Game 3: ILLINOIS (2-0) vs. DePaul (1-1)
Date	Friday, Nov. 17, 2017 | 7:30 p.m.
Location	Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center (15,544) | Fan Guide
Tickets	Buy Online | Virtual SFC
Television	BTN (Jeff Levering and Stephen Bardo)
Live Stream	BTN2Go.com
Radio	Fighting Illini Sports Network | Audio | TuneIn
Live Stats	FIGHTINGILLINI.com
Printable Notes	Illinois | DePaul | Big Ten
2017-18 Stats	Illinois | DePaul | Big Ten
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Head Coach Brad Underwood

Career Record: 111-27/.804 (5th year)
At Illinois: 2-0 (1st year)

Series Notes vs. DePaul

Record: Illinois leads 12-6
Streak: Illinois W-5
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 6-3
Streak at Champaign: Illinois W-4
Last Meeting: Illinois 75, DePaul 70  //  Dec. 7, 1957
Underwood vs. DePaul: First meeting

Opening Tip

Friday night's game will mark the first meeting between Illinois and DePaul in 60 years, since a 75-70 Illini victory over the Blue Demons at Huff Gym on Dec. 7, 1957. The in-state programs previously played 18 times between 1934 and 1957. For full series history, click here.

About the Gavitt Tipoff Games

The Gavitt Tipoff Games are a unique early-season series played between the Big Ten and Big East conferences and named in honor of Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Dave Gavitt, founder of the Big East and basketball visionary who had a profound and lasting influence on the sport at the collegiate, professional and Olympic levels.

Scheduled through 2022, the Gavitt Tipoff Games will be played on consecutive days in the first full week each season. The series spans eight years, with games played at home sites. Each Big East team will participate a minimum of six times, while Big Ten programs will take part a minimum of four times. 

Illini Nationally Through Two Games …

• The UI defense ranks 19th in turnover rate, forcing turnovers on 26.7 percent of opponent possessions

• Illinois stand 19th in free throw shooting at 82.8 percent

• 29.6 percent of Illinois' points have been scored at the free throw line, ranking 26th

• The Illini rank 32nd in free throw rate (52.9)

• Illinois is shooting 60.8 percent on 2-pointers, ranking 41st

• The Illini have grabbed 38.5 percent of their own misses, ranking 47th in offensive rebound percentage

Black's Big Weekend

Forward Leron Black had a big start to his junior campaign, opening with 14 points, six rebounds and a career-high four assists in just 15 minutes of action vs. Southern, followed by a career-high 23 points with eight rebounds and three assists vs. UT Martin. Black finished the weekend with totals of 37 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists. 

There is only one forward in the NCAA with better numbers through two games, Virginia Tech's Kerry Blackshear (45 pts, 21 reb, 8 ast).

While Black currently ranks seventh in the Big Ten in scoring at 18.5 points per game, it his perhaps his assist numbers that have been most impressive. After not tallying more than two assists during the first 71 games of his career, he has opened the season with games of four and three assists, respectively. Through two games, Black's seven assists are more than halfway to his total of 13 assists set in 31 games last season. 

Jordan Breaks Out

Junior Aaron Jordan had a break-out weekend for the Orange and Blue. He has already exceeded his point total from all of last season, recording 27 points through two games after finishing his sophomore campaign with 23 points. Jordan erupted with a career-high 17 in the opener vs. Southern, then was in double figures again with 10 points and a career-high five rebounds vs. UT Martin. Jordan has played aggressive, with 10 free-throw attempts through two games compared to six attempts from the stripe last season. 

Notes from UT Martin

• Illinois led for 35:59. The Illini broke open a close game by outscoring the Skyhawks 19-7 over the final 5:25 of the first half to take a 15-point lead into halftime. 

• After UT Martin closed to within four midway through the second half, the Illini pushed the lead back to as many as 16 points with under four minutes remaining and still led by 11 with 1:53 left before the visitors late rally led to the UI's final victory margin of three.

• The Illini earned their way to the free throw line often, making 19-of-27 two days after going 34-of-37 at the charity stripe vs. Southern. 

• Illinois recorded 17 assists for the second consecutive game.

• Four Illini scored in double figures, led by Leron Black's career-high 23 points. His previous high was 21 set last year vs. Central Michigan (Dec. 10, 2016).

• Freshman Mark Smith registered double figures for the first time as an Illini, finishing with 13 points.

• Junior Aaron Jordan posted double digits in back-to-back games for the first time in his career, netting 10 against UT Martin after opening the season with a career-high 17 vs. Southern. 

