| Illinois Probable Starters (Based on Previous Game) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G/F |
20 |
Ty Rodgers |
6-6 |
210 |
So. |
7.1 |
4.3 |
2.0 |
2.6 assists per game over last 5 contests |
| G |
0 |
Terrence Shannon Jr. |
6-6 |
225 |
5th |
20.0 |
4.4 |
2.9 |
Double-double (23 p, 10 r) at Rutgers |
| G/F |
3 |
Marcus Domask |
6-6 |
215 |
Gr. |
9.1 |
5.1 |
1.7 |
15 points, 7 rebounds vs. Rutgers |
| G/F |
13 |
Quincy Guerrier |
6-8 |
230 |
Gr. |
6.6 |
7.6 |
0.4 |
Averaging 9.0 ppg & 9.0 rpg over last 3 |
| F |
33 |
Coleman Hawkins |
6-10 |
230 |
Sr. |
5.0 |
6.8 |
2.8 |
26 min, 6 pts, 8 reb in return at Rutgers |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
2 |
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn |
6-1 |
185 |
Fr. |
5.7 |
2.2 |
1.0 |
9 pts, 4 rebs in just 13 mins. vs. WIU |
| G |
4 |
Justin Harmon |
6-4 |
200 |
Gr. |
4.1 |
3.6 |
0.9 |
7 pts, 4 reb in 19 minutes at Rutgers |
| G |
5 |
AJ Redd |
6-3 |
170 |
So. |
0.3 |
0.3 |
0.0 |
Scored first-career point vs. EIU |
| G/F |
10 |
Luke Goode |
6-7 |
205 |
Jr. |
8.9 |
4.9 |
0.6 |
Career-high 3 assists at Rutgers |
| G |
11 |
Niccolo Moretti |
6-1 |
170 |
r-Fr. |
4.0 |
2.3 |
2.7 |
Career-high 6 points vs Valpo |
| G |
25 |
Max Williams |
6-2 |
200 |
Sr. |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
Transfer from DePaul |
| F |
35 |
Amani Hansberry |
6-8 |
240 |
Fr. |
3.2 |
4.0 |
0.8 |
8 pts, 7 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl vs. Southern |
| F/C |
42 |
Dain Dainja |
6-9 |
255 |
r-Jr. |
9.4 |
5.1 |
0.3 |
66% (31-47) from the field on the season |
| Redshirt |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Sencire Harris |
6-4 |
170 |
So. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Plans to redshirt 2023-24 season |
| G |
22 |
Keaton Kutcher |
6-2 |
200 |
Jr. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
Plans to redshirt 2023-24 season |
Career Record: 229-107 (.682), 11th year
At Illinois: 120-80 (.600), 7th year
Big Ten: 67-52 (.563)
Series History
All-Time Record: Florida Atlantic leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: Florida Atlantic 73, Illinois 71, OT (12/29/2018 in Champaign)
Record at Neutral Sites: First Meeting
Underwood vs. Florida Atlantic: 0-1
Opening Tips
- No. 20 Illinois, fresh off its Big Ten-opening win Saturday at Rutgers, heads from Piscataway, N.J., to New York City to take on No. 11 Florida Atlantic in the Jimmy V Classic Tuesday at Madison Square Garden (5:30 p.m. CT, ESPN).
- The Illini's appearance in the 2023 Jimmy V Classic is the fifth in program history, and third in four seasons under coach Brad Underwood. The Illini previously competed in the event in 2003, 2014, 2020 (Indianapolis) and 2022.
- The contest vs. FAU is Illinois' second of a three-game swing away from Champaign that ends with matchups vs. two top-20 ranked opponents.
- Following Tuesday's game vs. the 11th-ranked Owls, the Illini return to Champaign before heading to Knoxville, Tenn. for an early tilt on Saturday (11 a.m. CT, CBS) against No. 17 Tennessee.
- Since the start of 2019-20, Illinois is 15-14 in 29 games in which both teams are ranked in the AP Top 25.
- The Illini's lone loss this season came in a ranked-vs.-ranked matchup with then-No. 4 Marquette (71-64) on Nov. 14.
