| Illinois Probable Starters (from last game) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Trent Frazier |
6-1 |
170 |
So. |
14.8 |
2.5 |
2.9 |
30 pts 1/30 at MIN |
| G |
11 |
Ayo Dosunmu |
6-5 |
185 |
Fr. |
13.8 |
4.3 |
3.2 |
6 20+ point games |
| G |
20 |
Da'Monte Williams |
6-3 |
200 |
So. |
4.1 |
3.3 |
1.1 |
17 steals |
| G |
23 |
Aaron Jordan |
6-5 |
210 |
Sr. |
8.8 |
4.9 |
1.6 |
.408 3FG (40-98) |
| F |
15 |
Giorgi Bezhanishvili |
6-9 |
235 |
Fr. |
11.1 |
4.9 |
1.0 |
14 pts, 6-8 FG at NEB 12/2 |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
0 |
Alan Griffin |
6-5 |
180 |
Fr. |
2.8 |
1.6 |
0.3 |
5 pts at NEB 12/2 |
| F |
2 |
Kipper Nichols |
6-6 |
220 |
r-Jr. |
6.5 |
3.2 |
1.2 |
12 pts, 5-6 FG at NEB 12/2 |
| G |
3 |
Drew Cayce |
6-1 |
175 |
r-Jr. |
0.4 |
0.6 |
0.2 |
Walkon in third year |
| F |
4 |
Zach Griffith |
6-6 |
210 |
So. |
0.0 |
0.8 |
0.3 |
Walkon former manager |
| G |
5 |
Tevian Jones |
6-7 |
205 |
Fr. |
4.3 |
1.6 |
0.3 |
14.0 ppg in last two |
| G |
10 |
Andres Feliz |
6-2 |
185 |
Jr. |
7.1 |
2.2 |
2.2 |
13.0 ppg in last two |
| C |
12 |
Adonis De La Rosa |
7-0 |
260 |
Gr. |
2.9 |
1.9 |
0.3 |
12 pts, 4-6 FG at NW |
| F |
22 |
Anthony Higgs |
6-8 |
235 |
Fr. |
- |
- |
- |
Won 2 HS state titles in MD |
| G |
32 |
Tyler Underwood |
6-2 |
180 |
r-Jr. |
0.3 |
0.6 |
0.4 |
Son of Coach Underwood |
| C |
34 |
Samba Kane |
7-0 |
220 |
Fr. |
2.1 |
0.7 |
0.2 |
9 blocks in 77 mins. |
| G |
35 |
Samson Oladimeji |
6-4 |
200 |
Jr. |
0.3 |
0.4 |
0.1 |
Walkon in third year |
Career Record: 129-60/.683 (6th year)
At Illinois: 20-33/.377 (2nd year)
Series Notes vs. Nebraska
Record: Illinois leads 14-8
Streak: Nebraska W-1
Record in Champaign: Illinois leads 10-2
Streak in Champaign: Illinois W-1
Last Meeting: NEB 75, ILL 60 // 12/2/18 at Lincoln | Box Score
Underwood vs. Nebraska: 1-2
Opening Tips
• After playing three of its last four away from home, Illinois now hosts three straight games at State Farm Center in a span of eight days, beginning Saturday afternoon against Nebraska (1:15 p.m., BTN).
• The Illini are committing an average of just 9.3 turnovers over the last three games (28).
• After scoring a season-low 60 against Wisconsin on Jan. 23, the Illini are averaging 76.5 points over the last two games (153).
• Illinois' transition game has produced an average of 21.5 points over the last two games (43).
• Illinois defeated No. 13 Maryland last weekend at Madison Square Garden, recording the program's highest-ranked win in the last four seasons.
• Sophomore Trent Frazier is coming off a season-high 30-point performance Wednesday night at Minnesota. It marked his fourth 25+ point game of the season and came within two of his career high.
• Freshman Ayo Dosunmu has been the Illini's leading scorer in seven of the last nine games, averaging 17.1 points (154) with six 20-point outings while shooting 56.4 percent on twos (44-78) during that stretch.
