PREVIEW
OPENING TIP: Illinois (2-7, 0-6 B1G) opens a stretch of three games in seven days, hosting Nebraska (7-5, 5-4 B1G) on Monday night at State Farm Center. Tipoff between the Illini and the Cornhuskers is set for 7 p.m. CT. The game will be televised live on Big Ten Network with Chris Vosters (play-by-play) and Meghan McKeown (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 NEBRASKA: Nebraska enters Monday's game with a 7-5 overall record, including a 5-4 mark in Big Ten play. The Cornhuskers are coming off of a 76-71 home loss to Minnesota after an impressive stretch that included a narrow 64-62 loss at No. 15 Michigan (Jan. 7), followed by back-to-back top-25 wins: a 68-64 win at No. 23 Michigan State (Jan. 10), and a 63-55 home win over No. 15 Ohio State (63-55). Junior G Sam Haiby paces the Huskers' attack at 16.9 points per game, including a career-high 33 in the first matchup with Illinois (Dec. 10). Sophomore F Isabelle Bourne also averages double-figures scoring at 14.0 points per game. Haiby also leads the team in rebounding (8.2 rpg) and assists (4.3 apg). The Huskers average 66.1 points per game, while giving up an average of 66.5 points per contest. Nebraska also ranks among the NCAA leaders in several categories including No. 10 in defensive rebounding (31.6 per game), No. 11 in blocks per game (6.0), No. 32 in field-goal percentage defense (.353), all figures which rank first in the Big Ten.
SERIES VS. NEBRASKA: Thursday's matchup is the 21st in the series between the Illini and the Huskers, and the 16th since Nebraska joined the Big Ten prior to the 2011-12 season. Nebraska holds a 15-5 edge, including a 6-2 advantage in games played in Champaign. The Illini are looking to snap a five-game Nebraska win streak; the last Illini win in the series was March 1, 2017, a 79-59 Illini win at the Big Ten Tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana. Illinois is also in search of its first home win in the series since a 79-59 triumph on Jan. 15, 2017.
LAST TIME VS. NEBRASKA: The Illini and Huskers opened Big Ten play way back on Dec. 10. Illinois led 67-63 with 3:34 to play but the Huskers closed the game on a 15-5 run to come away with the 78-72 victory. Five Illini - Jada Peebles (16), Eva Rubin (13), Solape Amusan (13), J-Naya Ephraim (11), and Aaliyah Nye (10) - scored in double-figures for the Illini, but Nebraska's Sam Haiby tallied 33 points and nine rebounds in the win.
UP NEXT: The Fighting Illini welcome Penn State to State Farm Center on Thursday, Jan. 28. Tipoff between the Illini and the Lady Lions (4-6, 1-5 B1G) - who host Minnesota on Monday - is set for 6 p.m. CT. The game will be streamed live on Big Ten Network +. 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)
