CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – No. 16-ranked Illinois never trailed Sunday in a 74-57 win over Colgate at State Farm Center. The game was the opener in a doubleheader with the Illinois women's team, which faced off against Missouri in the McBride Home Braggin' Rights matchup.
Illinois (8-2) led off with a 14-0 run and never looked back. Terrence Shannon Jr. started the scoring with a triple on the Illini's first possession, setting the tone in a 14-point, 5-block performance.
"That start was really important," said Illinois head coach Brad Underwood. "Outside of a couple layups, our defense was really good in the first half."
Illinois' balanced effort featured four double-digit scorers with Coleman Hawkins leading the way with 16 points, followed by Quincy Guerrier (15), Shannon (14), and Marcus Domask (11).
The Illini shot 42% from the field, 35% from three, and 91% from the line, plus had another dominant day on the glass, outrebounding Colgate, 43-25. Illinois, which entered the day fourth in the nation in rebounding, grabbed 13 offensive boards and featured four players with at least seven rebounds in Ty Rogers (8), Dain Dania (8), Guerrier (7), and Hawkins (7).
Colgate (6-5), the reigning Patriot League champions, used a late second-half spurt to get within nine points, but Illinois held off the Raiders. The Illini forced Colgate to just 3-of-15 shooting from behind the arc, the Illini's best three-point defense of the season.
"They know how to win," Underwood said of Colgate. "They don't back down from any challenges."
Illinois got to the 17-point win despite Colgate making three more field goals than the Illini. Illinois made up the difference by hitting eight three-pointers to Colgate's three and knocking down 20-of-22 free throws to Colgate's 2-for-6 day from the line.
The game was Illinois' first at State Farm Center since a win over Western Illinois on Nov. 24, a stretch of 23 straight days away from their home base for the Fighting Illini. Illinois now turns its attention to the McBride Homes Braggin' Rights battle against Missouri on Dec. 22 in St. Louis.
Highlights
Press Conference
Postgame Notes
Player Notes
- Terrence Shannon Jr. posted 14 points and a game-high 5 blocks.
- Shannon Jr. has scored at least 14 points in every game this season, and has reached double-figures scoring in 20 straight contests dating back to Jan. 31, 2023.
- All 14 of Shannon Jr.'s points came in the first half
- Shannon Jr.'s 5 blocks marked a career-high total
- As primary defender on Braedon Smith, Shannon Jr. held Colgate's leading scorer to just 2 points on 1-7 FGs.
- Ty Rodgers tied career highs with 5 assists and 8 rebounds.
- It marked Rodgers' first game of the season as the team's top rebounder (tied with Dain Dainja).
- Marcus Domask scored 15 points for his fourth double-digit scoring game of the season, and the third in his last four games dating back to a 15-point effort Dec. 2 at Rutgers.
- Dain Dainja tied Ty Rodgers with a game-high 8 rebounds, his first game of the season as the team's top rebounder.
- Quincy Guerrier posted 15 points, including 2-2 from 3-point range, and added 7 rebounds
- Guerrier has made a combined 5 three-pointers in his last two games after shooting 3-for-8 from distance at Tennessee.
- Guerrier has reached double-figures scoring five times this season and has recorded at least five rebounds in each of those contests.
- Coleman Hawkins posted his second straight double-digit scoring game with a game-high 16 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 2 steals.
- It marks Hawkins' first game of the season (fourth career) as the Illini's top scorer.
- Hawkins has recorded at least 5 rebounds in five of his seven games played this season.
Team Notes
- Illinois opened the game on a 14-0 run, holding Colgate to 0-6 shooting with four turnovers over the first 3:30 of the contest.
- The Fighting Illini held the Raiders to 20% (3-15) from three-point range, a season-low mark for an Illini opponent.
- Illinois outrebounded Colgate 43-25 and has outrebounded eight of 10 opponents so far this season.
- The Fighting Illini shot a season-best 90.9% from the free-throw line (20-22).