• Fellow freshman Giorgi Bezhanishvili is averaging 13.4 points (107) on 57.5 percent shooting (46-80) over the last eight games, scoring in double figures five times.
• Illinois has played the No. 3-ranked schedule in the nation behind Kansas and Purdue (kenpom).
• Illinois is forcing turnovers on 23.4 percent of opponent possessions, leading the Big Ten and ranking 11th nationally in defensive turnover rate (kenpom).
• Illinois games average 71.9 possessions, ranked 39th nationally (kenpom). The Illini are the only Big Ten team in the top 80 in tempo.
• Illinois currently ranks 85th in defensive adjusted efficiency (kenpom), an improvement of 44 spots over last season's final defensive rating (129).
• The Illini's offensive rebound rate of 30.4 percent in conference play ranks fifth in the league (kenpom).
• Illinois has either led (nine times), been tied (twice), or trailed by two with the ball (once) during the second half in 12 of its 15 losses.
• Illinois is 350th in luck (kenpom), ranked fourth-to-last among all Div. I teams.
Flyin' Illini Bobblehead Series Continues with Kenny Battle
To recognize the 30th anniversary of the 1988-89 Flyin' Illini squad that advanced to the Final Four, Fighting Illini Athletics has created a series of five former Flyin' Illini bobbleheads that will be featured at select home games this season: Kendall Gill (Jan. 10), Marcus Liberty (Jan. 16), Lowell Hamilton (Jan. 23), Kenny Battle (Feb. 2) and Nick Anderson (Feb. 5).
Saturday's game vs. Nebraska is Kenny Battle bobblehead day. Flight No. 33 was the heart and soul of the Flying' Illini, serving as team co-captain during his senior season. He was the team's second-leading scorer and rebounder, averaging 16.6 points and 4.8 rebounds, to earn All-Big Ten honors and honorable mention All-America accolades. He shot 60.4 percent on the year and set an Illini single-season record with 89 steals that remains today.
Battle was named to the NCAA Midwest Regional All-Tournament Team after scoring a game-high 28 points in the Elite Eight win over Syracuse. He then equaled his career high with 29 points vs. Michigan in the Final Four. Battle scored 1,112 points during his two seasons at Illinois, still ranking 42nd on the school's all-time scoring list.
The entire five-player set is available for $39. Those who purchase the set will receive vouchers for each bobblehead, delivered via email approximately 48 hours prior to each game. The bobbleheads will be available for pick-up at State Farm Center at each respective player's game. If you purchased multiple bobbleheads, the ticket holder will need to come to each game to redeem their vouchers.
Individual bobbleheads can be purchased in advance for $10 each, or on-site inside State Farm Center on game days for $15 each. In addition, each bobblehead will go on sale at GameDay Spirit for $25 the day after the game.
Bobbleheads must be claimed at the Marketing Table inside the State Farm Center West Lobby gate, or on the upper concourse on the North and South ends of State Farm Center on the designated pickup dates. A game ticket is required for entry to State Farm Center on game days and a voucher is required to get the bobblehead for that day. Bobbleheads will not be shipped.
Orange Out Set for Tuesday vs. MSU
State Farm Center will be a sea of orange when the Fighting Illini host No. 6 Michigan State on Tuesday, Feb. 5 for an Orange Out presented by Gameday Spirit. Tip time against the Spartans is set for 6 p.m. CT.
The first 1,000 fans to arrive at State Farm Center will receive a free orange Gameday Spirit Orange Out t-shirt. In addition, an orange Illinois basketball t-shirt will be available for just $15 at State Farm Center.
All orange apparel until Feb. 5 will be 20 percent off at Gameday Spirit locations on campus and South Neil St.
Ayo Another Fab Frosh
Coach Brad Underwood has a freshman guard excelling in the lineup once again with Ayo Dosunmu grabbing headlines one year after Trent Frazier's outstanding season as a newcomer. Dosunmu leads the Illini in scoring, with his current average of 13.8 points ranking fourth on the Illini's all-time scoring list for freshmen. Dosunmu has already recorded six 20-point games, meanwhile, tied for third on the UI all-time freshman list.
