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Illinois, winners of five straight home games and six of its last eight games overall, welcomes Minnesota to sold-out State Farm Center on Wednesday night (8 p.m. CT, BTN).
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Illinois is No. 13 in the latest AP poll, the team's 14th consecutive week inside the Top 25.
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The Illini are in second place in the Big Ten at 11-5 with four games remaining in the regular season.
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Illinois is coming off a 95-85 home win over Iowa on Saturday that marked the program's 1,000th Big Ten victory, pushed the Illini to 20 wins for the fifth year in a row and 37th time in program history, and secured the Orange and Blue's fifth consecutive season with a winning record in Big Ten conference play.
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Head coach
Brad Underwood is just the second coach in Fighting Illini history with five straight 20-win seasons, joining the legendary Lou Henson, who accomplished the feat nine years in a row from 1983 to 1991.
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Illinois has scored at least 80 points in seven straight games, the longest streak since the Flyin' Illini (12) in 1989.
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Illinois is currently 7-1 at home in Big Ten play, its best record since going 7-1 in B1G home games in 2006.
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Terrence Shannon Jr. ranks second in the Big Ten in scoring at 21.6 points per game, the highest scoring average by an Illini in 51 years, since Nick Weatherspoon's 25.0 ppg in 1973.
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Coleman Hawkins scored a career-high 30 points in the win over Iowa, joining
Marcus Domask (twice) and
Terrence Shannon Jr. (four times) as the third Illini player to score 30+ in a game this season, the program's most 30-point scorers in a single campaign in at least the last 50 years.
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Hawkins is the first B1G player to post a 30-point, 5-assist, 5-steal game since MSU's Matteen Cleaves in 1998.
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Illinois is the Big Ten's winningest team in conference play since the start of 2019-20. The Illini are 66-30 (.688) in league games over the last five seasons heading into Wednesday's game vs. Minnesota.
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Following Illinois' win at Maryland on Feb. 17, the Illini have a Big Ten-leading 27 road wins (27-21, .563) in conference play since the start of 2019-20, which includes a 4-4 road mark this season.
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Overall, Illinois is 6-5 away from State Farm Center in 2023-24, joining Purdue as the only Big Ten teams with winning records in combined road and neutral games this season.
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Illinois has been projected as a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament based on the Men's Basketball Committee's release of its top 16 teams on Feb. 17.
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Through games played Feb. 25, Illinois ranks 17th in NET. The Illini have a combined 9-7 record in Quad 1 (4-5) and Quad 2 (5-2) games, and a perfect 11-0 mark in Quad 3 (6-0) and Quad 4 (5-0) contests.
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Wednesday's contest vs. Minnesota is a Quad 3 matchup, with the Gophers sitting just outside the NET top 75 at 77. The Illini close the regular season with three straight Quad 1 matchups at Wisconsin (22), vs. No. 2 Purdue (2), and at Iowa (60).
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Illinois is fourth in the country in offensive efficiency (123.9), its highest ranking of the Kenpom era, ahead of the 2005 season when the Illini's NCAA runner-up team had the nation's No. 3 offense (122.3).
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Illinois' scoring average of 83.8 points is the team's highest since 1993-94 (84.0 ppg) and ranks 13th in the NCAA.
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Illinois has topped 85 points in nine of its last 11 games. The Illini are 13-2 this season when scoring at least 85 points.
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Illinois ranks second in the Big Ten and 19th nationally with a scoring margin of +11.8 ppg.
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During the Illini's seven-game home win streak from Nov. 17 through Jan. 11, the Orange and Blue outscored opponents by an average of 23.7 points per contest.
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Illinois has 21 wins over Top 25 teams since 2019-20, sixth-most nationally. Three of the team's seven losses this season have come against top-10 foes, and all seven have been by single-digit margins.
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Illinois is among the top 30 nationally in two defensive categories via KenPom, ranking 29th in 2-point field goal percentage defense (.458), and 30th in effective field goal percentage defense (.466).
