| Illinois Probable Starters |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
0 |
Terrence Shannon Jr. |
6-6 |
225 |
Sr. |
17.1 |
4.8 |
2.9 |
26 pts (24 in 2nd half) vs Northwestern |
| G |
15 |
RJ Melendez |
6-7 |
205 |
So. |
5.7 |
3.4 |
0.6 |
10 pts, 11 reb vs Minnesota |
| G/F |
24 |
Matthew Mayer |
6-9 |
225 |
Gr. |
12.6 |
5.3 |
1.2 |
16.4 ppg, 6.6 rpg over last 5 games |
| F |
33 |
Coleman Hawkins |
6-10 |
225 |
Jr. |
9.9 |
6.4 |
2.9 |
12.0Â ppg, 50% FG over last 6 games |
| F |
42 |
Dain Dainja |
6-9 |
270 |
r-So. |
9.7 |
5.7 |
0.5 |
65% FG (119-183) |
| Off the Bench |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Sencire Harris |
6-4 |
160 |
Fr. |
3.6 |
2.0 |
0.9 |
6 pts, +10 vs Northwestern |
| 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. |
10.0 |
1.9 |
1.6 |
17 pts, 4 threes vs Minnesota |
| 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 |
0.8 |
0.5 |
7 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast at Indiana |
| G |
11 |
Niccolo Moretti |
6-1 |
160 |
Fr. |
– |
– |
– |
Joined team Jan. 26; will redshirt |
| C |
12 |
Brandon Lieb |
7-0 |
220 |
Jr. |
1.1 |
1.2 |
0.1 |
3 reb in 7 min at Indiana |
| G/F |
20 |
Ty Rodgers |
6-6 |
200 |
Fr. |
2.9 |
4.0 |
1.0 |
6 pts, career-high 8 reb vs Northwestern |
| G |
22 |
Paxton Warden |
6-4 |
180 |
Fr. |
0.2 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
First career FG at Minnesota |
| G |
55 |
Skyy Clark |
6-3 |
200 |
Fr. |
7.0 |
3.7 |
2.1 |
Announced leave from team Jan. 6 |
Career Record: 222-103Â (.683), 10th year
At Illinois: 113-76 (.598), 6th year
Big Ten: 65-51Â (.560)
Series Notes vs. Michigan
All-Time Record: Illinois leads 92-85
Streak: Illinois W-5
Last Meeting: #15 Illinois 93, Michigan 85 (Feb. 27, 2022 at Ann Arbor)
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 58-28
Streak at Champaign: Illinois W-2
Last Meeting at Champaign: #25 Illinois 68, Michigan 53 (Jan. 14, 2022)
Underwood vs. Michigan at Illinois / All-Time:Â 5-2 / 5-3
Opening Tips
• Illinois plays its final home game of the season on Thursday night, hosting Michigan (6 p.m. CT, ESPN).
• It will be Senior Night in Champaign, with Illinois honoring Matthew Mayer and Terrence Shannon Jr. in a pre-game ceremony at State Farm Center.
• Illinois is 14-2 at home this year and carries a five-game winning streak at State Farm Center. A win on Thursday would give Illinois its best home winning percentage since the 2005-06 season (15-1, .938).
• Illinois is seeking its 20th victory, which would mark four straight 20-win seasons under Coach Brad Underwood, and the 36th 20-win season in school history. Illinois has not had four consecutive 20-win campaigns since doing so for eight straight seasons from 1999-2000 through 2006-07.
• Illinois has won five in a row over Michigan, its longest streak against the Wolverines since winning 11 straight from Feb. 9, 2000 through Jan. 14, 2006.
• Coleman Hawkins is the only current Illini who has scored against Michigan (10 points in three career games).
• Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks third in the NCAA in blocked shots, averaging 5.7 bpg.Â
• Illinois broke the school's single-season blocks record Sunday at Ohio State, on a Coleman Hawkins block with 7:45 left in the first half. This year's team now has 166 blocks, eclipsing the previous UI mark of 162 set in 1978-79.
• Illinois is the Big Ten's winningest team in league play over the last four years, with 54 total wins and 23 road wins.
• With a win this week, Illinois would join Iowa as the only teams above .500 in B1G play each of the last four seasons.
Senior Night
Illinois Basketball will recognize five members of its program at State Farm Center on Thursday night – three managers and two players – in a pre-game ceremony 20 minutes before tip-off (beginning at 5:39 p.m.).
• Matthew Mayer (Austin, Texas) has made an immediate impact as a graduate transfer for the Fighting Illini. He ranks second on the team in scoring and third in rebounding, averaging 12.6 points and 5.3 rebounds. He has scored in double figures in 18 of the last 21 games, with six 20-point performances, led by a career-high 26 in the win at Wisconsin. Mayer leads the team and ranks sixth in the Big Ten with 62 three-pointers. He also leads the Illini with 39 blocks, helping this year's team break the school record for blocked shots in a season. Mayer is working toward a strategic brand communication graduate certificate.
• Terrence Shannon Jr. (Chicago) has been one of the nation's top transfers after joining the Fighting Illini. He leads the team in scoring, ranking seventh in the Big Ten at 17.1 points per game. He also ranks second in the league in free throws made and leads the Illini with 36 steals. Shannon has scored in double figures 23 times, with nine 20-point games. He scored a career-high 30 points vs. Monmouth and had one of the NCAA's signature performances this season, racking up 29 points and tying the school record with eight 3-pointers to lead Illinois to a comeback win over No. 8 UCLA. Shannon is majoring in sociology.
• Jack Born (Champaign) is a two-year manager, majoring in marketing.
• JC Keller (Neoga) is a four-year manager and head manager this season, majoring in recreation, sport and tourism.
• Caleb Miller (Canton) is a four-year manager, majoring in accountancy.
