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Up Next - UCLA - 2-11-25

Men's Basketball

Illini Host UCLA Tuesday on Kofi Cockburn Honored Jersey Night

PREVIEW

ILLINOIS (16-8, 8-6 B1G) vs. UCLA (18-6, 9-4 B1G)
Date | Time Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025 | 7 p.m. CT
Location Champaign, Ill. | State Farm Center
Buy Tickets FightingIllini.com
TV Peacock (Jac Collinsworth & Stephen Bardo)
Live Stream PeacockTV.com | Peacock App (Subscription Information) 
Radio Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 201 or 195, SXM App 957
Live Stats Statbroadcast.com
Printable Notes Illinois | UCLA
Pregame Press Conferences Coach Underwood (Feb. 10) 
2024-25 Stats Illinois | UCLA
Record Book Illinois
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Social Media @IlliniMBB | #Illini | @IlliniMBB 129943 | Facebook | YouTube
PROBABLE STARTERS (Based on previous game)
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG APG Note
G 32 Kasparas Jakucionis 6-6 205 Fr. 15.6 5.5 5.2 Set Illini frosh record w/ nine 20+-point games
G 4 Kylan Boswell 6-2 205 Jr. 11.5 5.3 3.4 Team-leading 1.58 assist-turnover ratio
F 3 Ben Humrichous 6-9 225 Gr. 8.6 4.0 1.9 Team-leading 2.0 3-pointers per game. 
F 21 Morez Johnson Jr. 6-9 255 Fr. 6.8 6.7 0.2 3rd double-double (14 p, 15 r) vs. Ohio St.
C 13 Tomislav Ivisic 7-1 255 So. 13.0 8.6 2.0 9 double-doubles (3rd in B1G)
OFF THE BENCH
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG APG Note
F 0 Carey Booth 6-10 215 So. 1.3 1.1 0.1 Five of eight field goals are 3-pointers
G 2 Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn 6-1 185 So. 7.6 2.0 0.4 Made first 2 starts vs. Ohio St., at Rutgers
G 5 AJ Redd 6-3 170 Jr. 0.3 0.7 0.2 Former team manager turned walkon
F 7 Will Riley 6-8 195 Fr. 12.0 3.8 2.0 21.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.8 apg over last 4 games
F 15 Jake Davis 6-6 205 So. 3.0 1.7 0.3 11 pts (season-high 3 3FG) vs. Northwestern
G 22 Tre White 6-7 210 Jr. 9.3 5.3 0.9 82.9% from the free-throw line
G 24 Keaton Kutcher 6-2 195 r-Jr. 0.6 0.2 0.1 First Illini 3-pointer vs. Chicago State
REDSHIRT (Averages from 2023-24 season)
Pos. No. Name Ht. Wt. Yr. PPG RPG APG Note
G/F 20 Ty Rodgers 6-6 210 Jr. 6.2 5.3 2.0 Started all 38 games last season
F 31 Jason Jakstys 6-10 210 Fr. -- -- -- Third-Team All-State

Head Coach Brad Underwood

Career Record: 268-123 (.685), 12th year
At Illinois: 159-96 (.624), 8th year
Big Ten: 88-64 (.579)

Series History vs. UCLA

All-Time Record / Streak: UCLA leads 6-4 / Illinois W-1
Last Meeting: #19 Illinois 79, #8 UCLA 70 (11/18/2022 in Las Vegas - Continental Tire Main Event)
Record in Champaign / Streak: Illinois leads 2-1 / Illinois W-2
Last Meeting in Champaign: Illinois 110, UCLA 83 (12/4/1964)
Underwood vs. UCLA at Illinois / All-Time: 1-0 / 1-1

Opening Tips

  • Illinois plays the first of back-to-back home games on Tuesday night, hosting UCLA (7 p.m. CT, Peacock). The Bruins own the league's longest active winning streak, winners of seven straight.

  • The matchup vs. the Bruins closes a stretch of five game in 13 days across four locations for the Illini since Jan. 30. 

