| Illinois Probable Starters (from the last game) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Trent Frazier |
6-2 |
175 |
Sr. |
12.8 |
3.1 |
3.8 |
5.3 apg over last seven games |
| G |
11 |
Alfonso Plummer |
6-1 |
180 |
Gr. |
15.3 |
2.7 |
1.2 |
1st in B1G in 3FG (3.0 avg) |
| G |
20 |
Da'Monte Williams |
6-3 |
215 |
Sr. |
4.0 |
5.7 |
3.2 |
1st in B1G in assist/to ratio (3.05) |
| G/F |
3 |
Jacob Grandison |
6-6 |
210 |
Gr. |
10.9 |
4.1 |
2.2 |
43.2% on threes (41-95) |
| C |
21 |
Kofi Cockburn |
7-0 |
285 |
Jr. |
22.1 |
11.6 |
0.9 |
37 pts on 16-19 FG vs Wisconsin |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
0 |
Brandin Podziemski |
6-5 |
200 |
Fr. |
1.8 |
1.2 |
0.4 |
5 points vs Northwestern |
| F |
2 |
Connor Serven |
6-9 |
235 |
So. |
0.0 |
0.2 |
0.0 |
Team's lone walkon in second year |
| F |
4 |
Omar Payne |
6-10 |
240 |
Jr. |
2.2 |
1.9 |
0.2 |
7 pts, 3 reb, 2 blk vs MSU |
| G |
5 |
Andre Curbelo |
6-1 |
175 |
So. |
9.7 |
3.9 |
4.0 |
Career-high 20 points vs Purdue |
| G |
10 |
Luke Goode |
6-7 |
200 |
Fr. |
2.3 |
1.8 |
0.7 |
Career-high 9 points vs MSU |
| C |
12 |
Brandon Lieb |
7-0 |
220 |
So. |
0.9 |
0.8 |
0.1 |
Career-high 4 points vs St. Francis Pa. |
| F |
13 |
Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk |
6-8 |
235 |
r-So. |
2.2 |
2.5 |
0.8 |
Career-high 8 points vs MSU |
| G |
15 |
RJ Melendez |
6-7 |
205 |
Fr. |
2.9 |
1.6 |
0.6 |
Career-high 6 points vs Northwestern |
| G |
22 |
Austin Hutcherson |
6-6 |
190 |
Gr. |
2.8 |
2.0 |
0.5 |
Out for remainder of season |
| F |
33 |
Coleman Hawkins |
6-10 |
215 |
So. |
5.9 |
4.4 |
1.5 |
3rd on team in steals (17) & blocks (12) |
Career Record: 196-88 (.690), 9th year
At Illinois: 87-61 (.588), 5th year
Big Ten: 49-40Â (.551)
Series Notes vs. Indiana
All-Time Record: Indiana leads 93-90
Streak: Illinois W-3
Last Meeting: #12Â Illinois 75, Indiana 71, OTÂ (2/2/2021 at Bloomington)
Record at Bloomington: Indiana leads 57-30
Streak at Bloomington: Illinois W-1
Underwood vs. Indiana:Â 4-3
Opening Tips
• No. 18 Illinois plays four of its next five games on the road, beginning Saturday at Indiana (11 a.m. CT, ESPN).
• Illinois' next four road opponents are a combined 43-5 on their home court.
• During its current three-game winning streak, Illinois' defense is holding opponents to an average of 59.3 points on combined 36.3% shooting, including 21.4% from three.
• Illinois has won seven of its last eight Big Ten road games, and 12 of its last 14.
• Illinois' 9-2 record is its best after 11 Big Ten games since 2005 (11-0).
• Illinois snapped a seven-game skid at Indiana last season, posting its first win at Assembly Hall since 2010.
• Illinois is aiming for back-to-back wins in Bloomington for the first time since 2009 and 2010.
• Illinois is the winningest team over the last three Big Ten seasons.
• Illinois is 23-3 in its last 26 games versus Big Ten opponents.
• Illinois has had nine different starting lineups this season, the most among high-major conference teams.
• Illinois rotation players have missed a combined 41 games so far this season.
• Leading the way for the Illini is National Player of the Year candidate Kofi Cockburn. He is coming off the Big Ten' top performance this season, with 37 points on 16-19 FG and 12 boards in a win over No. 11 Wisconsin.
• Cockburn has 40 career double-doubles, one away from the Illinois record set by Skip Thoren from 1963-65.
• Cockburn is the only NCAA player listed in the top 15 in both points and rebounds, ranking sixth in scoring at 22.1 ppg and fifth in rebounding at 11.6 rpg.
• Cockburn is one of just two players nationally averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds.
• Cockburn ranks second in the NCAA with eight 20-point, 10-rebound games.
• Cockburn is the first high-major conference player since 2009 to average 22+ points and 11+ boards.
King Kofi's Big Night
National Player of the Year candidate Kofi Cockburn had a dominant performance in Wednesday's win over No. 11 Wisconsin, totaling 37 points on 16-of-19 shooting and 12 rebounds.
• Cockburn's 16 field goals are the third-most by a player in the NCAA this season, and the most against a ranked opponent and high-major conference opponent.
• Cockburn's 16 FG are the most by an Illini since 1991, and tie the second-most in school history in Big Ten play.
• It was Cockburn's third career 30/10 game.
• Cockburn is one of only two active NCAA players with three career 30/10 games (Eli Scott, Loyola Marymount).
• Cockburn is the only player in the nation with multiple 32/10 games this season, and he is just the third player in the nation to post a 37/12 game this season.
• Cockburn's 37 points are his career high in a Big Ten game, and one shy of his overall career high of 38 points set Nov. 26 vs. UT Rio Grande Valley.
• Cockburn is the first player to post 37 points, 12 rebounds, and shoot 84%+ from the field for a power conference team since Brice Johnson (North Carolina) at Florida State 1/4/2016 (39 pts, 23 reb, 88%).
• Cockburn's 37 points are the most by any player against Wisconsin since Nov. 19, 2013, when North Dakota's Troy Huff scored 37.
• Cockburn's 37 points are the most by an Illini in a Big Ten regulation game since Brandon Paul scored 43 vs. Ohio State Jan. 10, 2012.
• Cockburn now has eight games of 20+ points and 10+ rebounds this season, ranking second in the country.
• Cockburn recorded his 40th career double-double – the most in the nation over the last three years – and one shy of the Illinois school record.
Non-Kofi Notes from the Last Time Out: #18 Illini 80, Wisconsin 67Â | Box Score
• Illinois' defense held Wisconsin leading scorer Johnny Davis to his second worst shooting performance of the season, as he made just 5-of-19 from the field, 26.3%.
• Illinois shot 51.6%, topping 50 percent in Big Ten play for the first time this season.
• Illinois equaled its season high in assists with 21.
• Jacob Grandison had 14 points, made three 3-pointers for the first time since Dec. 22, and grabbed his most rebounds as an Illini with seven.
• Trent Frazier equaled his career high with seven assists.
• Da'Monte Williams tallied seven points, eight rebounds and five assists
• Illinois remained in first place in the Big Ten with a record of 9-2, while Wisconsin dropped to 8-3. The Illini are one-half game ahead of Michigan State (8-2).
• Illinois beat ranked teams in back-to-back home games in No. 11 Wisconsin and No. 10 Michigan State.
• It was Illinois' third Quad 1 win of the season.
• Illinois has now won 10 of its last 11 Big Ten home games.
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 13 years to average at least 22 points and 11 rebounds, and just the fifth 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
Kofi Cockburn, Illinois, 2021-22 – 22.1 ppg 11.6 rpg
Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)
