ILLINOIS (7-3) vs. Saint Francis Pa. (4-5)
Date | Time	Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021 | 12 p.m. CT
Location	Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center
Tickets	FightingIllini.com
Television	BTN (Chris Vosters & Trent Meacham)
Live Stream	foxsports.com/live | FOX Sports App
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Listen | TuneIn | XM (386), SXM App (976)
Live Stats	FightingIllini.com
Printable Notes	Illinois | Saint Francis
Pregame Press Conference	Coach Underwood (Dec. 17)
Stats	Illinois | Saint Francis
Record Book	Illinois
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniMBB | #Illini | @IlliniMBB | Facebook | YouTube

Head Coach Brad Underwood

Career Record: 187-86 (.685), 9th year
At Illinois: 78-59 (.569), 5th year

Series Notes vs. Saint Francis Pa.

Record: First meeting
Underwood vs. Arizona: First meeting

Opening Tips

• Illinois returns to action Saturday after a week off for final exams, hosting Saint Francis Pa. (12 p.m., BTN).

• This is reunion weekend for the Illinois Men's Basketball program, highlighted by the 20th anniversary of the 2001 and 2002 Big Ten Championship teams (details below).

• Illinois is shooting 42.1% from 3-point land over the last six games while making an average of 11.7 threes (70-166). The Illini made 16 three-pointers last time out vs. Arizona, equaling the second-highest single-game total in school history.

• Illinois is averaging 85.6 points over the last five games (428).

• Illinois has outrebounded eight of 10 opponents and ranks fifth in the NCAA in rebound margin at +12.7 rpg.

• Illinois ranks third nationally in offensive rebound percentage (41.1).

• Preseason All-American/Big Ten Player of the Year Kofi Cockburn ranks eighth in the nation in scoring at 21.4 ppg and is the NCAA's third-leading rebounder at 12.0 rpg.

• Cockburn is one of just two players averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds (Jamal Cain, Oakland).

• Cockburn is averaging 15.3 rebounds over the last three games (46).

• Cockburn has 33 career double-doubles, tied for most in the NCAA among active players since 2019-20 (James Butler, Drexel).

• Cockburn has drawn 49 fouls through seven games (7.0 avg). He is drawing 7.7 fouls per 40 minutes, which ranks seventh nationally.

• Cockburn ranks 13th nationally in offensive rating by kenpom (117.7).

• Cockburn has eight assists through seven games. His season total in 31 games last year was five.

• Alfonso Plummer is averaging 23.7 points over the last six games (142), shooting 47.5% from 3-point range (29-61) while averaging 4.8 made threes.

• Plummer has topped 20 points in each of the last six games, the longest streak by an Illini since Brian Cook also had six straight from Dec. 28, 2002-Jan. 15, 2003.

• Plummer leads the Big Ten in 3-pointers, averaging 3.4 makes. He led the Pac-12 last season, averaging 2.6 made threes while at Utah.

• Plummer is perfect from the foul line this season (31-31), including 29-of-29 over the last five games. His current run of 31 straight makes is the fifth-longest streak in school history.

• Trent Frazier is averaging 22.5 points (45), 6.0 rebounds (12) and 3.5 steals (7) over the last two games, shooting 58.3% from the field (14-24) and 56.3% from 3-point range (9-16).

• Frazier had 18 points at Iowa, then erupted for a season-high 27 vs. Arizona, his highest point total since his sophomore season (30 points at Minnesota on 1/30/19).

• Frazier became the 13th player in Illini history to record 1,500 career points on Dec. 6, tallying No. 1,500 on his final point of the Iowa game, a free throw with :49 remaining.

• Frazier is now No. 12 on the UI scoring list (1,527), and is 126 points away from cracking the all-time Top 10.

• Jacob Grandison is 10 away from scoring 1,000 career points. He totaled 737 points during two seasons at Holy Cross and has 253 points as an Illini.

• Grandison is averaging 17.0 points over the last three games (51).

• Grandison is looking to become the third 1,000-point scorer on the current Illini roster, joining Trent Frazier (1,527) and Kofi Cockburn (1,111).

• Grandison is shooting 50% from 3-point range over his last five games (14-28).

• Da'Monte Williams is averaging 6.6 rebounds the last eight games (53), and 5.4 assists the last five (27).

2001 and 2002 Big Ten Champs Honored

Illinois Men's Basketball will host an alumni reunion this weekend. As part of the program-wide reunion, the 2000-01 and 2001-02 Fighting Illini will receive special recognition to mark the 20-year anniversary of their back-to-back Big Ten championships.

Those teams will be honored during a halftime ceremony, and following the game, they will hold an autograph signing for fans on the State Farm Center court. In addition, a commemorative poster featuring the 2001-02 era jersey will be distributed to the first 1,000 fans entering the arena.

Former Illini greats from the 2001 and 2002 Big Ten championship teams planning to attend include:

Cory Bradford – Illinois' No. 6 all-time leading scorer and career leading 3-point shooter … 2001 All-Big Ten honorable mention … 2002 Team Captain
Frank Williams – Illinois Honored Jersey … 2001 Big Ten Player of the Year and All-American … 2001 and 2002 first-team All-Big Ten … 2001 and 2002 Team MVP
Brian Cook – Illinois Honored Jersey … 2001 and 2002 second-team All-Big Ten
Sergio McClain – 2001 Team Captain
Marcus Griffin – 2001 Team Captain
Lucas Johnson
Damir Krupalija
Sean Harrington
Nate Mast
Joe Cross
Brett Melton
Walter Young

The 2000-01 Illini went 13-3 in league play to capture a share of the Big Ten title and earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. They were 27-8 overall, advancing to the Elite Eight and marking the third-winningest season in school history.

The 2001-02 Illini went 11-5 in league play, winning its final seven conference games to earn a share of the title and mark the first time in 50 years that Illinois repeated as Big Ten champions. They were 26-9 overall, advancing to the NCAA Sweet 16 and tying the fourth-most wins in UI history.

» Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)