Nov. 18, 2012
| Games 4-6 // Illinois (3-0) at the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational |
| Tournament Dates |
Monday, Nov. 19 - Wednesday, Nov. 21, 2012 | Tournament Bracket |
| Location |
Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii | Lahaina Civic Center (2,400) |
| Monday Game Info |
Illinois (3-0) vs. USC (2-0) // Monday, Nov. 19 // 11 pm CT / 7 pm HT |
| Tuesday Game Info |
Illinois vs. Texas or Chaminade // Tuesday, Nov. 20 // 4 or 9:30 pm CT |
| Monday Television |
ESPN2 | WatchESPN.com
Announcers: Sean McDonough (PBP), Bill Raftery & Jay Bilas (Analysts) |
| Radio |
Illini Sports Network | Listen
Announcers: Brian Barnhart (PBP) & Jerry Hester (Analyst) |
| Live Coverage |
Live Stats |
| Printable Game Notes |
Illinois | USC | Big Ten |
| Season Stats |
Illinois | USC | Big Ten |
| Preview Interviews |
Groce/O'Neill Press Conference | Groce Interview |
| Social Media |
@IlliniHoops  | #Illini | Facebook  | YouTube |
Probable Starters (from the previous game)
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG APG Other
G 13 Tracy Abrams 6-1 185 So. 16.7 3.3 4.0 50.0 3FG%
G 1 D.J. Richardson 6-3 195 Sr. 11.0 5.7 0.7 4 steals
G 3 Brandon Paul 6-4 200 Sr. 19.7 4.3 4.3 21 FTA
F 42 Tyler Griffey 6-9 220 Sr. 9.7 3.0 0.7 57.1 FG%
F/C 32 Nnanna Egwu 6-11 235 So. 7.0 5.3 1.3 9 off. reb.
Off the Bench
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG APG Other
F 0 Sam McLaurin 6-8 220 Gr. 4.3 4.3 0.7 8 off. reb.
G 2 Joseph Bertrand 6-6 195 r-Jr. 5.3 4.3 0.7 46.7 FG%
G 10 Mike LaTulip 6-0 165 Fr. 3.0 0.0 0.0 2-4 FG
F 15 Mike Shaw 6-8 215 So. 1.3 1.0 0.0 1 steal
G/F 20 Myke Henry 6-6 230 So. 2.7 3.0 0.0 2-4 3FG%
G/F 21 Devin Langford 6-7 200 r-Fr. 0.0 1.0 0.3 1 block
F/C 23 Ibby Djimde 6-8 245 So. 0.0 0.3 0.0 6 minutes
G 24 Rayvonte Rice % 6-4 240 Jr.
G 31 Kevin Berardini 6-0 165 r-Jr. 0.0 0.0 0.5 2 minutes
% Rice is sitting out this season per transfer rules.
Coaching Staff
Head Coach: John Groce
Career Record: 88-56/.611 (5th year)
At Illinois: 3-0/1.000 (1st year)
Assistant Coaches: Dustin Ford (1st year), Paris Parham (1st year), Jamall Walker (1st year)
Special Assistant to the Head Coach: Brandon Miller (1st year)
Director of Basketball Operations:  Mark Morris (1st year)
Video Coordinator: Andy Etheridge (1st year)
Series Notes vs. USC
Series Record: USC leads 6-2
Last Meeting:  Illinois 90, USC 77 (March 14, 1997 // Charlotte, N.C.)
Series Streak: Illinois W-2
Record at Neutral Sites: USC leads 2-1
Series Streak at Netural Sites: Illinois W-1
Groce vs. USC: First meeting
Illini Continue Trip Through the Islands
Illinois is currently on a 10-day trip to Hawaii that includes four games in six days. The Illini traveled to Chicago after a home game last Monday evening and departed Tuesday morning, arriving in Honolulu Tuesday afternoon. Following the 78-77 overtime victory over Hawaii Friday night, Illinois then traveled to Maui Saturday morning in preparation for the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational. The Illini are scheduled to leave Maui on Wednesday night and will land in Chicago on Thanksgiving Day, traveling by bus back to Champaign that afternoon. Illinois' next game after returning to campus is at home versus Gardner-Webb on Sunday (Nov. 25).
