Illinois leads 117-89
Series Streak: Illinois W-7
Record in the Big Ten Tournament: Tied, 3-3
Last Meeting in the Big Ten Tournament: Illinois 58, Wisconsin 54 (2010 BTT Quarterfinal at Indianapolis)
Underwood vs. Wisconsin: 7-4
This Year's Meeting: #13 Illinois 91, Wisconsin 83 (March 2 at Madison)

Big Ten Tournament Notes

  • Following a 15-point second-half comeback victory over Nebraska in the semifinals, No. 2 seed Illinois faces No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament (BTT) championship on Sunday afternoon (2:30 p.m. CT, CBS).
  • Illinois stormed back to defeat Nebraska behind Terrence Shannon Jr.'s career-high and BTT record 40 points.
  • Illinois is making its eighth all-time BTT championship game appearance, and first since 2021, when head coach Brad Underwood's Illini defeated Ohio State, 91-88 in ovetime, to win the title. 
  • Illinois is 3-4 all-time in the BTT championship game, winning titles in 2003, 2005, and 2021. 
  • Brad Underwood is vying to become league's third active coach to win multiple BTT titles, joining Michigan State's Tom Izzo (6) and Purdue's Matt Painter (2).
  • Illinois and Wisconsin are meeting for the fourth time in the BTT championship game. Illinois won in 2005 while Wisconsin won in 2004 and 2008.
  • This is the seventh meeting between Illinois and Wisconsin in the BTT, and first since 2010, when the Illini won in the quarterfinals.
  • Illinois is 5-0 all-time in the BTT vs. the No. 5 seed, with its most recent meeting a victory over No. 5 seed Ohio State to win the 2021 championship.
  • Illinois is the No. 2 seed in the BTT for the fifth time. The Illini are 10-2 all-time as the No. 2 seed, winning championships in 2003 and 2021, advancing to the semifinals in 1998, 2009 and now playing for the title again in 2024.
  • The Illini earned their third top-2 seed in the last four years, and their fourth double-bye in the last five seasons, under head coach Brad Underwood. 
  • Illinois is 23-8 in BTT games when it is the higher (better) seed..
  • Since 2020, Illinois' four double-byes as a top-4 seed in the Big Ten Tournament rank tied for first in the conference:
    • T1. ILLINOIS & Purdue, 4
    • T3. Michigan State, Northwestern, & Wisconsin, 2
  • Illinois has the third-most all-time BTT wins with 33:
    • 1. Ohio State, 38    
    • 2. Michigan State, 35    
    • 3. ILLINOIS, 33
  • Illinois has won three BTT championships (2003, 2005, 2021), tied for third-most in the league:     
    • 1. Michigan State, 6    
    • 2. Ohio State, 5    
    • T3. ILLINOIS, Iowa, Michigan & Wisconsin, 3
  • Illinois is tied for the second-most BTT championship game appearances, advancing to the title game eight times:     
    • 1. Ohio State, 10    
    • T2. ILLINOIS & Wisconsin, 8
  • Illinois has advanced to the BTT semifinals 14 times, the second-most semifinal appearances:     
    • 1. Michigan State, 16    
    • 2. ILLINOIS, 14    
    • T3. Ohio State & Wisconsin, 13

Opening Tips

  • Illinois' current total of 25 wins are its most in 18 years, since seniors Dee Brown and James Augustine led the Illini to a 26-7 record during the 2005-06.
  • Illinois is ranked No. 13 in the latest AP poll, the team's 16th consecutive week inside the Top 25.
  • Head coach Brad Underwood has led the Illini to the program's fifth-consecutive 20-win season. Illinois is one of only five teams nationally to record 20-win regular seasons each of the last five years, joined by Baylor, Gonzaga, Houston and San Diego State.
  • Underwood is the second coach in Fighting Illini history to lead the program to five straight 20-win seasons, joining the legendary Lou Henson, who accomplished the feat nine years in a row from 1983 to 1991.
  • Illinois' 23 regular-season wins were its most since the 2008-09 team also won 23 games before the postseason. 
  • Underwood led Illinois to a 14-6 mark in the Big Ten and has guided the Illini to 13+ Big Ten wins in four of the last five years with five straight winning records in conference play. 
  • Illinois' 14th Big Ten victory this season gave Underwood three of the top five winningest B1G seasons in school history, and four of the top eight, including the top two.
  • Illinois is the only program in the Big Ten to finish above .500 in league play every year since 2019-20. 
  • Illinois opened the Big Ten Tournament with a NET ranking of 16. The Illini's semifinal win over Nebraska marked its 13th combined Quad 1 (6) and Quad 2 (7) victory of the season.
  • The Illini were projected as a No. 4 seed when the NCAA Men's Basketball Committee released its initial top 16 teams on Feb. 17. In Joe Lunardi's latest bracketology, the Illini are a No. 3 seed.
  • Illinois is the Big Ten's winningest team in conference play since the start of 2019-20. Through the end of the 2023-24 regular season, the Illini are 69-31 (.690) in B1G games over the last five seasons. The Illini also boast the Big Ten's best road record, 29-21 (.580) during that stretch. 
  • Illinois' 69 wins in Big Ten play rank as the most in school history over a five-year stretch.
  • Terrence Shannon Jr. leads the Illini in scoring at 22.6 points per game, the program's highest single-season scoring average in 51 years – since Nick Weatherspoon averaged 25.0 ppg in 1973 – and fourth-best average in school history. 
  • Illinois is fourth in the country in offensive efficiency (124.8), its highest output of the Kenpom era, ahead of the 2005 season when the Illini's NCAA runner-up team had the nation's No. 3 offense with a 122.3 efficiency rating. The Illini are 18-3 on the season when scoring 80 or more points this season.  
  • Illinois' scoring average of 84.2 points is the team's highest since 1988-89 Flyin' Illini (86.4 ppg).
  • Illinois has topped 85 points 18 times, including 12 of its last 17 games. The Illini are 16-2 this season when scoring at least 85.
  • The Illini average 41.5 rebounds per game to lead the Big Ten and rank sixth nationally. The team has outrebounded its opponents in 24 of 33 games and is 21-3 when winning the battle on the glass. 
  • The Illini's 41.5 rebounds per game is the team's best single-season mark since 1972-73 (44.4 rpg).  
  • Illinois is 15-2 this season when it records an offensive rebound rate of at least 35%.
  • Illinois is 14-0 when holding opponents to less than one point per possession..

