National Invitation Tournament First Round: #2 Illinois (18-14) vs. #7 Valparaiso (24-8)
When	Tuesday, March 14, 2017 | 6 pm CT
Where	Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center (15,544) | Fan Guide
NIT Info	Tournament Central | Bracket
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Television	ESPN (Doug Sherman & Sean Harrington)
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INTERIM COACH JAMALL WALKER

• Fifth year at Illinois
• First career game serving as a head coach 

Series Notes vs. Valparaiso

Series Record: Illinois leads 6-0
Series Streak: Illinois W-6
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 6-0
Series Streak at Champaign: Illinois W-6
Last Meeting: Illinois 64, Valparaiso 52  //  Nov. 13, 2013 at Champaign

Fighting Illini Continue Play in Postseason

The Fighting Illini (18-14) have received a berth in the NIT, earning a No. 2 seed. Illinois will host No. 7 seed Valparaiso (24-8) on Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. CT on ESPN2. 

Jamall Walker is serving in the role of interim coach during the NIT. Walker has spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach for the Illini (Walker bio on p. 12).

Illinois and Valparaiso most recently met during the 2013-14 season, a 64-52 Illini victory in Champaign on Nov. 13. Four current Illini played in that game, with Tracy Abrams recording 12 points, five rebounds and four assists, Malcolm Hill adding four points, Maverick Morgan grabbing two rebounds, and Jaylon Tate logging 14 minutes.

Illini NIT Notes

• Illinois is making its third NIT appearance in the last four seasons, and seventh appearance all-time.

• The Illini own an all-time record of 8-6 in the NIT.

• Illinois is 5-3 at home, 2-2 on the road, and 1-1 at Madison Square Garden in the NIT.

• Illinois is a combined 3-1 against this year's NIT field after beating Iowa in both Champaign and Iowa City, defeating BYU at the United Center, and falling to Indiana in Bloomington.

• Five current Illini players have NIT experience. Malcolm Hill is the UI's active leading scorer in the tournament with 35 points over three games, highlighted by a game-high 22 points at Alabama in 2015. Tracy Abrams played in two games in 2014, totaling 11 points. Rounding out the Illini in the NIT are Maverick Morgan (3 G, 2 pts), Jaylon Tate (3 G) and Leron Black (1 G).

• Illinois is participating in postseason play for the 15th time in the last 18 seasons, 21st in the last 25, and 32nd in the last 38 dating back to its first NIT appearance in 1980. 

Illini Individual Single-Game Highs in the NIT

Points: 28, Perry Range vs. Long Island?(1982)
Field Goals: 13, Perry Range vs. Long Island (1982)
FG Pct (min 6): .857 (6-7) Mark Smith vs. Murray St. (1980)
3-Pt. Field Goals: 4, D.J. Richardson at Stony Brook (2010)
3-Pt FG Pct (min 3): .400 (4-10) D.J. Richardson at Stony Brook (2010)
Free?Throws: 11, Kiwane Garris vs. Alabama (1996)
FT Pct (min 8): 1.000 (8-8) Mark Smith vs. UNLV (1980)
Rebounds: 16, Mike Davis vs. Kent State (2010)
Assists: 11, Demetri McCamey at Stony Brook (2010)
Blocked?Shots: 4, Mike Tisdale vs. Kent State (2010)
Steals: 5, Perry Range vs. Murray State (1980)

Illini Team Single-Game Highs in the NIT

Points: 126 vs. Long Island (1982)
Field Goals: 53 vs. Long Island (1982)
Field Goal Pct.: .576 (53-92) vs. Long Island (1982)
3-Point Field Goals: 10 at Stony Brook (2010)
3-Pt. Field Goal Pct.: .455 (10-22) at Stony Brook (2010)
Free Throws: 23 vs. Illinois State (1980)
Free Throw Pct.: .840 (21-25) vs. Loyola-Chicago (1980)
Rebounds: 60 vs. Long Island (1982)
Assists: 35 vs. Long Island (1982)
Blocked Shots: 7 vs. Long Island (1982)
Steals: 9 twice; last at Clemson (2014)

• Illinois' all-time NIT box scores can be found on p. 13-16 in game notes, and current Illini game-by-game NIT stats are on p. 17.