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KenPom rates the Illini among the nation's top programs nationally in adjusted efficiency on both offense (4th, 123.9) and defense (62nd, 100.5). Among the top-10 rated offensive programs nationally, Illinois is one of seven - along with Arizona, Baylor, UConn, Duke, Gonzaga, and Purdue - to also rank inside the top 65 defensively.
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Illinois is 13-0 when holding the opposition to less than one point per possession.
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The Illini lead the Big Ten and rank in the top 30 in the NCAA in total rebounds per game (42.3; fourth in NCAA), defensive rebounds per game (29.2, seventh in NCAA), and offensive rebounds per game (13.1; 24th in the NCAA). The Illini also rank second in the Big Ten in rebounding margin (+9.2; sixth in NCAA).
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The Illini's 42.3 rebounds per game is the team's best single-season mark since 1972-73 (44.4 rpg).
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The Illini have outrebounded their opponents in 20 of 27 games and are 17-3 when winning the battle on the glass.
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Illinois is 12-2 this season when it records an offensive rebound rate of at least 35%.
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Illinois enters play this weekend leading the Big Ten in second-chance scoring, converting their offensive rebounds into 15.0 ppg, 1.1 points per game higher than the next closest Big Ten program (Purdue, 13.9).
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Illinois has pulled down 50+ rebounds in nine games this season, its most since 1979-80. Included in that was a stretch four straight – vs. Valpo, Southern, Western Illinois, and at Rutgers – that was Illinois' longest streak of consecutive games with 50+ rebounds since the 1963-64 season.
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Illinois averaged 99.0 ppg (297) over a three-game stretch from Dec. 22-Jan. 2 in wins vs. Missouri (97-73), vs. FDU (104-71), and vs. Northwestern (96-66). It marked the first time Illinois had topped 90 points in three consecutive games in 30 seasons, since December 10-18, 1993.
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Domask eclipsed 2,000 points for his Division I career on Feb. 17 vs. Maryland. He scored 1,615 points at Southern Illinois and has tallied 412 as an Illini. Domask is one of 24 active Division I players to reach 2,000 points and is one of four in the Big Ten, joining Boo Buie, Zach Edey, and Jahmir Young.
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Domask enters Wednesday's game eight rebounds shy of 700 career boards, and just two steals away from 100.
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Domask is one of 11 active NCAA Division I players to have recorded 2,000+ points and 600+ rebounds. He also ranks as one of 12 active DI players to be credited with 2,000+ points and 400+ assists.
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Domask has scored in double figures in 19 of the last 21 games, with two 30+ point performances – a career-high 33 vs. Florida Atlantic at Madison Square Garden and 32 vs. Northwestern.
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Domask is averaging 17.2 ppg over the last 21 games (354). He is 14th in the Big Ten at 15.3 points per game overall this season after averaging just 8.2 points over his first six games. In conference games only, Domask ranks fifth in the Big Ten at 18.0 points per game.
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Domask, at 15.3 ppg, and teammate
Terrence Shannon Jr., at 21.6 ppg, rank as the top scoring tandem in the Big Ten with a combined 36.9 ppg. The duo ranks just ahead of Purdue's Zach Edey (23.7 ppg) and Lance Jones (13.0 ppg) who average a combined 36.7 ppg. Domask and Jones were teammates for four seasons at Southern Illinois from 2019-20 through 2022-23.
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Domask is one of the Big Ten's most efficient scorers, ranking 12th in the league with a .450 (145-322) field goal percentage.
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Domask ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten in free throw shooting at 87.2% (95-109), just behind the Illinois program's single-season record of .874 (76-87) set by Alfonso Plummer in 2022.
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Domask is averaging 4.5 assists over the last 17 games (77), compared to 1.6 apg the first 10 games (16), and ranks 12th in the Big Ten at 3.4 assists per game, and 13th with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.56.
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Domask was named Big Ten Player of the Week by the Big Ten (Jan. 8) and Associated Press (Jan. 9), and was also honored as one of five USBWA Oscar Robertson National Players of the Week (Jan. 9), after averaging 29.0 points, 5.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 59.4% from the field, 66.7% from 3-point range, and 90% from the free-throw line in matchups vs. Northwestern and at No. 1 Purdue.