- Illinois' last win as a ranked team vs. a ranked team came in the 2022 Jimmy V Classic when the No. 17 Illini defeated No. 2 Texas, 85-78 (OT).
- Illinois is the winningest team in the Big Ten since the start of 2019-20. Following Saturday's win at Rutgers, the Illini are 56-25 in league play over the last four-plus seasons. The Illini finished fifth in 2023, 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.
- Defensively, Illinois leads the nation in field goal percentage defense (.339) and ranks seventh in the NCAA in scoring defense (58.6 ppg).
- Illinois also leads the nation in two defensive categories via KenPom: effective field goal percentage defense (.378) and 2-point defense (.363).
- KenPom rates the Illini defense at No. 8 overall in adjusted efficiency (91.6).
- Illinois has pulled down 50+ rebounds in each of its last four victories, the longest streak for the program dating back to at least the 1979-80 season.
- The Illini lead the NCAA in rebounds per game (49.29) and defensive rebounds per game (35.57), and rank fourth in rebound margin (+14.6).
- The Illini have outrebounded their opponents in each of their first seven games this season.
- Terrence Shannon Jr. leads the Illini and ranks sixth in the Big Ten averaging 20.0 points per game while hitting 51.1% from the field, the No. 7 mark in the Big Ten.
- Shannon Jr. and Luke Goode rank 1-2 in the Big Ten in 3-point percentage and 3-pointers/game. Shannon Jr. averages 3.1 per game at a 45.8% clip (22-48), while Goode averages 2.7 triples while shooting 45.2% (19-42) from distance.
- Quincy Guerrier leads one of the nation's most tenacious rebounding teams, ranking 11th in the Big Ten at 7.6 rebounds per game, overall, and sixth in the league in defensive rebounding (6.1 per game). Guerrier also leads the Illini in blocks per game (1.0), standing 14th in the Big Ten.
- After missing the three previous games due to a knee injury, Coleman Hawkins returned to the starting lineup at Rutgers and posted 6 points and 8 rebounds in 26 minutes of action.
- Head Coach Brad Underwood had Illinois ranked by the AP in four straight preseason polls for the first time since the preseason poll began in 1961-62.
- Illinois' 15-man roster features an experienced blend of returning talent and impact transfers, combined with a top-25 freshman class. Eight players, including three starters, are back from the 2022-23 team, with five new players joining the Illini as Division I transfers, and two incoming freshmen.
- Entering the season, Illinois' eight returning players had combined to play 347 games at the NCAA Division I level with 159 combined starts by the group. Likewise, the team's five transfer players opened the year with 304 career games with 198 starts under their belts.
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 second consecutive season, third time in the last four years, and the fifth time overall.
- Last season, the Illini earned a signature win in the event with an 85-78 (OT) victory over No. 2 Texas.
- The Illini also made 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).
- The team also competed 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 (CvC), and is taking over for Lon Kruger as the new Chair of the CvC Coaches Council.
- 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 11, Underwood welcomed four of his Big Ten colleagues and rivals – Michigan State's Tom Izzo, Purdue's Matt Painter, Iowa's Fran McCaffery, and Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg – as celebrity guests for the 2023 edition of Kickin' Cancer.
- The dinner was a sold-out event with more than 1,500 guests. It was the most attended social/gala for the entire Coaches vs. Cancer program in 2023, with the evening raising approximately $400,000.
- Underwood was the 2023 recipient of the Coaches vs. Cancer Champion Award for his commitment to the fight against cancer and was recognized by his peers at the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) reception in Houston.
- Underwood was also recognized as the Community Impact Honoree at the American Cancer Society's 2023 Discovery Ball Chicago.
'Now or Never': Shannon, Hawkins Gear up for Last Dance at Illinois
Now or never. Now or never. Now or never.
Those three words would not leave Coleman Hawkins' mind. Locked in on pursuing his dreams and taking his game to the next level, Hawkins submitted his name into the 2023 NBA Draft with the intention of hearing his name called on draft night and becoming a professional basketball player...continue reading
Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)
