Dec. 24, 2014
* Stats from 2013-14 season
Head Coach John Groce
Career Record: 137-87/.612 (7th year)
At Illinois: 52-31/.627 (3rd year)
Big Ten: 15-21/.417
Series Notes vs. Kennesaw State
Series Record: First meeting
Groce vs. Kennesaw State: First meeting
Opening Tips
• After concluding a stretch of six out of eight games away from home, Illinois returns to State Farm Center Saturday night, hosting Kennesaw State in the final game prior to Big Ten play. The Illini carry a 35-game homecourt winning streak against non-conference opponents, the nation's third-longest active streak.
• Rayvonte Rice's game-winning 3-pointer to beat Missouri in the annual Braggin' Rights game marked the fourth buzzer beater of Coach John Groce's Illini tenure.
• Rice has scored in double figures in all 27 games he has played against non-conference opponents as an Illini, averaging 18.1 points.
• Malcolm Hill has improved his scoring average by 8.4 points this year (12.8 ppg from 4.4 ppg), the second-largest increase of any Big Ten player.
• Illinois opens Big Ten play with four out of five games on the road. Altogether, Illinois will endure a stretch of 10 out of 14 games away from home from Nov. 27-Jan. 14. Illinois is the only team from the six major conferences that over the course of 14 consecutive games this season will play 10 games away from its home arena.
• Illinois played a combined six road/neutral games during the non-conference portion of the schedule, tied for the most among Big Ten teams this season. The Illini have played the most road/neutral games in the Big Ten in each of Coach Groce's three seasons, totaling 19 over his tenure. Michigan State has the second-highest total in the league over that period with 16.
Last Time Out: Illinois 62, Missouri 59 (Dec. 20)
Illinois won the coveted Braggin' Rights trophy for the second straight year, defeating Missouri thanks to Rayvonte Rice's step back, fade away 3-pointer as time expired, the first buzzer beater in the 34-year history of the annual rivalry game played in St. Louis.
This year's match-up was as tightly contested as any in the series, featuring 10 ties, eight lead changes and the margin never extending beyond two possessions. Rice came up big during crunch time, scoring 11 of Illinois' last 17 points over the final nine minutes while also assisting on another basket during that stretch.
The game was knotted at 55-all with less than four minutes remaining. Missouri went ahead on a layup by Jakeenan Gant, but Malcolm Hill hit a pair of free throws to tie it at 57. The Illini then took the lead on a Nnanna Egwu dunk off a feed from Rice with 1:53 left. Mizzou evened the score at 59 on Wes Clark's jumper with 18 seconds remaining. That set up the game's final possession, with Rice burying the dagger three from the top of the key at the buzzer as the Illini bench stormed onto the court, piling on top of him in wild celebration.
Rice led the Illini with a game-high 19 points and seven rebounds. Ahmad Starks added 13 points, reaching double figures for the first time in nine games and marking his second-highest point total of the season. Hill also finished in double digits with 10. Aaron Cosby, meanwhile, matched Rice with seven boards.
The key difference in the game was the turnover department. Illinois forced Mizzou into 14 turnovers while only committing eight of its own, and capitalized with a 14-to-8 advantage in points off turnovers.
Buzzer Beaters Becoming the Norm Under Groce
Rayvonte Rice's 3-pointer to down Missouri marked the fourth buzzer beater of Groce's Illini tenure, joining the following clock-expiring game winners: D.J. Richardson's 3-pointer at Hawaii (Nov. 16, 2012), Tyler Griffey's layup against No. 1-ranked Indiana (Feb. 7, 2013) and Brandon Paul's jumper versus Minnesota in the Big Ten Tournament (March 14, 2013).
Illinois went the previous 12 seasons prior to Groce's arrival with just one buzzer beater, a runner by Demetri McCamey to beat Indiana on Jan. 30, 2010.
In addition to the four buzzer beaters, the Illini also have made two game winners under Groce in the final seconds: Griffey's 3-pointer versus Gardner-Webb (Nov. 25, 2012) and Jon Ekey's 3-pointer at Iowa (March 8, 2014).
