| Illinois Starters (from last game) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Trent Frazier |
6-1 |
170 |
Fr. |
11.5 |
1.7 |
2.8 |
Double-figs 11 of last 12 |
| G |
13 |
Mark Smith |
6-4 |
225 |
Fr. |
6.8 |
1.5 |
1.5 |
.805 FT% (33-41) |
| G |
24 |
Mark Alstork |
6-5 |
190 |
Gr. |
5.9 |
4.1 |
2.2 |
.760 FT% (38-50) |
| F |
12 |
Leron Black |
6-7 |
230 |
r-Jr. |
14.6 |
5.3 |
1.0 |
18 double-figure games |
| F |
43 |
Michael Finke |
6-10 |
235 |
r-Jr. |
9.8 |
5.1 |
1.1 |
Team-high 49 Off. Rebs. |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| F |
2 |
Kipper Nichols |
6-6 |
225 |
r-So. |
9.3 |
4.5 |
0.5 |
CH 27 pts, 5 3FG vs. MSU |
| G |
3 |
Te'Jon Lucas |
6-1 |
180 |
So. |
5.8 |
1.9 |
3.1 |
19 steals |
| F |
4 |
Matic Vesel |
6-10 |
215 |
Fr. |
0.3 |
0.9 |
0.3 |
Native of Slovenia |
| G |
10 |
Drew Cayce |
6-1 |
175 |
r-So. |
0.7 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
UI walkon |
| F |
11 |
Greg Eboigbodin |
6-9 |
225 |
Fr. |
2.4 |
2.5 |
0.2 |
19-24 FG last 7 gms (.792) |
| G |
20 |
Da'Monte Williams |
6-3 |
190 |
Fr. |
4.1 |
3.2 |
1.2 |
Son of UI great Frank Williams |
| G |
23 |
Aaron Jordan |
6-5 |
210 |
Jr. |
8.7 |
3.1 |
0.8 |
2nd in B1G in 3FG% (.507) |
| G |
35 |
Samson Oladimeji |
6-4 |
200 |
So. |
0.0 |
0.8 |
0.0 |
UI walkon |
| F |
45 |
Cameron Liss |
6-6 |
220 |
r-Jr. |
0.4 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
B1G Distinguished Scholar |
| Sitting Out (*2016-17 Stats listed) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
32 |
Tyler Underwood |
6-1 |
165 |
r-So. |
0.6* |
0.2* |
0.1* |
Sitting out season (transfer) |
| G |
41 |
Clayton Jones |
6-0 |
170 |
r-Sr. |
0.4* |
0.0* |
0.0* |
Recovering from torn ACL |
Career Record: 120-38/.759 (5th year)
At Illinois: 11-11 (1st year)
Big Ten: 1-8
Series Notes vs. Rutgers
Record: Illinois leads 4-1
Streak: Rutgers W-1
Record in Champaign: Illinois leads 2-0
Streak in Champaign: Illinois W-2
Last Season's Meeting: RUT 62, ILL 59 // 3/4/17 at Piscataway
Underwood vs. Rutgers: First meeting
Opening Tip
• Illinois concludes its three-game homestand on Tuesday night, facing Rutgers at State Farm Center (6 p.m., BTN).
• Illinois is looking for its first winning streak this season in conference play and is aiming to win consecutive games for the first time since Dec. 23 (Missouri) and Dec. 30 (Grand Canyon).
• In the Illini's 11 wins this season, no opponent has reached 75 points.
• Illinois has scored at least 22 points off turnovers in all four Big Ten home games, averaging 22.5 ppg (90).
• Illinois has led during the second half in eight of its 11 losses, including five times in eight Big Ten losses.
• Sophomore Kipper Nichols is averaging 19.5 points (39) while shooting 61.1 percent overall (11-18), 66.7 percent from 3-point range (6-9) and 91.7 percent at the free throw line (11-12) over the last two games.
• Freshman Trent Frazier has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 12 games, averaging 16.2 points (194) and 2.0 steals (24) over that stretch.
• Junior Leron Black has scored at least 12 points in each of the last five games, averaging 15.6 points (78) on 66.7 percent shooting (34-51).
D Will Returns to Campus
Former Fighting Illini great Deron Williams is scheduled to be on campus this week and attend the Rutgers game. An inaugural selection to the Illinois Athletics Hall of Fame, Williams also is serving as celebrity judge at Monday's Jock Jams, a fundraising event put on by Illini student-athletes with proceeds going to local charities.
Williams concluded his 12th NBA season in 2017, participating in the NBA Finals with the Cleveland Cavaliers. He was a three-time NBA All-Star selection and won a pair of gold medals with USA Basketball at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. Williams is the Illini's No. 3 all-time leading scorer in the NBA (13,804 points/16.8 ppg) and the UI's all-time leader in assists in the NBA (6,819 assists/8.3 apg). He played with four organizations during his pro career: Utah, New Jersey/Brooklyn, Dallas and Cleveland. Williams was the highest-drafted player in Illinois history, going No. 3 overall in the 2005 NBA Lottery.
