Jan. 23, 2015
* Stats from 2013-14 season
Head Coach John Groce
Career Record: 141-91/.608 (7th year)
At Illinois: 56-35/.615 (3rd year)
Big Ten: 18-25/.405
Series Notes vs. Minnesota
Series Record: Illinois leads 119-64
Series Streak: Illinois W-3
Record at Minneapolis: Minnesota leads 45-44
Series Streak at Minneapolis: Illinois W-2
Groce vs. Minnesota: 3-1
Last Year's Meeting:  
Illinois 62, Minnesota 49 (Feb. 19, 2014 at Minneapolis)
Opening Tips
• Illinois concludes a stretch of three games in six days, traveling to Minneapolis to face Minnesota on Saturday afternoon. The trip also marks the Illini's fifth road trip in eight games to open league play.
• Illinois has won 11 of its last 13 games at Williams Arena dating back to 2000, including victories in each of Coach John Groce's first two visits to Minneapolis. The Fighting Illini have recorded 44 wins all-time at Minnesota, the UI's second-most road victories against a Big Ten opponent (61 at Northwestern).
• Freshman Leron Black registered 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds in Wednesday's win over Purdue, becoming the first Illini in 28 seasons to record a double-double in his first career start. Lowell Hamilton had 13 points and 10 rebounds in his first start vs. Chicago State on Dec. 4, 1986.
• Sophomores Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill have combined to average 32.4 points (162) over the last five games while leading scorer Rayvonte Rice has been sidelined with a broken hand. Nunn is averaging 16.4 points (82) over that five-game stretch while Hill is averaging 16.0 points (80).
Illini Items
• Senior Nnanna Egwu broke the Illinois career shot-blocking record Wednesday against Purdue. Egwu tied his career high with five blocks versus the Boilers. He equaled the school mark with his third swat of the game and broke the record with his fourth rejection, turning away a Vince Edwards dunk attempt with 3:20 left in the first half. Egwu has now recorded 179 blocked shots during his Illini career. The previous UI record of 177 was set by Deon Thomas from the 1991 through 1994 seasons.
• After averaging 58.3 points through the first four games of Big Ten play, the Illini offense has averaged 70.7 points over the last three conference games.
• After holding Purdue to 57 points in Wednesday's victory, Illinois has now held its opponent to less than 70 points in 12 of 13 wins this season, and 37 of its last 39 victories dating back to Feb. 10, 2013 during Coach John Groce's first season.
• Illinois is 8-1 this season when scoring more than 70 points, the only loss coming to Big Ten co-leader Indiana.
• The Illini rank second in the nation in free throw percentage, shooting 79.3 percent as a team (1st-Ole Miss, .798). The current UI single-season record for free throw shooting is 74.4 percent, set by the 1996-97 squad.
• Illinois has shot better than its season average at the free throw line in 12 games, including each of the last five vs. Maryland (17-20, .850), at Nebraska (7-8, .875), at Northwestern (12-14, .857), vs. Indiana (10-12, .833) and vs. Purdue (21-24, .875). During this recent five-game stretch the Illini have combined to make 85.9 percent from the line (67-78).
• In conference-only games, Illinois' free throw shooting is at 83.3 percent, ranked first in the Big Ten.
• Illinois ranks fourth in the nation in turnover rate at 14.5 percent, trailing Wisconsin (.127), Notre Dame (.138) and Cal Poly (14.2).
• Illinois ranks seventh in the nation in turnovers, averaging just 9.9 per game. The current Illini single-season record for fewest turnovers is 10.3 per game, set by last year's squad. The Illini have committed single-digit turnovers in 12 games on the season.
• After outscoring Purdue 13-to-9 in points off turnovers during Wednesday's victory, Illinois improved to 13-1 this season when outscoring the opponent in points off turnovers.
• The Illini had just three turnovers in the win at Northwestern (Jan. 14), tying a school record and recording its fewest in a game in the last 17 years, since committing three turnovers in a victory at Northwestern (Jan. 10, 1998).
• Sophomore Malcolm Hill has been the Illini's leading scorer in three of the last five games, registering double figures all five times and averaging 16.0 points (80).
• Hill has scored in double figures in eight of the last nine games, averaging 14.8 points (133).
• Hill has improved his scoring average by 9.4 points this season (13.8 ppg from 4.4 ppg), the largest increase of any Big Ten player.
