State Farm Chicago Legends: Illinois (8-3) vs. BYU (7-3)
Date	Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016  |  8:30 p.m. CT
Location	Chicago | United Center
State Farm Chicago Legends	Event Website | Tickets
Television	BTN (Dave Revsine and John Crispin)
Live Stream	BTN2Go.com
Radio	Fighting Illini Sports Network | TuneIn
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Head Coach John Groce
Career Record: 170-120/.586 (9th year)
At Illinois: 85-64/.570?(5th year)

Series Notes vs. BYU
All-Time Series Record: Illinois leads 3-2
Series Streak: BYU W-1
Last Meeting: BYU 80, Illinois 75  (Dec. 19, 1980 at Knoxville, Tenn.)
Groce vs. BYU: First meeting

Opening Tips

• Following a week off for final exams, Illinois returns to action Saturday night in Chicago, facing BYU as part of the State Farm Chicago Legends at the United Center (8:30 p.m. BTN). Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.com and in person at the United Center ticket office.

• Illinois carries a four-game winning streak into Saturday's contest, looking to win five straight for the first time since last December (Western Carolina, Dec. 5, through Missouri, Dec. 23).

• During its current win streak, Illinois is averaging 82.3 points (329) on 50.2 percent shooting (113-225), including 42 percent from 3-point range (29-69).

• Illinois has shot at least 50 percent from the field in six of its eight wins, and has made at least 50 percent during the second half in all eight victories.

• Leron Black is averaging 17.0 points (85) over the last five games, scoring at least 15 points in all five contests. 

• Malcolm Hill is averaging 19.6 points over the last five games (98), reaching double figures all five times.

• Tracy Abrams is averaging 16.0 points over the last four games (64), shooting 65.6 percent from the field (21-32) and 72.2 percent from 3-point range (13-18).

The United Center: Illinois' Home Away from Home

While games played at the United Center count as neutral site in the record book, for Illinois the UC is a home away from home. Saturday's contest against BYU?marks the 51st game the Illini will play at the UC, dating back to the 1994-95 season. Illinois owns an all-time record of 36-14 (.720) at the United Center.

This is a homecoming for many Illini, with nearly half the UI roster featuring players from Chicagoland in Tracy Abrams, Jaylon Tate, D.J. Williams and Alex Austin (all from Chicago), along with Aaron Jordan (Plainfield), Cameron Liss (Northbrook), Drew Cayce (Libertyville) and Samson Oladimeji (Rolling Meadows).

Age is Just a Number

Chicago native Tracy Abrams will suit up for his final game at the United Center on Saturday. He is coming off a career-high 31 point performance vs. Central Michigan. That eclipsed Abrams' previous career best, set 48 months ago at the United Center, when he scored 27 in a win over Auburn on Dec. 29, 2012. 

The sixth-year point guard has overcome injuries that sidelined him for the entirety of back-to-back seasons. During his recovery, Abrams earned bachelor's and master's degrees and is now working on his second master's. He will turn age 25 on Feb. 6. Abrams is older than five Chicago Cubs who played in Game 7 of the World Series and helped his hometown clinch a world championship:

Player – Birth Date
Tracy Abrams – Feb. 6, 1992
Willson Contreras – May 13, 1992
Javier Baez – Dec. 1, 1992
Kyle Schwarber – March 5, 1993
Addison Russell – Jan. 23, 1994
Albert Almora Jr. – April 16, 1994
Note: Kris Bryant (born Jan. 4, 1992) is one month older than Abrams

Another NBA Venue 

Illinois' fourth game away from State Farm Center this season also will mark its fourth time playing in an NBA arena. Prior to visiting the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls, the Illini faced West Virginia and Florida State at Barclays Center (Brooklyn Nets) and defeated VCU at AmericanAirlines Arena (Miami Heat).