Notes from the Big Ten Tournament (BTT) Semifinal Win over Nebraska

  • Terrence Shannon Jr. scored a career-high 40 points and set a new Big Ten Tournament single-game scoring record.
  • Shannon's 40 points surpass the previous Big Ten Tournament record of 35 points that stood for 13 years (Northwestern's Michael Thompson vs. Minnesota on March 10, 2011).
  • Shannon's 40 points also eclipsed the Illini scoring record in the Big Ten Tournament set by Kipper Nichols (31) vs. Iowa on Feb. 28, 2018.
  • Shannon's 40 points are the most by an Illini player, overall, since Malcolm Hill had 40 against Northern Kentucky on Nov. 13, 2016, and the most by an Illini vs. a Big Ten opponent since Brandon Paul had 43 vs. Ohio State on Jan. 10, 2012. 
  • Shannon is the seventh player in school history to record a 40-point game.
  • Shannon scored 30+ points for the fifth time this season, tied with Andy Kaufman (1990-91) for second-most in a single season in program history.
  • Shannon now has six games of 30+ points as an Illini, tied for the second-most in program history with Malcolm Hill (2014-17), Kiwane Garris (1994-97), Andy Kaufmann (1989-93), and Rick Schmidt (1973-75)
  • Shannon scored in double figures for the 37th consecutive game.
  • Shannon finished with five 3-pointers, his third game this season with at least five 3-pointers, and the seventh time in his last eight games with at least two 3-pointers. 
  • Shannon also set a Big Ten Tournament record with 13 free-throws made.
  • Marcus Domask scored 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out a team-high eight assists.
  • Domask tallied double-digit points for the 25th time this season, and the 22nd time in his last 24 games.
  • Domask's eight assists are his second-most in a game this season (11 vs. FDU on Dec 29)
  • Luke Goode tied a career-high with four 3-pointers while finishing with 12 points off the bench.
  • Goode recorded his fourth game this season with four triples and his first since Jan. 5 at #1 Purdue.
  • Goode scored in double figures for the sixth time this season and for the seventh time in his career.
  • Goode also grabbed six rebounds, his most since Feb. 10 against Michigan State, and recorded a career-best four offensive boards. 
  • Quincy Guerrier tallied 13 points, securing double-digits for the 19th time this season and fourth time in his last six games. 
  • Ty Rodgers snagged a team-best 13 rebounds while recording eight points and making four assists.
  • Rodgers recorded his fifth-career game with 10+ rebounds and his second consecutive
  • Rodgers grabbed a career-high seven offensive rebounds.
  • Rodgers finished with four assists, one shy of his career-best mark, for his sixth game of the year with at least four. 
  • Coleman Hawkins accumulated nine points, seven rebounds, two assists, and a team-high two blocks.
  • Illinois won its ninth consecutive game over Nebraska, the longest streak for either program in series history.
  • Illinois improved to 8-6 all-time in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.
  • The Illini recorded their most points ever in a Big Ten Tournament game (98), surpassing the previous mark of 94 set in 2000 (vs. Penn State) and again in 2003 (vs. Northwestern).
  • The Illini's 98 points are the second-most in a single game by any team in Big Ten Tournament history.
  • The Illini's 98 points are the most the Cornhuskers have allowed in a game this season.
  • Illinois overcame its largest overall deficit (15) and halftime deficit of the season (11)
  • Illinois shot 59.4% from the field in the second half, while holding the Cornhuskers to 36.1% from the field.
  • Illinois knocked down 13 three-pointers, which tied its best mark of the season.
  • Illinois totaled 18 assists, its second-most in a game this season and the most against a Big Ten opponent since also recording 18 against the Cornhuskers when the sides met in Champaign on Feb. 4.

