#17 ILLINOIS (6-2) vs. #2 Texas (6-0)
Event	Jimmy V Classic
Date | Time	Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2022 | 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET)
Location	New York, N.Y. | Madison Square Garden
Tickets	Ticketmaster
Television	ESPN (Dan Shulman, Jay Bilas & Holly Rowe)
Live Stream	espn.com/watch | ESPN App
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 134/195, SXM App 957
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Printable Notes	Illinois | Texas
Pregame Press Conference	Coach Underwood (Dec. 5)
Stats	Illinois | Texas
Record Book	Illinois
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniMBB | #Illini | @IlliniMBB | Facebook | YouTube

Head Coach Brad Underwood

Career Record: 209-95 (.688), 10th year
At Illinois: 100-68 (.595), 6th year
Big Ten: 55-44 (.556)

Series Notes vs. Texas

All-Time Record: Texas leads 3-2
Streak: Texas W-2
Last Meeting: Texas 90, #13 Illinois 84, OT (Nov. 18, 2010 at Madison Square Garden)
Underwood vs. Texas at Illinois / All-Time: 0-0 / 1-2

Opening Tips

• No. 17 Illinois returns to the East Coast on Tuesday night, facing No. 2 Texas in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).

• Illinois' two losses are away from home to undefeated teams: 7-0 Virginia in Las Vegas and at 8-0 Maryland.

• No. 2 Texas is Illinois' fourth ranked opponent in nine games to open the season, and third top-10 kenpom foe.

• Illinois is 1-2 versus ranked opponents this season, and has won 12 of its last 20 games against Top 25 teams.

• Illinois is 11-5 in their last 16 games versus top-10 teams.

• Illinois is a combined 7-40 all-time against teams ranked in the top 2 of the AP poll.

• Six of those wins were in Champaign. Illinois' lone win over a top-2 opponent away from home came on March 2, 2021, when Underwood's Illini rolled No. 2 Michigan in Ann Arbor, 76-53.

• Illinois has 10 wins over top-10 teams since 2019-20, second-most in the NCAA behind Baylor (12).

• Terrence Shannon Jr. leads the Fighting Illini, boasting averages of 19.8 points, 6.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists. Shannon ranks 31st in the NCAA in scoring, and third among Big Ten players.

• Shannon is one of only four players in the country – and one of just two high-major players – averaging at least 19 points, six rebounds and three assists on the season (Jalen Wilson-Kansas, Freddy Hicks-Tarleton State, Elijah Pepper-UC Davis).

• Shannon was recruited to Texas Tech and played his first two years in Lubbock for Texas coach Chris Beard.

• Illinois reserves are combining to score 28 points per game. The Illini bench has outscored its opponent in all seven games, and by an average of 12.0 points.

• Illinois is making 9.9 threes per game, ranking 30th nationally and second in the Big Ten. Seven different players on the roster have made at least six 3-pointers.

• The Illini defense is forcing 17.9 turnovers per game, ranking second in the B1G and 31st in the NCAA. Illinois is scoring an average of 20.0 points off opponent turnovers.

• Illinois has seven newcomers among its current 9-man playing rotation, including four true freshmen.

• Illinois is No. 17 in the latest AP poll, released Monday. The Illini debuted at No. 23 in the preseason rankings, moved to No. 19 in week two, and were at No. 16 for two straight weeks.

• Brad Underwood has Illinois in the Top 25 for a fourth straight season after leading the program to a final AP ranking of No. 21 in 2020, No. 2 in 2021, and No. 19 in 2022. 

• Illinois is a dramatically different team this season, welcoming three power-five transfers and a top-10 recruiting class to account for eight newcomers. 

• Illinois is replacing all five regular starters, its top five leading scorers, and a total of 10 players from last year's Big Ten champions. The Illini lost 86% of its points, 80% of its rebounds, and 83% of its minutes played from a year ago.

• Illinois is the winningest team in the Big Ten over the last three seasons, registering a 44-17 mark in league play. The Illini won the regular season championship in 2022, led the conference in wins while adding a B1G Tournament crown in 2021, and finished one game back of the title in 2020.

Jimmy V Classic

The Jimmy V Classic, named for legendary college basketball coach Jim Valvano, annually raises money and awareness for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The event began in 1995. 

Illinois is participating in the Jimmy V Classic for the fourth time; still looking for its first win in the signature non-conference event. The Illini made prior Jimmy V appearances at New York's Madison Square Garden on Dec. 9, 2003 vs. Providence (L, 70-51) and Dec. 9, 2014 vs. No. 7 Villanova (L, 73-59), and most recently in Indianapolis on Dec. 2, 2020 (relocated to Gainbridge Fieldhouse due to COVID-19 pandemic) vs. No. 2 Baylor (L, 69-82).

Underwood Aids in Fight Against Cancer

Coach Underwood has been a long-serving member on the Coaches Council for the American Cancer Society's partnership with Coaches vs. Cancer. 

Highlighting his service to Coaches vs. Cancer, Underwood hosts an annual fundraiser called Kickin' Cancer at Gordyville USA, a horse show/auction site about 30 minutes outside of Champaign.

On April 12, Underwood welcomed back former Illini head coaches Bill Self (one week after winning the NCAA title) and Lon Kruger to campus as celebrity guests for the 2022 edition of Kickin' Cancer. 

The dinner was a sold-out event with more than 1,200 guests in attendance. It was the most attended social/gala for the entire Coaches vs. Cancer program last year, with the evening raising nearly $300,000.

Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)