Notes from the Opener

• Illinois rolled past Southern, 102-55, in the debut for coach Brad Underwood. The 47-point margin of victory was the largest in the modern era by an Illini coach in his debut.

• Illinois improved to 99-14 all-time in season openers, 33-2 all-time when starting the season at State Farm Center, and extended its active streak to 21 straight season-opening wins at SFC.

• With 102 points, Illinois reached the century mark …

     » for the first time since last season's 112-65 win over McKendree (Nov. 15, 2016).

     » against a Div. I opponent for the first time since a 107-66 win over Austin Peay on Nov. 21, 2014.

     » in a season opener for the first time since a 103-84 win over American-Puerto Rico on Nov. 23, 1990.

• Illinois recorded 102 points despite making just four 3-pointers. The Illini did so by racking up points at the free throw line and in the paint. 

• Illinois made 66.7 percent of its 2-pointers, hitting 28-of-42 from inside the arc.

• Illinois shot 91.9 percent at the line, connecting on 34-of-37 free throws. It marked the first time the Illini shot better than 90 percent from the stripe with at least 20 makes since the 2012 Maui Invite title game when the UI shot 95.2 percent (20-21).

• Illinois' 34 made free throws were its most in a game since draining 37 against Arkansas on Dec. 8, 2001.

• Illinois forced 22 Southern turnovers, converting those extra possessions into 33 points. It was the Illini's most points off turnovers in a game since also tallying 33 against Gonzaga on Jan. 2, 2010.

• Five Illini players scored in double figures and all 14 players who dressed entered the game. 10 players logged double-digit minutes and no player saw more than 26 minutes of action.

• Graduate transfer Mark Alstork registered a double-double in his Illini debut, scoring 17 points which tied for the team lead while grabbing a game-high 10 rebounds. Alstork also had four assists, one of five Illini to record multiple assists on the night. 

• Junior Aaron Jordan set a career-high with 17 points in 18 minutes. His previous career best was 14 points against North Florida in the first game of his college career (Nov. 13, 2015).

• Junior Leron Black was efficient, netting 14 points on 6-of-7 shooting.

• Black also set a career high with four assists in just 15 minutes of play. It doubled his previous career best of two assists, set four different times.

• Sophomore Kipper Nichols had 14 points in just 16 minutes. 

• Seven players made their Illini debut – Alstork, true freshmen Mark Smith (nine points), Trent Frazier (seven points, three assists), Da'Monte Williams (2 points), Greg Eboigbodin (three rebounds, two blocks), and Matic Vesel (two rebounds) and sophomore walkon Drew Cayce (two points).

Underwood Era Underway

First-year head coach Brad Underwood is ushering in a new era of Fighting Illini Basketball. Underwood was hired in March after leading Oklahoma State to a 20-win season and NCAA Tournament appearance. That followed a dominant run at Stephen F. Austin where he led the Lumberjacks to Southland Conference regular season and tournament titles in each of his three seasons, compiling an 89-14 record and leading to three straight NCAA Tournament bids. 

Owning the third-most victories in NCAA history by a head coach through his first four years (109), Underwood is now employing his exciting systems of uptempo and positionless spread offense with pressure and deny defense in Champaign. 

Illini Sign Five-Star Point Guard

The Fighting Illini inked five-star point guard Ayo Dosunmu (EYE-oh dough-SUE-moo) of Chicago Morgan Park High School to a national letter of intent during the fall signing period.

Dosunmu had a dominating junior season for the Mustangs, averaging 22 points, nine assists, seven rebounds and two steals. The first-team all-state selection led Morgan Park to the IHSA state championship in class 3A, despite an injury in the semifinals that kept him out of the title game. He also helped Morgan Park to the Public League Red South title. Dosunmu shined during the summer as well, excelling at the NBPA Top 100 camp and Nike Basketball Academy and on the AAU circuit with the Mac Irvin Fire.

"We feel we are getting the best point guard in the country in Ayo Dosunmu," coach Brad Underwood said. "He possesses a number of traits that have elevated him to elite status. He is a proven winner, a great competitor, comes from a tremendous family, is a high-character young man, and has outstanding work ethic. Along with being a perfect fit for our system and style, Ayo embraces the power of Fighting Illini basketball and joining a program with such great history and tradition. It is extremely important to him to wear the "I" and represent our state." 

Following the commitment of 2017 Illinois Mr. Basketball recipient Mark Smith just six weeks after taking over in Champaign, Underwood has made another statement on the recruiting trail by landing the top 25-ranked Dosunmu, a McDonald's All-America Game candidate and the highest-rated guard to join the Fighting Illini program since Dee Brown signed in November 2001.