Illini Freshman Scoring Average
1. 15.9 Kiwane Garris, 1994
2. 15.4 Cory Bradford, 1999
3. 15.1 Deon Thomas, 1991
4. 13.8 Ayo Dosunmu, 2019
5. 12.5 Trent Frazier, 2018
Illini Freshman 20-Point Games
1. 8 Cory Bradford, 1999
2. 7 Kiwane Garris, 1994
3t. 6 Ayo Dosunmu, 2019
3t. 6 Deon Thomas, 1991
5. 5 Trent Frazier, 2018
Illini Player Trends
• This is the first time in school history that Illinois has two freshmen (Ayo Dosunmu-2 and Giorgi Bezhanishvili-3) among its top three season-leading scorers.
• Illinois has three underclassmen (So. Trent Frazier-1, Fr. Ayo Dosunmu-2, Fr. Giorgi Bezhanishvili-3) ranking as its top three leading scorers for the first time since the 2008-09 season (So. Demetri McCamey-1, So. Mike Davis-2, So. Mike Tisdale-3).
• Illinois is the only Big Ten team whose top three leading scorers on the season are all underclassmen.
• Freshman Ayo Dosunmu recorded at least 20 points four times in five games from Dec. 29-Jan. 16, becoming the first Illini freshman ever to record four 20-point performances over a five-game stretch.
• Dosunmu's 105 points during that five-game stretch was the highest total by a UI freshman in 20 years, since Cory Bradford also scored 105 over five consecutive games as a redshirt freshman from Jan. 30-Feb. 13, 1999.
• Dosunmu was the first Illini freshman, meanwhile, to score in double figures in six straight games since Bradford in 1999.
• Dosunmu has a 2.5 assist/turnover ratio the last four games (20 a-8 to) after posting a 0.5 ratio the previous three games (6 a-11 to).
• Dosunmu is averaging 5.0 assists over the last four games (20) and 1.8 steals the last six games (11).
• Fellow freshman Giorgi Bezhanishvili is averaging 13.5 points (81) and 5.2 rebounds (31) over the last six games, with two 20-point performances.
• Bezhanishvili grabbed six offensive rebounds in three-straight games from Jan. 16-23, and now ranks second in the Big Ten with an average of 2.9 offensive boards in league play.
• Sophomore Trent Frazier erupted for a season-high 30 points at Minnesota on Wednesday night. He made 10-of-14 from the field against the Gophers after combining to shoot just 28.6 percent the previous three games (10-35).
• Frazier tallied back-to-back 20+ point games for the first time in his career Dec. 15-22, scoring 25 vs. East Tennessee State and netting 28 vs. Missouri.
• Freshman Tevian Jones is averaging 14.0 points over the last two games. His total of 28 points in those two outings equaled his combined 28 points scored through the first 11 games of his career.
• Senior Aaron Jordan is shooting 43.5 percent from 3-point range as an upperclassman (84-193) after shooting 33.3 percent from behind the arc his first two seasons (28-84).
• Jordan is averaging 5.4 rebounds over the last five games (27), and is now one rebound behind for the team lead on the season.
• Junior Andres Feliz is shooting 57.9 percent from the field over the last three games (11-19), averaging 10.7 points (32) with two games in double figures.
Pressure D
The Illini defense ranks 11th in the nation in turnover rate, forcing turnovers on 23.4 percent of opponent possessions on the season. Opponents are averaging 17.0 turnovers against the Illini, with the Illini "D" leading the Big Ten and ranking 11th in the NCAA in forced turnovers per game.
Illinois is currently averaging 18.6 points off turnovers, outscoring foes by 4.1 points per game in that category. The high opponent turnover rate has led the Illini to a +3.4 turnover margin, ranking third in the conference and 31st in the NCAA.
» Complete Illinois-Nebraska Notes
