| Illinois Probable Starters (from the previous game) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
13 |
Tracy Abrams |
6-2 |
185 |
Gr. |
9.3 |
2.8 |
2.5 |
Team high 20 steals |
| G |
5 |
Jalen Coleman-Lands |
6-3 |
190 |
So. |
8.6 |
2.1 |
1.0 |
Team high 42 3FG |
| G |
21 |
Malcolm Hill |
6-6 |
225 |
Sr. |
17.8 |
5.9 |
2.5 |
2 pts shy of 1,600 |
| F |
12 |
Leron Black |
6-7 |
220 |
r-So. |
9.5 |
6.7 |
0.5 |
CH 15 rebs. vs. OSU |
| C |
22 |
Maverick Morgan |
6-10 |
245 |
Sr. |
10.2 |
3.9 |
0.8 |
14.0 ppg in last 5 |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
0 |
D.J. Williams |
6-7 |
210 |
So. |
2.5 |
1.0 |
0.5 |
5 BLK |
| G |
1 |
Jaylon Tate |
6-3 |
170 |
Sr. |
2.8 |
1.5 |
3.3 |
2.3 A/TO |
| F |
2 |
Kipper Nichols |
6-6 |
225 |
r-Fr. |
3.4 |
3.4 |
0.0 |
13 p, 8 r vs. Mich |
| G |
3 |
Te'Jon Lucas |
6-0 |
170 |
Fr. |
4.0 |
0.9 |
2.1 |
8 asst. vs. Mich |
| G |
23 |
Aaron Jordan |
6-5 |
190 |
So. |
1.2 |
1.1 |
0.3 |
6-16 3FG |
| C |
33 |
Mike Thorne Jr. |
6-11 |
280 |
Gr. |
5.9 |
3.9 |
0.3 |
56.8% FG |
| G |
35 |
Samson Oladimeji |
6-5 |
195 |
Fr. |
0.5 |
0.8 |
0.0 |
4 G |
| G |
41 |
Clayton Jones |
6-0 |
170 |
r-Jr. |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
6 G |
| F |
43 |
Michael Finke |
6-10 |
230 |
r-So. |
7.0 |
4.4 |
0.4 |
1.6 OREB/G |
| G |
44 |
Alex Austin |
6-4 |
190 |
r-Sr. |
0.6 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
7 G |
| Sitting Out |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
10 |
Drew Cayce |
6-1 |
165 |
So. |
- |
- |
- |
Sitting out season (transfer) |
| F |
45 |
Cameron Liss |
6-6 |
220 |
Jr. |
0.6* |
0.0* |
0.2* |
Redshirting season |
Career Record: 174-125/.582 (9th year)
At Illinois: 89-69/.563?(5th year)
Big Ten: 31-48/.392
Series Notes vs. Iowa
Series Record: Illinois leads 83-71
Series Streak: Illinois W-1
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 61-16
Series Streak at Champaign: Iowa W-2
Last Year's Meetings: ?
» #5 Iowa 77, Illinois 65 // Feb. 7, 2016 at Champaign
» Illinois 68, #20 Iowa 66 // March 10, 2016 at Indianapolis
Groce vs. Iowa: 2-4
Opening Tips
• Illinois plays three of its next four games at home, beginning with Wednesday night's match-up against Iowa at State Farm Center (8 p.m., BTN).
• Illinois is shooting 50.4 percent from the field (329-653) and 42.4 percent from 3-point range (98-231) through 11 home games this season.
• Senior Malcolm Hill is only two points (1,598) and 16 rebounds (584) away from becoming just the fifth Illini player in school history – and the seventh active Div. I player – in the career 1,600-point/600-rebound club.
Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers
Coach Groce and his staff will wear Nikes on the sidelines during Wednesday night's game vs. Iowa. They are joining coaches from across the country who are trading in dress shoes for sneakers as part of the annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers Week. Coaches vs. Cancer is a collaboration between the American Cancer Society 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.
Hill Nearing Historic Club
Senior Malcolm Hill is two points away from scoring 1,600 for his career and 16 rebounds away from grabbing 600 during his tenure. Hill is on pace to achieve both milestones this season, which would make him just the fifth Illini player ever in the 1,600-point/600-rebound club:
Deon Thomas (1991-94) – 2,129 pts / 846 rebs
Brian Cook (2000-03) – 1,748 pts / 815 rebs
Eddie Johnson (1978-81) – 1,692 pts / 831 rebs
Mark Smith (1978-81) – 1,653 pts / 722 rebs
Malcolm Hill (2014-) – 1,598 pts / 584 rebs
Post Production
Illinois has received consistent play in the post from center Maverick Morgan. Over the last 10 games, the senior has scored in double figures eight times, averaging 13.0 points on 61.9 percent shooting along with 5.1 rebounds.