  • Tuesday marks UCLA's first visit to Champaign since the 1964 NCAA Champions were beaten by the Illini, 110-83, in the opener of the 1964-65 season (Dec. 4, 1964). 

  • Brad Underwood led Illinois to a 79-70 win over No. 8 UCLA at the Continental Tires Main Event in Las Vegas on Nov. 18, 2022. During his tenure at Stephen F. Austin, Underwood also faced UCLA in the Round of 32 at the 2014 NCAA Tournament, the first of his three consecutive trips to the big dance with the Lumberjacks. 

  • Illinois will celebrate the career of Kofi Cockburn during a halftime ceremony on Tuesday, as the two-time consensus All-American's No. 21 banner is officially raised to the State Farm Center rafters as part of Illinois Basketball's Honored Jersey program.

  • Will Riley is the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week after averaging 22.5 points, 6.0 rebounds and 6.5 assists against Rutgers and Minnesota. It is his second straight B1G FOW award, and third of the season.

  • Illinois is the nation's top rebounding team, leading the NCAA in rebounds per game (45.0 rpg) and defensive rebounds per game (31.3 rpg), and rebound margin (+11.3 rpg).

  • Illinois is No. 12 in the latest NCAA NET rankings, second in the Big Ten. The Illini are tied for 10th nationally with six Quad 1 wins, and close the regular season with six Quad 1 games in its final seven contests. 

  • The Fighting Illini are coming off a dominant 95-74 road win at Minnesota on Saturday that featured record-breaking performances from freshmen Will Riley and Kasparas Jakucionis and a double-double by sophomore Tomislav Ivisic, his ninth of the season. 

  • Riley became the first NCAA Division I freshman since 1996-97 to record a stat line of at least 27 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists without a turnover. He is only one of nine players, overall, to reach those thresholds in a game in the last 29 seasons. 

  • Jakucionis' 24-point effort tied his career-high scoring mark. It was his ninth 20-point game of the season, breaking a tie with Cory Bradford (eight in 1998-99) for the most by a freshman in Illinois program history. 

Kofi Cockburn Honored Jersey Night

  • Fighting Illini all-time great Kofi Cockburn makes his highly anticipated return to the University of Illinois campus on Tuesday night to participate in a banner raising ceremony.

  • At halftime, Cockburn's No. 21 will be raised to the State Farm Center rafters. He became the 35th Illini legend to earn enshrinement in the team's Honored Jersey program following the conclusion of his three-year collegiate career.

  • Cockburn is one of the most decorated and successful players in Illinois Basketball history and arguably the program's greatest center. The Kingston, Jamaica native was a two-time consensus All-American, two-time Big Ten Champion, the school's scoring (1,546 points) and rebounding (861 boards) leader among three-year players, and the Illini career double-doubles record holder (45) as well. 

  • Cockburn is in now in his third season playing professionally overseas and currently stars in South Korea for the Seoul Samsung Thunders.

  • More information on Illinois Men's Basketball Honored Jerseys 

Illini Team Notables

  • In addition to leading the country in rebounds per game (45.0 rpg), defensive rebounds per game (31.3 rpg), and rebound margin (+11.3 rpg), Illinois ranks in the top 10 nationally in scoring offense (85.2 points per game, 7th) and 3-point attempts per game (30.3, 9th). 

  • Illinois leads the Big Ten in seven team statistical categories, with the following NCAA rankings: total rebounds per game (1st in NCAA; 45.0), defensive rebounds per game (1st; 31.3), rebound margin (1st; 11.3), scoring offense (7th; 85.2), 3-point attempts per game (9th; 30.3), field goal percentage defense (18th; .396), and offensive rebounds per game (20th; 13.7). 

  • Illinois is 15-1 on the season when scoring at least 80 points. The Illini's 16 games with 80+ points are tied for the Big Ten lead with Iowa (16), and tied for seventh nationally. Among teams with at least 15 80-point games, Illinois' .938 win percentage ranks tied for third in the nation behind Alabama at 19-1 (.950) and Auburn at 16-1 (.941).   