Non-Conference Homecourt Success
Illinois carries a 35-game homecourt winning streak against non-conference opponents into its final match-up prior to Big Ten play, hosting Kennesaw State Saturday night at State Farm Center. The Illini last lost at home to a non-league foe on March 24, 2010, against Dayton in the NIT Quarterfinal. The UI active non-conference home winning streak ranks third nationally:
1. Duke-114, Next Dec. 29
2. Minnesota-42, Next Dec. 27
3. ILLINOIS-35, Next Dec. 27
4. Louisville-34, Next Dec. 27
5. Wichita State-30, Next Nov. 2015
6. Pittsburgh-29, Next Dec. 30
Home Sweet Home
Illinois takes on Kennesaw State looking to go undefeated in regular season non-conference home games for the sixth consecutive season. The Illini have won 46 consecutive regular season home games against non-conference opponents heading into Saturday night. The UI's last loss in a regular season non-conference home game was to Clemson on Dec. 2, 2008.
Illini Items
• Illinois ranks 27th in the nation in scoring (77.9 ppg) and has reached the 70-point marker eight times this season, winning seven of those eight games.
• Illinois has held its opponent to less than 70 points in eight of nine wins this season, and 34 of its last 36 victories dating back to Feb. 10, 2013 during Groce's first season.
• The Illini rank third in the nation in free throw percentage, shooting 77.6 percent as a team (191-246). Illinois has shot better than its season average from the line in six games. The Illini single-season school record for free throw shooting is 74.4 percent, set by the 1996-97 squad.
• Illinois ranks fourth in the nation in turnover percentage (.145), seventh in turnovers (10.1 avg.) and 13th in turnover margin (+4.8).
• Six different players have been the Illini's leading scorer in a game this season, while five different players have been the UI's top rebounder.
• Senior Rayvonte Rice leads the Illini in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.4 points (fourth in Big Ten) and 6.6 rebounds (12th in Big Ten).
• Rice has an offensive rating of 125.0 on the season, ranked 17th nationally among players with at least 24 percent of possessions used (KenPom).
• Rice has improved his shooting at every level this season. He is currently shooting 48.9 percent from the field, 44.9 percent from 3-point range and 80.3 percent from free throw line after entering his senior year as a 42.4 percent career shooter, including 28 percent from behind the arc and 71.2 percent at the line.
• Rice has scored in double figures in every non-conference game of his Illini career (27 games).
• Rice is averaging 19.7 points through six road/neutral games this season (118), and 19.4 points in five games against teams from the six major conferences (97).
• Rice ranks sixth in the Big Ten in steals, averaging 2.1 spg. His steal rate of 4.2 ranks 56th nationally.
• Sophomore Malcolm Hill entered his sophomore year with a career-high of 11 points. He has surpassed or equaled that total in nine of 12 games this season.
• Hill has nearly tripled his scoring average this year (12.8 ppg) compared to his freshman campaign (4.4 ppg). His 8.4-point increase in scoring average is the second-highest improvement by a Big Ten player this year.
• Hill leads the Illini with 30 offensive rebounds, ranking sixth in the Big Ten with 2.5 offensive boards per game. Hill grabbed 21 offensive rebounds all of last season.
• Hill is averaging 13.8 points through six road/neutral games this season (83).
• Senior Nnanna Egwu has tallied 164 career blocked shots, 13 away from equaling the Illini all-time record.
• Egwu is averaging 7.2 rebounds (36), including an average of 3.8 offensive boards (19) in five games this season against teams from the six major conferences.
• Egwu has knocked down seven 3-pointers this year after totaling five treys all of last season. He is shooting 38.9 percent from behind the arc this year.
• Sophomore Kendrick Nunn has increased his scoring average to 9.2 points after averaging 6.2 points as a freshman. Nunn is third on the team in scoring despite playing the sixth-most minutes.
• Nunn is averaging 10.3 points in his three games as a starter this season (31) after averaging 10.3 points last year in 12 starts.
• Nunn is currently shooting 45.9 percent from 3-point range (sixth in Big Ten) after shooting 38.8 percent from behind the arc last season.
• Senior Ahmad Starks ranks fourth in the Big Ten with a 3.2 assist/turnover ratio. He has had a positive ratio in 10 of 12 games with the other two an even ratio.
• Starks is shooting 66.7 percent on 2-pointers over the last four games (8-12).
• Starks has made at least one 3-pointer in every game this season.
• Junior Aaron Cosby is averaging 5.5 rebounds over the last two games (11).
» Complete Illinois Game Notes vs. Kennesaw State (PDF).
