| Illinois Starters (from last game) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Trent Frazier |
6-1 |
170 |
Fr. |
12.3 |
1.8 |
2.8 |
B1G Frosh of Week |
| G |
24 |
Mark Alstork |
6-5 |
190 |
Gr. |
6.7 |
3.9 |
1.9 |
SH 19 pts at OSU |
| G |
23 |
Aaron Jordan |
6-5 |
210 |
Jr. |
8.3 |
3.1 |
0.8 |
2nd in B1G in 3FG% (.494) |
| F |
12 |
Leron Black |
6-7 |
230 |
r-Jr. |
14.4 |
5.4 |
0.8 |
21 double-figure games |
| F |
11 |
Greg Eboigbodin |
6-9 |
225 |
Fr. |
2.1 |
2.5 |
0.3 |
73.1 FG% in 2018 (19-26) |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| F |
2 |
Kipper Nichols |
6-6 |
225 |
r-So. |
9.4 |
4.4 |
0.6 |
12 pts vs. IU on 1/24 |
| G |
3 |
Te'Jon Lucas |
6-1 |
180 |
So. |
5.3 |
2.0 |
3.0 |
11 pts vs. IU on 1/24 |
| F |
4 |
Matic Vesel |
6-10 |
215 |
Fr. |
0.3 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
Native of Slovenia |
| G |
10 |
Drew Cayce |
6-1 |
175 |
r-So. |
0.6 |
0.6 |
0.0 |
UI walkon |
| G |
13 |
Mark Smith |
6-4 |
225 |
Fr. |
6.2 |
1.4 |
1.3 |
.809 FT% (38-47) |
| G |
20 |
Da'Monte Williams |
6-3 |
190 |
Fr. |
3.6 |
2.8 |
1.1 |
Son of UI great Frank Williams |
| G |
35 |
Samson Oladimeji |
6-4 |
200 |
So. |
0.0 |
0.7 |
0.0 |
UI walkon |
| F |
43 |
Michael Finke |
6-10 |
235 |
r-Jr. |
9.6 |
4.8 |
1.1 |
Team-high 51 Off. Rebs. |
| F |
45 |
Cameron Liss |
6-6 |
220 |
r-Jr. |
0.3 |
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: 121-41/.747 (5th year)
At Illinois: 12-14 (1st year)
Big Ten: 2-11
Series Notes vs. Indiana
Record: Indiana leads 90-87
Streak: Illinois W-1
Record in Bloomington: Indiana leads 55-29
Streak in Bloomington: Indiana W-5
Last Meeting: ILL 73, IND 71 // Jan. 24 at Champaign
Underwood vs. Indiana: 1-0
Opening Tips
• Illinois closes out the regular season with five games in 11 days, beginning with Wednesday's trip to Indiana (7:30 p.m. CT, BTN).
• Illinois is forcing turnovers on 23.2 percent of opponent possessions during Big Ten play, the highest rate recorded by a conference team over the last nine years (Northwestern, 24.1, 2009).
• Illinois leads the Big Ten in percentage of minutes played by newcomers (.485) and ranks second in the league behind Nebraska in percentage of points scored by newcomers (.406).
• Illinois has led during the second half in 10 of its 14 losses, including seven times in 11 Big Ten losses.
• Trent Frazier is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week after averaging 19 points, 2.5 rebounds, two steals and 1.5 assists against Wisconsin and Penn State last week. Frazier scored a career-high 32 vs. the Badgers, the most points in the Big Ten by a freshman this season and third-highest total ever by an Illini freshman.
• Junior Leron Black has scored at least 12 points in eight of the last nine games, averaging 14.7 points (132) on 62.9 percent shooting (56-89).
• Frazier has scored in double figures in 14 of the last 16 games, averaging 16.3 points (261) and 1.8 steals (29) while shooting 41.4 percent from 3-point range (41-99) over that stretch.
• Frazier is averaging 12.3 points on the season, the highest scoring average by an Illini freshman since Cory Bradford averaged 15.4 points as a redshirt freshman in 1998-99.
• During conference play, Frazier leads all Big Ten freshmen in scoring (14.4 ppg), assists (3.5 apg), steals (1.3 spg) and 3-pointers (2.3 avg.).
• Black is averaging 8.5 rebounds the last two games (17) after averaging 3.2 rpg the previous five games (16). Ten of Black's 17 boards over the last two games have been on the offensive end.