  • Illinois is a combined 6-5 away from State Farm Center this season, with a 4-4 mark in true road contests. The Illini's win at Minnesota (Feb. 8) snapped a three-game road losing streak. 

  • Illinois is 33-25 (.569) in Big Ten road games since the start of the 2019-20 season, the best mark in the league over the last six seasons. The Illini have finished .500 or better on the road in league play in four of the last five seasons. 

  • The Illini secured their 10th home win of the season vs. Ohio State (Feb. 2), their sixth straight season with at least 10 home wins at State Farm Center under Brad Underwood. 

  • Since 2019-20, the Illini boast the third-best home record in the Big Ten at 79-16 (.832). Nationally, that ranks 18th overall and 12th among teams that have played each of the last six seasons in a power conference. 

  • Illinois is No. 14 in the latest KenPom net rating at 25.15. The Fighting Illini are on pace for their fourth top-20 rating in the last five seasons under Brad Underwood. 

  • The Illini rank No. 23 in KenPom adjusted defensive efficiency (95.7), on pace for its highest ranking since reaching seventh during the 2021 season. 

  • Illinois is No. 4 nationally in KenPom's effective field goal percentage defense (.442), ranking eighth in 2-point defense (.437) and 24th in 3-point defense (.301). The Illini are one of seven programs to rank in the top 25 in both categories, joining Florida, George Mason, Kansas, Little Rock, San Diego State, and Tennessee. 

  • According to KenPom, the Illini rank No. 2 nationally, and first among Power Conference programs, with a 3-point attempt rate (3-point attempts/total field goal attempts) of 30.0%. Among major conference teams, Illinois ranks first nationally with five games of 15+ made 3-pointers. 

  • Five of Illinois' last eight wins have come by 20+ points, with three of those games coming on the road. The Illini defeated Chicago State, 117-64 (+53), recorded an historic 109-77 (+32) victory at No. 9 Oregon, earned a 91-52 (+39) home win over Penn State, rolled to a 94-69 (+25) victory at Indiana, and posted 95-74 (+21) win at Minnesota. The Illini have led by 25+ points in 10 games this season.  

  • Illinois is averaging 85.2 points, the team's highest output since the 1988-89 Flyin' Illini averaged 86.4 ppg. 

  • Illinois ranks second in the Big Ten with a scoring margin of +14.2 points. That is on pace for No. 2 in the Illini record book since 1960 behind only the 2004-05 Illini that posted a scoring margin of +15.9 ppg. 

  • Illinois leads the nation in rebounding at 45.0 boards per game, on pace for the program's best average in 53 seasons, since (48.0 rpg in 1971-72). The Orange and Blue have outrebounded their opponent in 21 of 24 games this season. 

  • Illinois is 3-3 against Top-25 ranked teams this season with wins over No. 19 Arkansas, No. 20 Wisconsin, and at No. 9 Oregon. The Illini's three ranked wins are tied for 12th most in the nation. 

  • Brad Underwood has led the Illini program to Top-25 rankings in seven consecutive seasons. The Illini are currently receiving votes in both the AP and coaches polls. Illinois has been ranked for a total of nine weeks this season, including a active streak of seven-consecutive weeks, and has reached as high as 13th.

  • Illinois has registered 77 wins in league play since the start of the 2019-20 season, two behind Purdue for the most in the conference over the last six seasons. And when including the conference tournament, the Illini have 82 wins during this time span, also second in the league behind Purdue. 

  • The Illini won the 2024 Big Ten Tournament championship as the #2 seed, captured the regular season championship in 2022, and led the conference in wins while adding a B1G Tournament crown in 2021, and the team's three total championships during that span are tied with Purdue for the most in the Big Ten.  

  • Following the 2024 Elite Eight appearance and Big Ten Tournament Championship, Illinois has a dramatically different roster this season. The program returns just one rotation player – last year's ninth-leading scorer Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn – and returns just 2.9% of its minutes, 2.2% of its points, and 2.0% of its rebounds overall.

