ILLINOIS (13-6, 4-4)  vs.  Ohio State (11-8, 3-5)
Date | Time	Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023 | 6 p.m. CT
Location	Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center
Tickets	FightingIllini.com | Stub Hub
Television	ESPN (Brian Custer, Robbie Hummel & Myron Medcalf)
Live Stream	espn.com/watch | ESPN App
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 387, SXM App 977
Live Stats	Statbroadcast
Printable Notes	Illinois | Ohio State
Pregame Press Conference	Coach Underwood (Jan. 23)
Stats	Illinois | Ohio State
Record Book	Illinois
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniMBB | #Illini | @IlliniMBB | Facebook | YouTube

Head Coach Brad Underwood

Career Record: 216-99 (.686), 10th year
At Illinois: 107-72 (.598), 6th year
Big Ten: 59-47 (.557)

Series Notes vs. Ohio State

All-Time Record: Illinois leads 108-81
Streak: Ohio State W-1
Last Meeting: #22 Ohio State 86, #15 Illinois 83 (Feb. 24, 2022 at Champaign)
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 62-29
Streak at Champaign: Ohio State W-2
Underwood vs. Ohio State: 3-5

Opening Tips

• After an idle weekend, Illinois returns to action Tuesday night, hosting Ohio State at sold out State Farm Center (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).

• It is Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers Week and Carle Health Krush Cancer night at State Farm Center.

• Illinois has scored at least 75 points in each of its four Big Ten wins, averaging 77.0 points while holding opponents to 61.3 points in those four games.

• Illinois has not topped 66 points in any of its four Big Ten losses, averaging 62.5 points while allowing opponents to score 74.5 points in those four games.

• Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the country in blocked shots, averaging 6.1 bpg. The current Illini single-season blocks record is 5.4 bpg, set in 1979.

• Illinois is one of five teams in the country with two kenpom top-10 wins. Illinois defeated No. 4 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 for third-most nationally.

• Terrence Shannon Jr. is the only power conference player – and one of just seven players nationally – averaging at least 18 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal on the season.

• Shannon is averaging 20.6 points over the last five games (103), topping 20 points three times. He ranks fourth in the Big Ten with seven 20-point games this season.

Coaches vs. Cancer 

A member of the Coaches vs. Cancer (CvC) Coaches Council, Illini head coach Brad Underwood will be wearing custom painted CvC Nike Air Force 1s on the State Farm Center sidelines Tuesday night. Underwood is joining coaches from across the country who are participating in the annual Suits & Sneakers Week (Jan. 23-29).

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. Since the CvC program began in 1993, college and high school coaches have raised more than $140 million in the fight against cancer.

Highlighting his service to Coaches vs. Cancer, Underwood hosts an annual country/western themed fundraiser called "Kickin' Cancer" at Gordyville USA, a horse show arena in Gifford, Illinois, about 30 minutes outside of Champaign. Last spring, Underwood welcomed back former Fighting Illini head coaches Bill Self (one week after winning the NCAA title) and Lon Kruger 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.

This year's Kickin' Cancer dinner and auction at Gordyville USA is set for Tuesday, April 11. Tickets are on sale now at coachesvscancerillinois.com.

Krush Cancer

The Fighting Illini are also fighting cancer by supporting and promoting awareness of the Cancer Center at Illinois (CCIL), a research unit and community of experts in cancer biology and technology that seeks to address gaps in cancer research and healthcare, including diversity and equity issues. Orange Krush students will proudly sport Krush Cancer t-shirts and wave towels created by the CCIL at Tuesday's game. Fore more information on the Cancer Center at Illinois' research and how to support their efforts, visit cancer.illinois.edu.

Illini Items

• Terrence Shannon Jr. ranks fifth in the Big Ten in scoring (18.1 ppg), first in free throws made (98) and second in attempts (128).

• Shannon scored 26 last time out vs. Indiana, his most points in the last 15 games, since netting 29 vs. UCLA Nov. 18.

• Matthew Mayer has scored in double figures in nine of the last 11 games, averaging 14.0 points (154).

• Mayer's scoring spree included five straight games in double digits from Jan. 4-16, the longest streak of his career. 

• Mayer is averaging 2.4 blocks over the last seven games (17), highlighted by a career-high six rejections in  the Jan. 13 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 19th nationally in 2-point field goal percentage at 70.3% (83-118).

• Dainja has made at least 60% from the field in 15 of 19 games.

• Dainja ranks 59th nationally in block rate (7.5) on the season. He has blocked at least three shots in four of the last seven games, averaging 2.4 blocks during that stretch (17).

• Freshman Jayden Epps has scored in double figures in six of the last eight games, averaging 9.9 points (79).

• Epps has nine assists with just two turnovers in 104 minutes over the last four games.

• Illinois is a balanced offensive team, with seven players averaging at least 6.6 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 19 opponents and is No. 38 in the NCAA with a 5.4 average rebound margin.

• Illinois reserves are combining to score 22.9 points per game, ranking second in the Big Ten. The Illini bench has outscored its opponent in 15 of 19 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. 

• Illinois' revamped roster ranks No. 299 in experience  and No. 344 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 48-20 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. Purdue – 44
3. Wisconsin – 43
4. Iowa – 41
5. Michigan – 40

Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)