Morgan is Illinois' second-leading scorer during Big Ten play, averaging 12.3 points on 59.6 percent shooting (5th in B1G).
One of the Best
Along with climbing the Illinois all-time scoring list, Malcolm Hill also ranks among the nation's leading active career scorers. Hill's current total of 1,598 points ranks 26th in NCAA Div. I, and fourth when looking at players from the six major conferences. Hill's total of 465 made free throws, meanwhile, ranks seventh nationally and third among major-conference players. In the Big Ten, Hill ranks behind only Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes in each category.
Illini Player Trends
• Preseason Wooden Award, Naismith Trophy and Senior CLASS Award candidate Malcolm Hill ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring (17.8 ppg).
• Hill has scored in double figures in 18 of 19 games against Div. I opponents, including an active streak of 14 straight.
• Hill has nine outings of 20+ points and two 30-plus point performances on the season.
• Hill ranks 10th on the Illinois career scoring chart (1,598 points). At his current season average, Hill would finish as the Illini's No. 3 all-time leading scorer.
• Hill is shooting 60.4 percent on 2-pointers during Big Ten play (32-53).
• Hill has seven kenpom game MVP accolades so far this season, tied for the 14th-most by any player nationally and trailing only Iowa's Peter Jok for most by a Big Ten player.
• Hill's career-high 40 points vs. Northern Kentucky (Nov. 13) is tied for the No. 12 scoring performance in the NCAA this season.
• Hill has scored in double figures in just the second half of nine games this season.
• Hill has made 33 three-pointers in 20 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 104 made free throws. His 131 attempts, meanwhile, rank 30th nationally. Hill leads all Big Ten players in each category.
• Hill ranks third all-time at Illinois with 465 career made free throws. Last season he went 193 of 235 from the line, ranking as the second-highest single-season school totals for free throws made and attempted.
• Hill is drawing 6.8 fouls per 40 minutes, ranking 53rd nationally.
• Senior Maverick Morgan is second on the team in scoring, also averaging double figures at 10.2 ppg. In conference games only, Morgan's average increases to 12.3 points.
• Morgan was the team's leading scorer in three straight contests prior to Saturday's game at Michigan.
• Morgan has scored in double figures in eight of the last 10 games, including a career-best streak of five straight that ended at Michigan.
• Morgan ranks fourth in the Big Ten in field goal shooting at 60 percent.
• Sophomore Leron Black has scored in double figures in seven games, ranking third on the team in scoring (9.5 points). He entered the year as a 4.9 ppg career scorer.
• Black has scored in double figures seven times through 15 games, after totaling seven double-digit scoring performances in 40 career games entering the season.
• Black has been the Illini's leading rebounder in eight games and leads the team on the year, averaging 6.7 boards (11th in B1G).
• After missing the last two years due to injury, sixth-year senior Tracy Abrams has scored in double figures in eight games, ranking fourth on the team in scoring (8.6 ppg).
• Abrams ranks 10th in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal percentage, shooting 42.9 percent from behind the arc (30-70) after entering his final season as a 27 percent career 3-point shooter.
• Freshman Te'Jon Lucas has totaled 18 assists in 93 minutes over the last five games (3.6 apg).
• Lucas has combined for 18 points over the last two games, tying his career high with 10 points at Purdue and adding eight points at Michigan.
• Sophomore Michael Finke has made 9-of-12 shots over the last four games, including 6-of-8 on threes.
Strong Scheduling
Illinois felt it had constructed a competitive non-conference schedule prior to the season. With Big Ten play now here, numbers from the NCAA are showing that to be the case. Illinois had the fourth-strongest non-conference schedule among Big Ten teams, rated No. 31 nationally.
The Illini now rank No. 7 overall in Strength of Schedule (SOS), having already played six games against top-50 RPI opponents (1-5) and 11 vs. top-100 foes (4-7). Here is the current SOS ranking of all Big Ten teams:
Rk. B1G Team SOS (RPI)
1. Nebraska 1 (57)
2. ILLINOIS 7 (45)
3. Michigan State 8 (36)
4. Minnesota 9 (14)
5. Penn State 24 (71)