Hill Named Second-Team All-Big Ten; USBWA All-District V

Malcolm Hill has earned second-team All-Big Ten honors by the league coaches and media, as well as All-District V accolades by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Hill has compiled an impressive list of accomplishments in his senior season with the Fighting Illini:

• One of only two players from the six major conferences to lead his team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals on the season

• Sixth in Big Ten in scoring, averaging 16.8 points

• Scored in double figures in 29 of 32 games

• 11 outings of 20-plus points, highlighted by two 30+ performances

• Big Ten Player of the Week after career-high 40 points vs. Northern Kentucky (Nov. 15)

• Illini's leading scorer in seven of the last eight games, 10 times in the last 13 games, and 20 times on the season

• Improved 3-pointer shooter, making 53 treys this season compared to 37 last year

• 11th in Big Ten in free throw shooting at 78.4 percent, ranking third in league in makes (145) and attempts (185)

• Ninth in B1G in steals (1.2 spg)

• 12 game MVP awards by Kenpom

• Has played four different positions over the course of the season

• Third player in Illini history – and one of 17 active Div. I players – with 1,700 career points & 600 career rebounds

• Fourth on Illini all-time scoring list with 1,779 points

About the Fighting Illini Seniors

The six-player Fighting Illini senior class of Tracy Abrams, Alex Austin, Malcolm Hill, Maverick Morgan, Jaylon Tate and Mike Thorne Jr. has experienced success on and most importantly off the court, with the group on pace to earn a total of 10 degrees from the University of Illinois.

Malcolm Hill has had a stellar collegiate career, becoming just the third Illini ever to reach milestones of 1,700 career points and 600 career rebounds, Hill is now in fourth place on the UI's all-time scoring list and could climb to high as third. He leads the team in total points, rebounds, assists and steals for the second straight season and currently ranks sixth in the Big Ten in scoring at 16.8 points per game. Hill will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in media and cinema studies. 

Tracy Abrams has persevered through consecutive season-ending injuries to return to the court as a sixth-year senior. Abrams is averaging 8.4 points and shooting a career-best 41.8 percent from 3-point range this season. He ranks 36th on the Illini all-time scoring list with 1,158 points. Abrams has already received two degrees from Illinois, a bachelor's in communication and a master's in recreation, sport and tourism. He is scheduled to earn a second master's in education policy, organization and leadership in August.

Maverick Morgan has improved every year and is playing the best basketball of his career as a senior. He is second on the Illini in scoring, averaging 10.2 points to go along with 4.5 rebounds per game. Morgan ranks ninth in the Big Ten in field goal shooting at 55.1 percent, and currently stands seventh on the Illini list for career field-goal percentage at 54.7 percent. Morgan will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in advertising.

Jaylon Tate has been a valuable point guard for the Illini for four straight seasons. He leads the Illini in assists this year, averaging 3.0 per game, and has tallied more than 300 assists in 119 career appearances. He also owns a career 2.3 assist-to-turnover ratio. Tate will graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in communication.

Mike Thorne Jr. is in his second year with the Illini as a graduate transfer. He averaged 12.9 points and 8.5 rebounds last season before being sidelined by a knee injury. The sixth-year center is now averaging 5.4 points and 3.5 rebounds in the post. Thorne earned a master's degree from Illinois in education policy, organization and leadership and is on pace to receive a second master's in recreation, sport and tourism in May.

Alex Austin is in his third year with the Illini program. The former walk-on transfer from Eastern Illinois received a scholarship for the 2016 spring semester. Austin appeared in 32 games with six starts last season, averaging nearly 10 minutes per game. He has played in eight games as a senior. Austin earned his bachelor's degree in communication in December and is now enrolled in the master's program in recreation, sport and tourism.

Illini Team Trends

• Illinois ranks 48th nationally in defensive efficiency by kenpom (97.0)

• The Illini have scored at least 70 points in 15 of their 18 wins, which included six of eight Big Ten wins.

• The Illini are 13-3 this season when shooting at least 45 percent from the field, and are 16-2 when shooting better than their opponent.

• Illinois has shot at least 50 percent during the second half in 12 of its 18 wins, most recently connecting on 59.1 percent (13-22) in the second half of the Feb. 26 win at Nebraska.

• Illinois has held the opponent below 72 points in 11 of the last 13 games.

• Illinois ranks third in the Big Ten and 61st nationally in defensive rebounding percentage (.736).

• Illinois is 13-3 when outrebounding the opponent.

Illini Player Trends

• All-Big Ten second team and USBWA All-District honoree Malcolm Hill is one of only two players from the six major conferences to lead his team in TOTAL points, rebounds, assists and steals on the season (Ethan Happ, Wisconsin). 

• Hill ranks sixth in the Big Ten in scoring (16.8 ppg).

