| Illinois Probable Starters |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Sencire Harris |
6-4 |
160 |
Fr. |
3.9 |
2.2 |
0.9 |
7 pts & 8 reb at Minnesota |
| G |
0 |
Terrence Shannon Jr. |
6-6 |
225 |
Sr. |
17.6 |
5.7 |
3.2 |
19.3Â ppg, 7.0Â rpg last 4Â games |
| G/F |
24 |
Matthew Mayer |
6-9 |
225 |
Gr. |
11.1 |
4.8 |
1.2 |
19.0Â ppg, 6.5 rpg, 4.0 bpg last 2 games |
| F |
33 |
Coleman Hawkins |
6-10 |
225 |
Jr. |
9.7 |
6.1 |
3.3 |
51.6% FG last 4 games |
| F |
42 |
Dain Dainja |
6-9 |
270 |
r-So. |
10.4 |
5.8 |
0.6 |
15.5 ppg, 72.2% FG last 2 games |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| F |
2 |
Connor Serven |
6-9 |
235 |
Jr. |
0.2 |
0.8 |
0.0 |
Academic All-Big Ten |
| G |
3 |
Jayden Epps |
6-2 |
190 |
Fr. |
9.7 |
2.1 |
1.7 |
4.5 ast/to ratio last 3 games (9:2) |
| G |
5 |
AJ Redd |
6-3 |
160 |
Fr. |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Former manager now on roster |
| G |
10 |
Luke Goode |
6-7 |
200 |
So. |
2.0 |
1.8 |
0.5 |
2021-22 stats; sidelined (foot injury) |
| C |
12 |
Brandon Lieb |
7-0 |
220 |
Jr. |
1.3 |
1.4 |
0.2 |
4 pts in 12 min at Minnesota |
| G |
15 |
RJ Melendez |
6-7 |
205 |
So. |
6.4 |
3.2 |
0.8 |
84% FT (21-25) |
| G/F |
20 |
Ty Rodgers |
6-6 |
200 |
Fr. |
2.2 |
3.2 |
0.9 |
Career-high 8 pts & 8 reb at Minnesota |
| G |
22 |
Paxton Warden |
6-4 |
180 |
Fr. |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
First career FG at Minnesota |
| F |
25 |
Zacharie Perrin |
6-10 |
220 |
Fr. |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Joined Illini on Dec. 21 |
| G |
55 |
Skyy Clark |
6-3 |
200 |
Fr. |
7.0 |
3.7 |
2.1 |
Announced leave from team Jan. 6 |
Career Record: 216-98Â (.688), 10th year
At Illinois: 107-71 (.601), 6th year
Big Ten: 59-46Â (.562)
Series Notes vs. Indiana
All-Time Record: Indiana leads 94-91
Streak: Indiana W-1
Last Meeting: Indiana 65, #16 Illinois 63 (March 11, 2022 at Indianapolis)
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 54-34
Streak at Champaign: Illinois W-2
Last Meeting at Champaign: #18 Illinois 69, Indiana 60 (Dec. 26, 2020)
Underwood vs. Indiana:Â 5-4
Opening Tips
• Illinois plays five of its next seven games at home, beginning Thursday night vs. Indiana at sold out State Farm Center (7:30 p.m. CT, FS1).
• Illinois is tied for the Big Ten's longest active winning streak at four straight. It is Illinois' longest winning streak this season, alongside a 4-0 start to open the year.
• This is Illinois' final game in a stretch of six games in 16 days from Jan. 4-19, with two-day preps for all six.
• During its four-game winning streak, Illinois is averaging 77.0 points and shooting 35.4% from 3-point range, while holding opponents to 61.3 points and 23.8% from three.Â
• This is a dramatic improvement from the 0-3 start to Big Ten play, when the Illini averaged 61.7 points on 28.2% behind the arc, while opponents averaged 72.7 points and made 43.1% from three.
• Victorious in its last two games vs. Indiana at State Farm Center, Illinois is aiming for its longest home winning streak over the Hoosiers since claiming five in a row in Champaign from Jan. 10, 2009 through Dec. 31, 2013.
• Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks second in the country behind Utah Valley in blocked shots, averaging 6.3 bpg.Â
• Illinois, Baylor and Kansas State are the only teams in the country with two kenpom top-10 wins. Illinois defeated No. 3 UCLA on Nov. 18 in Las Vegas and No. 10 Texas on Dec. 6 at Madison Square Garden.
• Illinois has three AP top-15 wins (No. 2 Texas, No. 8 UCLA and No. 14 Wisconsin), tied with Arizona, Iowa State and Kansas for second-most nationally behind Alabama's four.
• Terrence Shannon Jr. is one of two power conference players (Jalen Pickett, Penn State) – and one of just 12 players nationally – averaging at least 17 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal on the season.
• Shannon ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring (17.6 ppg), first in free throws made (92) and second in attempts (118).