Nichols Set to Join Lineup

Redshirt freshman Kipper Nichols is expected to be active for Saturday's game vs. BYU. Nichols originally signed with Tulane out of high school but did not enroll in the fall of 2015. The 6-foot, 6-inch, 225-pound forward joined the Illini program last December and sat out the spring and fall semesters to fulfill transfer requirements. Nichols is a Cleveland native who averaged 18.6 points and 4.7 rebounds as a senior at St. Edward High School, earning 2015 Division I Player of the Year accolades by the Ohio Basketball Coaches Association.

Notes from the Last Time Out: Illini 92, Central Michigan 73 (Dec. 10)

• The Illini had another strong shooting performance, topping 50 percent in both halves and finishing at 53.1 percent for the game (34-64). It marked the sixth time in eight home games that the Illini have shot at least 50 percent.

• Illinois grabbed a season-high 49 rebounds. The Illini outrebounded Central Michigan by 24 (49-25), its best margin since topping Bradley on the glass by the same 49-to-25 output on Nov. 17, 2013.

• Illinois recorded 13 offensive rebounds, reaching double digits in that category for the sixth time in the last seven  six of its last seven games.

• Tracy Abrams became the 49th Illini to score 1,000 points in his career. He had a career-high 31 points, bettering his previous career best of 27 vs. Auburn set four years ago (Dec. 29, 2012).

• Abrams went 10-of-12 from the field, draining 7-of-8 from three-point range and 4-of-6 from the free throw line. His seven 3-pointers were one short of the school record and the most by an Illini since Brandon Paul made eight treys vs. Ohio State on Jan. 10, 2012.

• Abrams became the first NCAA Division I player in a game this season to make at least 10 field goals and seven 3-pointers while shooting at least 80 percent from the field.

• Leron Black set a career high with 21 points, topping his previous best of 18 set one week ago vs. VCU (Dec. 3). Black drained 9-of-13 from the field and was 3-of-4 at the line.

• Malcolm Hill reached double figures for the fifth straight game, scoring 10 points. His final basket of the game put him at 1,451 career points, moving him into 15th place on Illinois' all-time scoring list.

• Maverick Morgan scored in double figures for the first time in eight games, tallying 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting.

• Six Illini registered at least five rebounds in the win, the most balanced effort in a game this season. Mike Thorne Jr. led the way with a season-high 11 boards, Morgan and Michael Finke collected seven each, while Abrams, Hill and D.J. Williams grabbed five apiece. 

High Scoring Duo

Malcolm Hill posted 40 points vs. Northern Kentucky (Nov. 13) and 32 vs. IUPUI (Dec. 6), while Tracy Abrams netted 31 points vs. Central Michigan (Dec. 10). This marks the first time that Illinois has had two different players with 30-point games in the same season since Coach Groce's first season in Champaign, when Brandon Paul had 35 points at Gonzaga (Dec. 8, 2012) and D.J. Richardson scored 30 at Nebraska (Jan. 22, 2013).

Illini Team Trends

• Illinois ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 59th in the NCAA in scoring offense, averaging 80.7 ppg. The Illini have scored at least 79 points in seven of its eight wins.

• Illinois has won seven of its eight games by at least 14 points, with last week's eight-point victory over IUPUI the only one by single digits this season.

• Illinois is currently shooting 47.8 percent from the field, ranking 56th in the NCAA. It is the UI's first season topping 47 percent since 2004-05 (.484).

• The Illini rank second in the Big Ten and 41st nationally in 3-point field goal percentage at 39.7 percent. Illinois has made better than 40 percent behind the arc six times on the year, including each of the last three games.

• Through just 11 games, the Illini have already had six different players lead the team in scoring in a game.

• Illinois has been strong on the offensive glass, recording double digits in seven games – including five of the last six – and averaging 10.6 o-boards per game. Last season Illinois ranked last in the Big Ten with 7.6 offensive rebounds per contest.

• The Illini have shot better from the field in the second half compared to the first in nine of 11 games.

• Illinois has shot at least 50 percent during the second half in all eight of its wins.