Williams had a stellar career with the Orange and Blue, leading the program to a 2005 NCAA championship game appearance and back-to-back outright Big Ten titles in 2004 and 2005. He was a second-team All-American in his final season as a junior in 2005, leading the Illini to a No. 1 ranking for the majority of the season and trip to the Final Four after a thrilling comeback win over Arizona in the Elite Eight, sparked by his game-tying 3-pointer with 40 seconds left. Williams still ranks 43rd on the Illini all-time scoring list (1,111 points) and fourth on the school's all-time assists chart (594).
Newcomers Playing Prominent Role
Illinois is undergoing a year of major transformation in its program. In addition to first-year head coach Brad Underwood implementing new offensive and defensive styles of play, the Illini have a number of new players taking on key roles. After losing two-thirds of its minutes from last year's NIT squad, Illinois has newcomers playing the most minutes of any Big Ten team this season with freshmen Trent Frazier, Mark Smith, Da'Monte Williams, Greg Eboigbodin and Matic Vesel, graduate transfer Mark Alstork and walk-on Drew Cayce accounting for nearly half the team's minutes played at a staggering 48.7 percent. Illinois stands as the only team in the conference above the 40 percent threshold. The Illini rank second in the Big Ten, meanwhile, in percentage of points scored by newcomers at 39.9 percent.
Frontcourt Grads
Redshirt juniors Michael Finke and Leron Black have completed coursework in their undergraduate degree program of communication. They are now both enrolled in grad school for the 2018 spring semester. Finke is pursuing a master's degree in recreation, sport and tourism while Black is in the master's program in education policy, organization and leadership. Finke is a two-time reigning Academic All-Big Ten selection while Black also earned Academic All-Big Ten distinction last season.
Rookie Greats
Trent Frazier is the eighth Illini to average at least 11 points per game since the advent of freshman eligibility on varsity teams (beginning with 1972-73 season), and just the fifth Illini true freshman to reach that scoring mark.
1. 15.9 ppg – Kiwane Garris, 1993-94
2. 15.4 ppg – Cory Bradford (RS), 1998-99
3. 15.1 ppg – Deon Thomas (RS), 1990-91
4. 12.4 ppg – Efrem Winters, 1982-83
5. 12.0 ppg – Dee Brown, 2002-03
6. 11.6 ppg – Mark Smith, 1977-78
7. 11.5 ppg – Trent Frazier, 2017-18
8. 11.4 ppg – Frank Williams (RS), 1999-2000
Oh So Close
Illinois has been on the wrong end of a number of close games this season. The Illini have led during the second half in eight of its 11 losses. In five of those games, Illinois either led or was tied in the final minute. And in two more, the Illini trailed by just one possession down the stretch. Three of Illinois' Big Ten games have gone to overtime, with a fourth decided at the buzzer:
• At Wake Forest – Trailed by three with 1:15 remaining … Led with 17 minutes left
• At Northwestern – Tied with 30 seconds left with ball … Also led in OT
• Maryland – Led by two with 4.6 seconds left with ball … Also led in OT
• At UNLV – Trailed by two with 3 minutes remaining … Led with eight minutes left
• Vs. New Mexico State – Tied with 33 seconds left with ball … Led with seven minutes left
• At Minnesota – Trailed by five with four minutes remaining … Trailed by four with 10 minutes left
• At Michigan – Trailed by five with 11 minutes remaining … Led with 19 minutes left
• Iowa – Made 3-pointer at the buzzer, sending the game into OT … Led for first 17 minutes of second half
• At Nebraska – Led by two with eight seconds remaining … Also led for four minutes earlier in second half
Illinois Team Headlines
• Illinois' bench has outscored the opposition in 18 of 22 games on the season. In the most recent outing vs. Indiana, the Illini bench outscored the Hoosiers, 29-17. Illini reserves are averaging 31.4 points, with the Illinois bench outscoring the opponent bench by an average of 13.7 points per game.
• Illinois ranks seventh in the country with an offensive rebounding rate of 36.8 percent.
• Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks 12th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds (13.7 rpg). Illinois has grabbed 14 or more offensive rebounds in 12 games, including four of the last seven outings. Last year the Illini tallied at least 14 offensive rebounds in just five of 35 games.
• Illinois also leads the Big Ten and ranks sixth in the NCAA in turnovers forced (18.2 per game). Illinois has forced 17 or more turnovers in 12 games, including five times in nine Big Ten games. Last year the Illini defense forced at least 17 turnovers in only five games.
• The Illini rank seventh nationally in turnover rate, forcing turnovers on 24.1 percent of opponent possessions.
• Illinois ranks 25th nationally in turnover margin (+3.6), while scoring 19.9 points per game off turnovers.
• Illinois ranks second in the Big Ten and 61st in the NCAA in steals (7.4 spg). Illinois has collected eight or more steals in 10 games. Last year the Illini tallied at least eight steals in only six games.
• Illinois ranks third in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal defense, allowing just 32.4 percent behind the arc.
• Illinois leads the Big Ten and is 56th nationally in adjusted tempo by kenpom, averaging 70.9 possessions.
• In the Illini's 11 wins this season, no opponent has reached 75 points.
• Illinois has scored at least 77 points in seven of its 11 wins.
• Illinois has shot at least 24 free throws in 10 games. Last year the Illini attempted at least 24 free throws in only seven games.
• The Illini have had seven different players serve as leading scorer in a game this season.
• Six different Illini have recorded a 20-point performance.
• The Illini rotation is the only one in the Big Ten with nine players averaging at least 16 minutes per game.