Fighting Illini Under Brad Underwood

  • Big Ten's winningest team in league play over the last five seasons (69-31, .687)
  • 69 B1G wins from 2019-20 through 2023-24 are most in school history over five-year stretch 
  • Will make its fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearances (fifth precluded by COVID-19 cancellation in 2020)
  • Three consensus All-Americans
  • Seven first-team All-Big Ten selections
  • Five straight 20-win regular seasons
  • Five straight top-five B1G finishes, including top-2 finishes three of the last four years
  • 2022 B1G Champions
  • Led B1G in wins in 2021
  • 2021 B1G Tournament Champions
  • 2021 NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed (fourth in school history)
  • Illinois' performance in conference play during the Brad Underwood era has reached historic levels of success. The Illini have recorded 69 Big Ten wins over the last five years, a mark that not only leads the league, but also is the most in school history over any five-year stretch, five more than the next best run:
     
    RANK WINS YEARS HEAD COACH
    1 69 2020 (13), 2021 (16), 2022 (15), 2023 (11), 2024 (14) Brad Underwood
    T2 63 2001 (13), 2002 (11), 2003 (11), 2004 (13), 2005 (15) Bill Self (3) & Bruce Weber (2)
    63 1984 (15), 1985 (12), 1986 (11), 1987 (13), 1988 (12) Lou Henson
    T4 62 1985 (12), 1986 (11), 1987 (13), 1988 (12), 1989 (14) Lou Henson
    62 1983 (11), 1984 (15), 1985 (12), 1986 (11), 1987 (13) Lou Henson

  • Underwood owns Illinois' two all-time winningest Big Ten seasons, and four of the top seven:

    RANK WINS YEAR HEAD COACH
    1 16 2021 Brad Underwood
    T2 15 2022 Brad Underwood
    15 2005 Bruce Weber
    15 1984 Lou Henson
    T5 14 2024 Brad Underwood
    14 1989 Lou Henson
    14 1953 Harry Combes
    T8 13 2020 Brad Underwood
    13 2004 Bruce Weber
    13 2001 Bill Self
    13 1998 Lon Kruger
    13 1987 Lou Henson
    13 11951 Harry Combes
    13 1942 Doug Mills

The B1G's Best

  • Illinois is the winningest team in the Big Ten over the last five years, with a 69-31 league record since the start of the 2019-20 season. The Illini finished second in this year's standings, won the regular season championship in 2022, led the conference in wins while adding a B1G Tournament crown in 2021, finished one game back of the title in 2020, and placed fifth in 2023:
    • 1. Illinois - 69
    • 2. Purdue - 68
    • 3. Wisconsin - 59
    • 4. Iowa - 58
  • Illinois' 29 Big Ten road wins over the last five years also lead the conference:
    • 1. Illinois - 29
    • 2. Purdue -  26
    • 3. Wisconsin - 24
    • 4. Iowa - 20 

Every Day Guys Exclusive:

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Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)

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Players Mentioned

Dain Dainja

#42 Dain Dainja

F/C
6' 9"
Redshirt Junior
Luke Goode

#10 Luke Goode

G/F
6' 7"
Junior
Sencire Harris

#1 Sencire Harris

G
6' 4"
Sophomore
Coleman Hawkins

#33 Coleman Hawkins

F
6' 10"
Senior
Niccolo Moretti

#11 Niccolo Moretti

G
6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
AJ Redd

#5 AJ Redd

G
6' 3"
Sophomore
Ty Rodgers

#20 Ty Rodgers

G/F
6' 6"
Sophomore
Terrence Shannon Jr.

#0 Terrence Shannon Jr.

G
6' 6"
Fifth Year
Quincy Guerrier

#13 Quincy Guerrier

G/F
6' 8"
Graduate Student
Marcus Domask

#3 Marcus Domask

G/F
6' 6"
Graduate Student
Justin Harmon

#4 Justin Harmon

G
6' 4"
Graduate Student
Keaton Kutcher

#22 Keaton Kutcher

G
6' 2"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Dain Dainja

#42 Dain Dainja

6' 9"
Redshirt Junior
F/C
Luke Goode

#10 Luke Goode

6' 7"
Junior
G/F
Sencire Harris

#1 Sencire Harris

6' 4"
Sophomore
G
Coleman Hawkins

#33 Coleman Hawkins

6' 10"
Senior
F
Niccolo Moretti

#11 Niccolo Moretti

6' 1"
Redshirt Freshman
G
AJ Redd

#5 AJ Redd

6' 3"
Sophomore
G
Ty Rodgers

#20 Ty Rodgers

6' 6"
Sophomore
G/F
Terrence Shannon Jr.

#0 Terrence Shannon Jr.

6' 6"
Fifth Year
G
Quincy Guerrier

#13 Quincy Guerrier

6' 8"
Graduate Student
G/F
Marcus Domask

#3 Marcus Domask

6' 6"
Graduate Student
G/F
Justin Harmon

#4 Justin Harmon

6' 4"
Graduate Student
G
Keaton Kutcher

#22 Keaton Kutcher

6' 2"
Junior
G