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Hawkins has scored in double figures in 16 of the last 19 games and is averaging 14.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.1 blocks and 2.1 steals.
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Hawkins scored a career-high 30 points, while also leading the team with five assists and five steals, in Saturday's 95-85 home victory over Iowa.
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In Illinois' 88-73 road win at Michigan (1/18), Hawkins became first Big Ten player since 2007 (Purdue's Carl Landry) to record a stat line of at least 21 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, six steals and one block.
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Hawkins followed up his six-steal performance at Michigan (1/18) with five more swipes vs. Rutgers (1/21), becoming the first Illini player since Trent Frazier in 2018-19 to record two games with 5+ steals in a single season. His combined 11 steals are the most by an Illini over a two-game stretch in 38 years, since Bruce Douglas combined for 12 steals with seven at Michigan (1/18/86) and five at Michigan State (1/12/86).
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In back-to-back road games at Michigan (1/18) and at Northwestern (1/24), Hawkins recorded two double-doubles of 21 points and 10 rebounds vs. the Wolverines and 22 points and 13 boards vs. the Wildcats, while shooting 54% (14-26) overall, 50% (5-10) from 3-point range, and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line, while adding eight steals, five assists, three blocks.
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Hawkins recorded at least one steal in 14 straight games from Dec. 2 at Rutgers to Jan. 27 vs. Indiana, a career-long streak, before finishing without a swipe at Ohio State (1/30) for the first time since the season's first three games. He ranks fifth in the Big Ten at 1.79 steals per game overall. In Big Ten Play, Hawkins ranks third in the league at 2.0 swipes per contest.
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Hawkins also posted a career-long streak of eight consecutive games with a block between Dec. 17 vs. Colgate and Jan. 18 at Michigan. He ranks 13th in the Big Ten at 1.08 blocks per game overall.
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Hawkins is the only player in the Big Ten to rank in the top 15 in the conference in both blocks per game (1.79 bpg, 13th) and steals per game (1.79 spg, fifth).
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Over the last 19 games, Hawkins, one of the most versatile front court players in the nation, has led the Fighting Illini in 3-pointers made (44) and attempted (102) for a team-leading 43.1% from long distance. Hawkins opened the season 2-for-14 (.143) from distance in his first five contests.
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Hawkins ranks first in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting among players listed 6-foot-10 or taller with 46 triples, more than the next two players - Minnesota F Dawson Garcia (22) and Wisconsin C Steven Crowl (17) - combined.
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Hawkins is averaging 6.6 rebounds per game over his last 12 contests, and has climbed to No. 19 in the Big Ten with an overall rebounding average of 6.0 rebounds per game. .
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Shannon has been named to watch lists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy and USBWA All-America Team.
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Shannon has reached double-figures scoring in each of his last 31 games as an Illini, doing so in all 21 of his appearances this season, plus the final 10 contests of the 2022-23 campaign.
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Shannon is closing in on a pair of scoring milestones, entering Wednesday's contest vs. Minnesota 13 points away from 1,000 in his two seasons as an Illini, and 98 points away from 2,000 for his Division I career.
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Shannon, 13 points away from 1,000 for his Illini career, would become Illinois' 53rd 1,000-point scorer, and only the fourth to reach that plateau in two seasons, joining Dave Scholz (1966-69), who scored exactly 1,000 points in his first two season before finishing with 1,459 in his three-year career, Nick Anderson (1987-89), who sat out as a freshman before tallying 1,172 in his only two seasons on the court for the Orange and Blue, and Kenny Battle (1987-89), who scored 1,112 points as an Illini upperclassman following two years at Northern Illinois.
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Shannon scored a career-high 35, and tied his season high with 11 boards for his third double-double of the year and the fifth of his Illini career at Penn State (2/21). His 35 points are the most by an Illini since Kofi Cockburn's 37 vs. Wisconsin (2/2/22), and the most in a road game by an Illini since Ayo Dosunmu's 36 at Missouri (12/12/2020).