• Illinois is shooting 51.2 percent in six games at State Farm Center (248-484), compared to just 38 percent in three games away from home (63-166).

• Illinois is earning its way to the free throw line on offense, ranking 73rd in the nation with a 40.5 free throw rate against D1 opponents (FTA/FGA). That is Illinois' highest free throw rate since the 2001-02 season (44.6).

• Illinois has done an outstanding job taking care of the basketball under Coach John Groce, with each of the last three seasons ranking as the fewest average turnovers in school history (2015-9.9, 2014-10.4, 2016-10.5). It is a sharp contrast to see Illinois currently averaging 14.1 turnovers through 11 games this year.

Illini Player Trends

• Wooden Award and Naismith Trophy candidate Malcolm Hill ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring (18.9 ppg).

• Hill has scored in double figures in nine of 10 games against D1 opponents, with five outings of 20+ points and two 30-plus point performances.

• Hill has reached double figures in each of the last five games, averaging 19.6 points (98).

• Hill ranks 15th on the Illinois career scoring chart (1,451 points). At his current season average, Hill would finish as the Illini's No. 3 all-time leading scorer. 

• Hill ranks 48th in the nation and third in the Big Ten by kenpom with an offensive rating of 118.0 (at least 24 percent possessions used).

• Hill has six kenpom game MVP accolades so far this season, tied for the most nationally.

• Hill's career-high 40 points vs. Northern Kentucky (Nov. 13) is tied for the No. 4 scoring performance in the NCAA so far this season.

• Hill has scored in double figures in just the second half of six games this season, including three of the last five. He scored 23 of his 32 IUPUI after intermission and had 29 of his 40 in the second half vs. Northern Kentucky.

• Hill is currently shooting 43.1 percent from 3-point range after never topping 39 percent in any of his first three seasons and entering his senior year as a 35 percent career 3-point shooter.

• Hill has made 25 threes in 11 games after making 37 treys in 34 games last season.

• Hill continues to be one of the nation's best at getting to the line. He ranks 26th in the NCAA with 57 made free throws. His 71 attempts, meanwhile, rank 33rd nationally.

• Hill ranks fourth all-time at Illinois with 418 career made free throws. Last season he went 193 of 235 from the line, ranking as the second-highest single-season totals for free throws made and attempted.

• Hill is drawing 6.8 fouls per 40 minutes, ranking 78th nationally.

• After missing the last two years due to injury, sixth-year senior Tracy Abrams has scored in double figures in six games, ranking third on the team in scoring (12.5 ppg).

• Abrams ranks second in the NCAA in 3-point field goal percentage (min. 2 made/game), shooting 64.1 percent from 3-point range (25-39) after entering his final season as a 27 percent career 3-point shooter.

• Abrams is tied for second in the Big Ten with 25 made 3-pointers. He has drained at least three treys in five games on the season, including three of the last four.

• Abrams is shooting 57.5 percent overall, his first season at better than 41 percent from the field.

• Abrams is the top-shooting guard in the Big Ten, ranking 12th overall in field goal percentage.

• Abrams has made at least 50 percent from the field and 3-point range in eight of 11 games.

• Abrams also leads the Illini with a 2.1 assist-to-turnover ratio, his first season with a ratio greater than 2:1.

• Abrams has totaled 13 assists over the last three games (4.3 avg), after combining for just three assists the previous three contests.

• Sophomore Leron Black has scored in double figures in six of his seven games, ranking second on the team in scoring (14.4 points).

• Black has scored in double figures six times through seven games, after totaling seven double-digit scoring performances in 40 career games entering the season.

• Black has nearly tripled his scoring average this season at 14.4 ppg, entering the year as a 4.9 ppg career scorer.

• Black has been the Illini's leading rebounder in four of the last six games and leads the team on the season,  averaging 7.1 boards.

• Senior Mike Thorne Jr. is shooting 67.6 percent from the field over the last eight games (23-34).