• Shannon ranks fourth in the Big Ten with six 20-point games.
• Shannon is averaging 19.3 points (77) and 7.0 rebounds (28) over the last four games, all Illini wins.
• Matthew Mayer has scored in double figures in five straight games – the longest streak of his career – and nine of the last 10, averaging 15.4 points (154).
• Mayer is averaging 2.8 blocks over the last six games (17), highlighted by a career-high six rejections in last Friday's win over Michigan State.
• Dain Dainja is one of two players nationally (Rashaun Agee, Bowling Green) averaging at least 10 points, five rebounds and one block in less than 20 minutes per game.
• Dainja ranks 16th nationally in 2-point field goal percentage at 71.8% (79-110).
• Dainja has made at least 60% from the field in 15 of 18 games.
• Dainja ranks 55th nationally in block rate (8.0) on the season. He has blocked at least three shots in four of the last six games, averaging 2.7 blocks during that stretch (16).
• Dainja has made 7-of-9 free throws over the last three games after shooting 47% at the line through the first 15 games (24-51).
• Freshman Jayden Epps has scored in double figures in six of the last seven games, averaging 10.9 points (76).
• Epps has nine assists with just two turnovers in 82 minutes over the last three games.
• Illinois is a balanced offensive team, with seven players averaging at least 6.4 points.
• Illinois has had five players record a 20-point game this season, and eight players reach double figures scoring.
• Five different players have been Illinois' leading scorer in a game, while seven different players have been the UI's top rebounder.
• Illinois has outrebounded 15 of 18 opponents and is No. 26 in the NCAA with a 6.3 average rebound margin.
• Illinois reserves are combining to score 23.4 points per game, ranking second in the Big Ten. The Illini bench has outscored its opponent in 14 of 18 games, and by an average of 8.1 points.
• Illinois is making 8.6 three-pointers per game, ranking second in the Big Ten. Last season the Illini set a school single-season record, averaging 8.9 made threes.
• Illinois has six newcomers among its current 8-man playing rotation. The Illinois rotation features five underclassmen: three true freshmen and two sophomores.
• Illinois is a dramatically different team this season, welcoming three power-five transfers and five freshmen in a top-10 ranked recruiting class to account for eight scholarship newcomers.Â
• Illinois' revamped roster ranks No. 299 in experience and No. 345 in minutes continuity according to kenpom, ahead of only three power conference teams.
• 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 four seasons, registering a 48-19 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.
1. Illinois – 48
2. Wisconsin – 43
3. Purdue – 42
4. Iowa – 41
5. Michigan – 39
Downey's Scoring Record RecognizedÂ
Former Illini star Dave Downey set the Illinois single-game scoring record by pouring in 53 points at Indiana on Feb. 16, 1963. Sixty years later, that school record remains.
Downey will be recognized on the State Farm Center court before Thursday's game vs. Indiana to honor the 60th anniversary of this historic Illini Basketball performance.
Last Time Out: Illini 78, at Minnesota 60  Box Score
• Illinois has now won four straight Big Ten games to move above .500 after starting league play 0-3.
• Illinois has its second four-game winning streak this season.
• The Illini have now recorded a four-game winning streak in conference play in five-straight seasons.
• Illinois has now won five straight over Minnesota, its longest streak against the Gophers since a school-record 20 consecutive wins from March 4, 1999, through March 15, 2008.
• Illinois has also now won three straight at Williams Arena, its longest winning streak in Minneapolis since taking eight straight from Feb. 17, 2000, through Feb. 12, 2008.
• Ten different Illini scored in the contest, including four in double figures.
• Illinois scored 54 points in the paint, its highest mark since tallying 58 at Penn State on Dec. 23, 2020.
• The Illini outrebounded the Gophers 50-29, with a 36-21 advantage on the defensive end.Â
• The +21 rebounding margin is Illinois' highest mark against a power conference team this season.
• Illinois grabbed 14 offensive rebounds and scored 14 second-chance points.
• The Illini held the Gophers to 8-29 shooting (27.6%) in the second half, outscoring the hosts 43-28.
• The Illinois bench outscored its Minnesota counterparts 27-13.
• Matthew Mayer scored 19 points for the second straight game. He also secured 10 rebounds and added two blocks in recording his first career double-double.
• Mayer has double-digit scoring efforts in five-straight games, the longest streak of his career. Has scored at least 17 points in three of his last five games.
• Dain Dainja had 11 points, going 5-for-6 from the floor, scoring in double figures in back-to-back games.
• Freshman Sencire Harris scored seven points and grabbed a career-high eight rebounds.
• Freshman Ty Rodgers scored a career-high eight points and tied his career high with eight rebounds.
• Brandon Lieb matched his career high with four points scored. Lieb also tallied two rebounds in nine first-half minutes and played a total of 12:19, setting his career high in minutes.