• Hill entered his sophomore year with a career-high of 11 points. He has surpassed or equaled that total in 15 games this season.
• Hill leads the Illini with 45 offensive rebounds, ranking seventh in the Big Ten with 2.3 offensive boards per game. He grabbed 21 offensive rebounds all of last season.
• Sophomore Kendrick Nunn has been the Illini's leading scorer in three of the last four games, averaging 18.8 points (75).
• Nunn has scored in double figures in five of the last six games, averaging 15.3 points (92).
• Nunn has increased his scoring average to 10.6 points (third on team) after averaging 6.2 points as a freshman.
• Nunn is currently shooting 43.6 percent from 3-point range (sixth in Big Ten) after shooting 38.8 percent from behind the arc last season.
• Freshman Leron Black is averaging a double-double over the last two games of 11.5 points (23) and 11.0 rebounds (22).
• Sophomore Jaylon Tate is averaging 7.5 points (15) and 5.5 assists (11) over the last two games.
• Senior Ahmad Starks leads the Illini with a 2.8 assist/turnover ratio, recording a positive ratio in 15 of 20 games. Over the last four games, Starks has combined for 12 assists compared to just two turnovers (6.0 ratio).
Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers
Coach Groce and his staff will wear Nikes on the sidelines during Saturday's game at Minnesota. They are joining coaches from across the country who will trade in their dress shoes for sneakers as part of the annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers awareness week. Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaboration between the American Cancer Society (ACS) and National Association of Basketball Coaches. The program empowers coaches, their teams and communities to join the fight against cancer by participating in awareness efforts, advocacy programs and fundraising activities. Coaches vs. Cancer has raised more than $87 million for the ACS.
Manager Ryan Schmidt Joins Roster
Illinois has seen an unusual number of injuries to its backcourt this year. The latest player out of the lineup is junior Aaron Cosby, who suffered a retinal tear in his left eye against Indiana on Sunday and underwent a laser procedure Monday.
Coach John Groce has repeated the "Next Man Up" mantra following each injury, and has now looked to a manager to share that philosophy. Ryan Schmidt, who had been in his fourth year serving the Illinois program as an on-court manager, officially joined the roster on Friday. He is practicing with the team and will travel and dress for Saturday's game at Minnesota.
Schmidt is a senior guard from Bloomington, Ill. who played varsity basketball at Central Catholic High School, where he was named team MVP as a senior in 2011. Schmidt is majoring in accounting.
Notes from the Last Time Out: Illinois 66, Purdue 57 (Jan. 21)
1. Trailing 49-48 with 6:46 remaining, Illinois rolled off eight straight to take a 56-49 advantage and never relinquished the lead. The Illini made their final nine free throws to close out the contest over the final 4:40.
2. Illinois grabbed a 32-30 halftime lead thanks to an 8-0 run over the final 1:16 of the first half. Steals by Kendrick Nunn and Maverick Morgan led to fastbreak run-outs by Malcolm Hill and Leron Black. Hill drained a three to end the half, giving the Orange and Blue their first lead since jumping ahead 4-2 to begin the game.
3. The Illini, who entered the game ranked second in the nation in free throw percentage, continued their impressive free throw shooting, drilling 21-of-24 (87.5 percent) from the charity stripe.
4. Illinois entered the game ranked last in the Big Ten in conference play in offensive rebound percentage, but grabbed a season-high 16 offensive rebounds against Purdue.
5. The Illini out-rebounded Purdue for the game by a 43-to-35 margin. It marked the first time in conference play this year that the Boilers had been beaten on the boards.
6. Nnanna Egwu broke Deon Thomas' career blocked shots school record and became Illinois' all-time leader with 179 career blocks, rejecting five shots to tie his career high for the fifth time. He also added 11 points, seven rebounds and three steals, which tied his career high.
7. Leron Black recorded his first career double-double with 15 points and a career-high 13 rebounds, marking the most by an Illini since Egwu grabbed 14 boards against Ohio State last season (Feb. 15, 2014). Black also finished 6-of-9 from the field and had two steals in his first career start.
8. Malcolm Hill delivered a solid performance with a game-high 18 points, six rebounds and four assists.
9. Kendrick Nunn nabbed a career-high seven rebounds and equaled his career high with five free throws while finishing with 14 points.