• Hill has scored in double figures in 29 of 31 games against Div. I opponents. His streak of 25 straight in double digits came to an end last time out vs. Michigan (4 points).

• Hill has 11 outings of 20+ points and two 30-plus point performances on the season.

• Hill has been the Illini's leading scorer in seven of the last eight games, 10 times in the last 13 games, and 20 times on the season.

• Hill is the only Illini to start every game this season. He also started every game last year, carrying an active streak of 66 consecutive starts. Overall, Hill has started 110 of the last 111 games dating back to his first career start as a freshman at Penn State on Feb. 9, 2014.

• Hill shot 54.3 percent on 2-pointers during Big Ten play (70-129).

• Hill has drained 53 three-pointers this season after making 37 treys last year.

• Hill continues to be one of the nation's best at getting to the line. He ranks 75th in the NCAA with 145 made free throws. His 185 attempts, meanwhile, rank 90th nationally. Hill ranks third among Big Ten players in each category.

• Hill ranks third all-time at Illinois with 506 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 6.0 fouls per 40 minutes, ranking 106th nationally.

• Hill's career-high 40 points vs. Northern Kentucky (Nov. 13) is tied for the No. 30 scoring performance in the NCAA this season.

• 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 increased to 11.3 points.

• Morgan ranks ninth in the Big Ten in field goal shooting at 55.1 percent (134-243). 

• Morgan has scored in double figures 16 times in the last 22 games. During this stretch he twice set a career long with five straight games in double digits, first from Jan. 1-17 and again from Jan. 25-Feb. 7. 

• Morgan then had three straight games scoring in double figures, averaging 14.0 points (42) on 52.8 percent shooting (19-36), before scoring four points in the Big Ten Tournament vs. Michigan.

• Morgan has grabbed 23 offensive rebounds over the last nine games (2.6 avg).

• After missing the last two years due to injury, sixth-year senior Tracy Abrams has scored in double figures in nine games, ranking third on the team in scoring (8.4 ppg).

• Abrams erupted for his highest scoring performance in the last 21 games against Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament, scoring a game-high 23 points on 9-of-13 shooting. 

• Abrams is shooting 41.8 percent from 3-point range this season (46-110) after entering his final season as a 27 percent career 3-point shooter.

• Abrams has made 11 3-pointers over the last five games after totaling six treys through the first 14 Big Ten games.

• Sophomore Jalen Coleman-Lands is the Illini's fourth-leading scorer at 8.0 ppg.

• After setting an Illini freshman record with 87 three-pointers last season, Coleman-Lands again leads the Illini with 65 treys this year. His average of 2.0 made threes ranks 11th in the Big Ten.

• Coleman-Lands' career total of 152 three-pointers leads all sophomores from the six major conferences.

• Sophomore Leron Black is fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 7.9 points. He entered the year as a 4.9 ppg career scorer.

• Black has been the Illini's leading rebounder in 10 games and leads the team on the year, averaging 6.0 boards (16th in B1G).

Youth Movement

The Fighting Illini freshman and sophomore classes have played a major role during the second half of the season. In fact, over the last 17 games, those classes have combined for at least half the minutes played 15 times, including 11 of the last 12 contests. The only exception in the recent streak was the Northwestern game on Feb. 21, in which Jalen Coleman-Lands suffered an ankle injury after just two minutes.

Lock Down D

The emphasis on improving defensively paid dividends during the second half of conference play. Illinois' defense held seven of its last nine opponents to less than 70 points and under 44 percent shooting. Over that nine-game stretch, the defense combined to allow an average of only 62.7 points on 40.7 percent shooting from the field and 32.7 percent 3-point shooting.

During Illinois' first nine conference games, opponents averaged 74.8 points (673) on 49.2 percent shooting (246-500), including 37.2 percent from 3-point range (67-180).

Illinois has rocketed up the kenpom rankings in defensive efficiency during over the last month, climbing nearly 60 spots to its current national ranking of 48th.

Hill Joins Historic UI Club

Senior Malcolm Hill scored his 1,700th career point at Iowa on Feb. 18 and collected his 600th rebound vs. Minnesota on Feb. 4. Hill is just the third Illini player ever in the 1,700-point/600-rebound club:

Deon Thomas (1991-94) – 2,129 points 846 rebounds
Brian Cook (2000-03) – 1,748 points 815 rebounds
Malcolm Hill (2014-) – 1,779 points 635 rebounds

Hill is one of only 17 active Div. I players – and among six from the six major conferences – with career totals of at least 1,700 points and 600 rebounds. 

» Complete Illinois-Valparaiso Game Notes (PDF)