#24 ILLINOIS (13-5, 6-2) vs. #10 Michigan State (15-3, 6-1)
Date | Time	Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022 | 6 p.m. CT
Location	Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center | Illinois Athletics Vaccination Policy
Tickets	FightingIllini.com
Television	ESPN (Jason Benetti, Robbie Hummel & Myron Medcalf)
Live Stream	espn.com/watch | ESPN App
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Listen | Varsity Network App | Sirius 83, XM 83, SXM App 83
Live Stats	FightingIllini.com
Printable Notes	Illinois | Michigan State
Pregame Press Conference	Coach Underwood (Jan. 24)
Stats	Illinois | Michigan State
Record Book	Illinois
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniMBB | #Illini | @IlliniMBB | Facebook | YouTube

Head Coach Brad Underwood

Career Record: 193-88 (.687), 9th year
At Illinois: 84-61 (.579), 5th year
Big Ten: 46-40 (.535)

Series Notes vs. Michigan State

All-Time Record: Michigan State leads 64-60
Streak: Michigan State W-3
Last Meeting: Michigan State 81, #5 Illinois 72  (2/23/21 @East Lansing)
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 39-21
Streak at Champaign: Michigan State W-1
Last Meeting at Champaign: Michigan State 70, #22 Illinois 69  (2/11/20)
Underwood vs. Michigan State: 1-5

Opening Tips

• After starting Big Ten play 6-0, Illinois has dropped two straight and aims to get back on the winning track Tuesday night at home against 10th-ranked and conference leader Michigan State (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).

• It's Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week and Krush Cancer night at State Farm Center.

• Illinois is 9-9 against top-10 teams in the Underwood era, including 8-4 over the last three years.

• Illinois is the winningest team over the last three Big Ten seasons.

• When including its run to the 2021 Big Ten Tournament championship, Illinois had won 13 straight games against conference opponents until the Purdue loss. Illinois is now 20-3 in its last 23 games versus league foes.

• Trent Frazier (1,648 pts) is five points away from joining the top 10 of Illinois' career scoring list.

• Frazier is averaging 18.4 points over the last five games, including 13.2 points after the first half.

• Alfonso Plummer is averaging 19.0 points and making 4.0 treys per game over the last three games.

• Kofi Cockburn is in the top 10 nationally in both points and rebounds, ranking 10th in scoring at 21.1 ppg and third in rebounding at 11.8 rpg.

• Cockburn is the only player in the NCAA listed among the top 22 in both scoring and rebounding, and he is the nation's lone player averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds on the season.

Top-10 Challenge

Illinois enters Tuesday's game against No. 10 Michigan State with another opportunity against a highly ranked team. Illinois set a school single-season record last year with six wins over top-10 opponents. The Illini are 9-9 during the Underwood era against top-10 teams, and in another indicator of the job he has done rebuilding the Illini program, are 9-4 in their last 13 games against top-10 teams after starting 0-5.

Coaches vs. Cancer Suits & Sneakers Week

A member of the Coaches vs. Cancer (CvC) Coaches Council, Illini head coach Brad Underwood will be wearing custom CvC-themed Nike Air Force 1s on the State Farm Center sidelines Tuesday. He will join coaches from across the country who are participating in the annual Suits & Sneakers Week (Jan. 24-30).

This is a nationwide event created to raise funds and awareness about the fight against cancer and promotes the American Cancer Society as a source of inspiration and hope for those facing cancer. The COVID-19 pandemic has presented a unique set of challenges for cancer patients and survivors who have had to pause their treatments and screening protocols. Coaches participating in Suits And Sneakers Week help raise visibility and funds to support the American Cancer Society's work to help cancer patients and survivors safely resume treatments and screenings, and contribute in a meaningful way to the mission to end cancer. Since the CvC program began in 1993, college and high school coaches have raised more than $140 million in the fight against cancer.

Krush Cancer

A collaboration between the Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL) and the Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics, "Krush Cancer" night showcases the revolutionary cancer technologies and treatments developed at the University of Illinois by interacting with the community. Orange Krush students will proudly sport Krush Cancer t-shirts and wave towels created by the CCIL. Fans will receive informational resources, and the CCIL's research, scientists and students will be featured during the game.

Among the Greats

Kofi Cockburn is putting up rare numbers that rank among some of the most dominant big men in recent college basketball history. Cockburn is the first player from a high-major conference in the last four years to average at least 21 points and 11 rebounds, and just the sixth player to do so since 1992-93:

Michael Beasley, Kansas State, 2006-07 – 26.2 ppg 12.4 rpg
Kevin Durant, Texas, 2006-07 – 25.8 ppg 11.1 rpg
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma, 2008-09 – 22.7 ppg 14.4 rpg
Luke Harangody, Notre Dame, 2008-09 – 23.3 ppg 11.8 rpg
Marvin Bagley, Duke, 2017-18 – 21.0 ppg 11.1 rpg
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois, 2021-22 – 21.1 ppg 11.8 rpg

Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)