PREVIEW
OPENING TIP: Illinois (2-3, 0-2 B1G) returns home to State Farm Center to host the Iowa Hawkeyes (6-1, 2-1) on Sunday, Jan. 3. Tipoff between the Illini and the Hawkeyes is set for 1 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus with Scott Sudikoff (play-by-play) and Scott Beatty (analyst). 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 IOWA: Iowa enters Sunday's game with a 6-1 record, including a 2-1 start to Big Ten play. The Hawkeyes, following a Dec. 12 loss at Michigan State (86-82), have won two straight home games vs. Western Illinois (92-65) and Rutgers (90-84). Iowa also earned an early season home conference win over Wisconsin (85-78) on Dec. 5. The Hawkeyes feature one of the most potent offenses in the nation, led by freshman F Caitlin Clark (27.1 ppg), junior F/C Monica Czinano (20.0) and McKenna Warnock (14.5). Warnock averages a team-most 8.8 rebounds per game, followed by Clark's 7.0 rpg. Clark, who has already been named the B1G Player and Freshman of the Week three times this season, also averages a team-most 6.9 assists per game and recorded a triple-double (13 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists) vs. Western Illinois. Through games played Jan. 1, Iowa ranks among the NCAA leaders in several categories including No. 6 in scoring offense (90.0 ppg), No. 6 in field-goal percentage (.507), No. 8 in free-throw percentage (81.0), and No. 14 in assists per game (19.1).Â
SERIES VS. IOWA:Â Sunday's matchup is the 78th th in the series between the Illini and the Hawkeyes. Iowa leads the all-time series, 59-18, including a 24-12 advantage in games played in Champaign. The Illini are looking to snap a five-game Hawkeyes win streak. The last Illini win the series was Dec. 28, 2016, a 70-65 decision in Champaign.
UP NEXT: Illinois closes out a two-game home stand on Thursday, Jan. 7, hosting No. 17/15-ranked Ohio State. The Buckeyes, off to a 4-0 start, have not played since Dec. 10, a 104-65 win over Miami (Ohio), due to COVID-19-related concerns that have caused the cancellation of their game vs. Saint Mary's (Dec. 15), and the postponement of three Big Ten Matchups vs. Iowa (Dec. 19), at Maryland (Dec. 23), and vs. Michigan State (Dec. 31). The Buckeyes are scheduled to host Penn State on Monday, Jan. 4. Tipoff between the Illini and the Buckeyes is set for 6 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network Plus with Scott Sudikoff (play-by-play) and Emone' Davis (analyst). Mike Koon will call the action for the Illini on WDWS 1400 AM. Streaming audio and live stats are also available at FightingIllini.com.Â
FULL GAME NOTES (PDF)