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Shannon has four 30-point games this season, tying for third-most in a single season in school history and the most since Ayo Dosunmu in 2020-21. Shannon's five career 30-point games are tied for sixth on the Illini's career charts.
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Shannon's scoring average of 21.6 points per game ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten and No. 8 nationally.
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At 21.6 points per game, Shannon is on pace for Illinois' 20th single-season scoring average of 20+ points since 1907.
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Shannon could record the fifth 20-point season by an Illini guard in program history. Other Illini guards to average more than 20.0 points per game are: Jim Dawson (21.7 ppg in 1966-67), Rick Howat (20.6 ppg in 1970-71), Kendall Gill (20.0 ppg in 1989-90), and Ayo Dosunmu (20.1 ppg in 2020-21).
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Shannon is one of six "Power Conference" players nationally averaging 20+ points while shooting .470 or better from the field joining Purdue's Zach Edey, Alabama's Mark Sears, Washington's Keion Brooks Jr., Cal's Jaylon Tyson, and Tennessee's Dalton Knecht, and one of only 12 NCAA Division I players overall to hit those offensive marks.
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In his last 10 games since returning to the Illini, Jan. 21 vs. Rutgers, Shannon has averaged 21.4 points and 4.0 rebounds.
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During a six games stretch between Illinois' road win at Ohio State on Jan. 30, and his career-high 35-point effort at Penn State on Feb. 21, Shannon averaged 27.0 points, shooting 46.5% overall while hitting a team-most 16 three-pointers and 52 free-throws, and adding a team-leading eight blocks.
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Shannon ranks among the Big Ten leaders in several categories: No. 2 in scoring (21.6 ppg, eighth in NCAA), No. 5 in 3-pointers per game (2.3), No. 6 in field goal percentage (.473), No. 12 in blocked shots per game (1.1), and No. 15 in free-throw percentage (.790).
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Shannon ranks third in the Big Ten and 28th nationally with 139 free throws. He is 13 free-throw makes away from reaching the Illini's top-10 single-season charts for the second straight year and would join Malcolm Hill as the only Illini with two of the program's top-10 single-season free-throw totals.
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Shannon, at 21.6 ppg, and teammate
Marcus Domask, at 15.3 ppg, rank as the top scoring tandem in the Big Ten conference at a combined 36.9 ppg, just ahead of Purdue's Zach Edey (23.7 ppg) and Lance Jones (13.0 ppg), who averaged a combined 36.7 ppg.
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Guerrier leads one of the nation's most tenacious rebounding teams, ranking 11th in the Big Ten in overall rebounding (6.89 rpg) and ninth in the league in defensive rebounding (5.19 rpg).
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Guerrier leads the Illini and ranks fourth in the Big Ten with eight double-doubles through 27 games this season with the Illini. He totaled two double-doubles in 71 career games at Oregon, both coming during the 2021-22 season.
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Guerrier has scored at least 10 points in 12 of his last 19 games, averaging 12.0 points per game over that stretch after opening the season with a 6.3 points per game average through his first eight contests at Illinois.
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Guerrier is 28-of-66 (.424) on threes over the last 19 games, compared to 2-of-20 (.100) over his first eight. Guerrier's 44% from beyond the arc and 28 triples during that stretch are second on the team behind
Coleman Hawkins, who has hit 44 three-pointers at a clip of 43.1%.
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Guerrier enters play Wednesday vs. Minnesota with 942 career rebounds, ranking 18th on the NCAA's list of active career leaders, and closing in no 1,000 boards for his collegiate career.
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In addition to his 942 career rebounds, Guerrier has amassed 1,599 career points at the Division I level and ranks as one of just 15 active players nationally to have recorded 1,500+ points and 900+ rebounds in their careers.
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Guerrier, who played at Syracuse and Oregon before joining the Illini, is one of only five active players nationally to have accumulated 1,500+ points and 900+ rebounds all at major conference programs, along with Armando Bacot (North Carolina), Emmanuel Miller (TCU/Texas A&M), Hunter Dickinson (Kansas/Michigan), and Zach Edey (Purdue).