Illini in Maui
Illinois is making its fourth appearance in the EA SPORTS Maui Invitational, and its first under Head Coach John Groce. The Illini own an all-time record of 6-3 at the Maui Invite, finishing second in 2000 and third in 1987 as well as its last trip in 2007.
Illinois' all-time results at the Maui Invitational:
Illinois 73, Baylor 50 (11/27/87)
Villanova 78, Illinois 76 (11/28/87)
Illinois 81, #7 Kansas 75 (11/29/87)
#8 Illinois 74, UNLV 69 (11/20/2000)
#8 Illinois 90, #6 Maryland 80 (11/21/2000)
#1 Arizona 79, #8 Illinois 76 (11/22/2000)
Illinois 77, Arizona State 54 (11/19/07)
#13 Duke 79, Illinois 66 (11/20/07)
Illinois 65, Oklahoma State 49 (11/21/07)
Richardson's Buzzer Beater Downs Hawaii
The Illini improved to 3-0 on the young season and secured their first road victory with a dramatic come-from-behind win at Hawaii on Friday night, 78-77, in overtime. Illinois trailed for the majority of the game and by as many as 16 points in the second half before rallying and eventually winning on a D.J. Richardson 3-pointer from the corner as time expired.
Illinois struggled offensively in the first half, totaling just 28 points, with Tracy Abrams and Brandon Paul combining for all but three of those points. But the Illini warmed up after intermission and continued to chip away at the lead. The Illini took their first lead of the night on a basket by Abrams with 2:53 left. A three-pointer by Paul with 1:27 to go put the UI up two, but Hawaii forced overtime with a basket at the end of regulation by Vander Joaquim. Illinois then trailed by five in overtime but fought back once again. Down two with the ball and 7.5 seconds left, Abrams drove length of the floor, penetrated to the basket, and kicked out to a wide open Richardson, who drained the game-winning three as the clock showed zeroes.
The Illini backcourt of Paul, Abrams and Richardson combined for 63 points, as Paul led all scorers with 25, Abrams tied his career high with 22 and Richardson added 16, all of which came after the first half.
Richardson's Game Winner First Illini Buzzer Beater Since 2010
D.J. Richardson's buzzer beater at Hawaii on Friday marked Illinois' first game-winning basket as time expired since Jan. 30, 2010, when Demetri McCamey hit an 8-foot runner at the final horn to defeat Indiana in Champaign (72-70).
3-Point Barrage
Illinois made 13 three-pointers in the season-opening win over Colgate, then drained 11 treys in back-to-back wins over St. Francis (N.Y.) and Hawaii. These totals are impressive, considering the Illini's season high out of 32 games last season was 11 treys.
Illinois has 35 made thee-pointers on the year. This is the UI's highest three-game total as well as first time the team has reached double-digits in three consecutive games since the end of the 2005 season, when the Illini totaled 40 threes over three games, with 16 versus Arizona (regional final), and 12 against both Louisville (national semifinal) and North Carolina (national championship).
Non-Conference Road Success
Illinois' win at Hawaii extended its non-conference road winning streak to six games. That streak now spans the last five seasons, dating back to the 2008-09 campaign. The Illini have one more non-conference road game this year, playing at No. 19 Gonzaga on Dec. 8.
Illinois' current non-conference road winning streak:
Date Opponent Score
Nov. 20, 2008 at Vanderbilt W, 69-63
Dec. 2, 2009 at Clemson W, 76-74
March 17, 2010 at Stony Brook W, 76-66
Nov. 27, 2010 at W. Michigan W, 78-63
Nov. 24, 2011 at Maryland W, 71-62
Nov. 16, 2012 at Hawaii W, 78-77 (OT)