Illinois Team Headlines
• Illinois' bench has outscored the opposition in 21 of 26 games on the season, most recently doubling up Penn State's reserves, 24-12, on Sunday. Illini reserves are averaging 29.0 points, with the Illinois bench outscoring the opponent bench by an average of 12.0 points per game.
• The Illini rank third nationally in turnover rate, forcing turnovers on 23.9 percent of opponent possessions.
• Illinois ranks sixth in the NCAA in turnovers forced (17.7 per game). Illinois has forced 17 or more turnovers in 13 games, including six times in Big Ten play. Last year the Illini defense forced at least 17 turnovers in just five games of 35 games.
• Illinois ranks seventh in the country with an offensive rebounding rate of 36.2 percent.
• Illinois ranks second in the Big Ten and ranks 16th in the NCAA in offensive rebounds (13.3 rpg). Illinois has grabbed 14 or more offensive rebounds in 14 games. Last year the Illini tallied at least 14 offensive rebounds in only five games.
• Illinois ranks 28th nationally in turnover margin (+3.2) and is scoring 19.8 points per game off turnovers.
• In the Illini's 12 wins this season, no opponent has reached 75 points.
• Illinois ranks third in the Big Ten in 3-point field goal defense, allowing just 32.5 percent behind the arc.
• Illinois ranks second in the Big Ten and 54th in the NCAA in steals (7.4 spg). Illinois has collected eight or more steals in 13 games. Last year the Illini tallied at least eight steals in only six games.
• Illinois leads the Big Ten and is 70th nationally in adjusted tempo by kenpom, averaging 70.5 possessions.
• Illinois has scored at least 77 points in eight of its 12 wins.
• Illinois has shot at least 24 free throws in 11 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.
• Illinois has had six different starting lineups on the season.
Illini Player Trends
• Junior Leron Black has increased his scoring average by 6.3 points this season, currently leading the Illini at 14.4 ppg (17th in Big Ten) after averaging 8.1 ppg last year.
• Black has now averaged 15.0 points (210) over the last 14 games, scoring in double figures 12 times and leading the team in scoring six times.
• Black has scored in double figures in 21 of his 25 games on the season, which included a career-long streak of seven straight that ended at UNLV when he left the game late in the first half with an injury. He then had a streak of six straight games with at least 12 points that ended at No. 17 Ohio State when he was limited by foul trouble.
• Black has made at least 50 percent from the field in 20 games and is shooting 55.8 percent on the year (47th in NCAA), compared to 45.3 percent from the field last year.
• Black is shooting 60.8 percent in 16 home games this season (96-158).
• Black has made 78.9 percent of his free throws this season after entering the year as a 70 percent career shooter at the line.
• Freshman Trent Frazier has been the Illini's leading scorer over the last 16 games, averaging 16.3 points (261).
• Frazier ranked eighth on the Illini in scoring through the season's first 10 games at 5.8 ppg. Following the 16-game scoring binge he now ranks second on the team with an average of 12.3 points on the season.
• Frazier carries the highest scoring average by an Illini freshman in the last 19 years, since Cory Bradford averaged 15.4 points as a redshirt freshman in 1998-99.
• Frazier's scoring average increases to 14.4 points during conference play only – leading all Big Ten freshmen.
• Frazier has scored in double figures in 15 of the last 18 games overall.
• Frazier is the first Illini freshman with four 20-point games since Dee Brown also had four during the 2002-03 season.
• Frazier leads the Illini and ranks second in the Big Ten in steals at 1.6 spg.
• Junior Michael Finke is third on the team in scoring at 9.6 points per game. He averaged 6.9 points last season.
• Finke ranks second on the Illini in rebounding at 4.8 rpg while leading the team with an average of 2.0 offensive boards (13th in B1G).
• Sophomore Kipper Nichols averaged 16.8 points (67) while shooting 58.3 percent overall (21-36), 47.1 percent from 3-point range (8-17) and 94.4 percent at the free throw line (17-18) over a four-game stretch from Jan. 22 through Feb. 4
• Nichols ranks fourth in the Big Ten in free throw shooting at 87.5 percent (63-72). He has only missed one free throw during league play, meanwhile, leading the conference at 96.9 percent (31-32).
• Junior Aaron Jordan ranks second in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting at 49.4 percent (39-79). He entered the year as a 30 percent career shooter from 3-point land.
• Jordan has scored in double figures in 10 games on the season after entering the year with two games in double digits through his first 55 career games.
• Jordan has totaled 39 three-pointers in 26 games after making 28 triples over his first two seasons.
• Freshman Greg Eboigbodin is shooting 74.1 percent from the field (20-27) during conference play.
