PREVIEW
OPENING TIP: Illinois (2-2, 0-1 B1G) closes out 2020 with a New Year's Eve road matchup at No. 20/18 Indiana (4-2, 2-0 B1G). Tipoff between the Illini and the Hoosiers set for 12 p.m. CT from Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus. Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on WDWS 1400 AM. Streaming audio and live stats are also available at FightingIllini.com.
ABOUT INDIANA: No. 20/18-ranked Indiana, the Big Ten preseason favorite as voted by both the league coaches and media, enters Thursday's game with a 4-2 record, including a 2-0 start to Big Ten play. The Hoosiers, following back-to-back loses at Kentucky (72-68 on Dec. 6) and vs. Tennessee (66-58 on Dec. 17), are coming off of a pair conference wins with an 81-54 home victory over Nebraska (Dec. 20) and a 75-54 road win at Minnesota in their most recent outing on Dec. 23. Indiana's roster boasts five starters that average double-figures scoring: sophomore F Mackenzie Holmes (16.0 ppg), junior G Grace Berger (13.2), senior G Ali Patberg (11.5), junior F Alexsa Gulbe (10.5), and senior G Jaelynn Penn (10.0). Gulbe and Berger rank as the team's top rebounders, averaging 8.5 and 7.0 boards per game, respectively. The Hoosiers average 75.5 points per game, while giving up an average of just 52.3 points per contest. Through games played Dec. 27, Indiana ranks among the NCAA leaders in several categories including No. 8 in turnovers per game (11.2), No. 12 in field-goal percentage defense (.314), No. 13 in defensive rebounding (32.5), defensive scoring (52.3), and assist-to-turnover ratio (+1.4).
SERIES VS. INDIANA: Thursday's matchup is the 74th th in the series between the Illini and the Hoosiers. Indiana leads the all-time series, 43-30, including a 24-10 advantage in games played in Bloomington. The Illini are looking to snap a 10-game Hoosiers win streak. The last Illini win the series was Feb. 23, 2013, a 73-60 decision in Champaign. The last road win in the series for the Orange and Blue came Feb. 12, 2012 (61-60).
UP NEXT: Illinois returns home to State Farm Center to host the Iowa Hawkeyes on Sunday, Jan. 3. The Hawkeyes, off to a 5-1 start (1-1 B1G), are coming off of a 92-65 win over Western Illinois (Dec. 22) and are scheduled to host Rutgers Minnesota on Thursday, Dec. 31. Tipoff between the Illini and the Hawkeyes set for 1 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus. Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on WDWS 1400 AM. Streaming audio and live stats are also available at FightingIllini.com.
FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)