  • Newcomers to the Illini roster have accounted for 91.0% of the team's scoring so far (1,861 of 2,044 total points), with UI freshmen accounting for 42.6% of those points (793).

  • Four of the Illinois' top scorers and rebounders are all in their first year of collegiate basketball. Freshman G Kasparas Jakucionis ranks first in scoring (15.6 ppg) and third in rebounding (5.5 rpg). Sophomore C Tomislav Ivisic nearly averages a double-double at 13.0 points (second on team) and team-leading 8.6 rebounds. Freshman F Will Riley is the Illini's No. 3 scorer at 12.0 points per game. And Freshman F Morez Johnson Jr. ranks second on the team at 6.7 rebounds per game with a team-leading 64 offensive boards (2.7 per game). 

  • Eight different Illini players have recorded a 20-point game this season, tied for the top mark in the NCAA, and the most by any Big Ten program since at least 2004-05. 

  • Three Illini scored 20+ points vs. Penn State - Ben Humrichous (21), Morez Johnson Jr. (20) and Tre White (20). It marked just the third time in the last 35 seasons that Illinois had a game featuring a trio of 20-point scorers.  

  • Illinois' 32-point road win over #9 Oregon was the largest margin of victory ever by a road team over an AP Top-10 opponent, and the largest road win in Illinois program history against any top-25 opponent. 

  • In their 109-77 win at #9 Oregon, Illinois became the first Big Ten team since Feb. 9, 1989, to record 100+ points in a Top-10 road win (No. 10 Michigan defeated No. 8 Iowa, 108-107).

  • Illinois also posted a dominant 94-69 win at Indiana on Jan. 14. The 25-point margin of victory was the second-largest for a Hoosiers' opponent in Assembly Hall history, while Illinois' 94 points marked the most ever scored by a visiting team in a regulation game at Assembly Hall. 

Illini Player Notables

Kasparas Jakucionis

  • Kasparas Jakucionis has been named to the Oscar Robertson Trophy Midseason Watch List, a Top-10 candidate for the Jerry West Award, a unanimous selection to the five-player Freshman All-America Team by The Athletic, a Midseason All-America third team selection by The Sporting News, and a John R. Wooden Award Midseason Watch List selection. 

  • Jakucionis scored 20+ points in six straight games from Nov. 25-Dec. 22, shattering the Illini freshman record for consecutive 20-point games (previous record was two).  

  • Jakucionis has nine 20-point games this season, setting the Illini all-time record for 20-point games by a freshman previously held by Cory Bradford who had eight 20-point games as a redshirt freshman in 1998-99. 

  • Jakucionis became the fourth Big Ten freshman since 1996-97 with at least six-straight 20-point games, and the first to do so since Indiana's Eric Gordon had seven in a row in 2007.

  • At 15.6 points per game, point guard Kasparas Jakucionis is on pace to become the third Illini freshman in program history to average more than 15.0 points per game along with Kiwane Garris (15.9 in 1993-94), Cory Bradford (15.4 in 1998-99), and Deon Thomas (15.1 in 1990-91). 

  • Jakucionis has posted four game this season with 20+ points, 6+ rebounds and 5+ assists, tied for third  nationally with Auburn fifth-year senior Johni Broome and Purdue junior Braden Smith.

Tomislav Ivisic

  • Tomislav Ivisic is the No. 5 rebounder in the Big Ten at 8.6 rpg. Ivisic has led the Illini rebounding effort, which ranks No. 1 nationally in total rebounds per game, in 12 of the 21 games in which he has played. 

  • Ivisic, classified as sophomore in his first season of collegiate competition, has recorded nine double-doubles through 21 games, ranking third in the Big Ten, tied for 22nd in the NCAA overall, and first among power conference underclassmen. 

Ben Humrichous

  • Ben Humrichous has knocked down at least one 3-pointer in 22 of 24 games this season. 

  • Humrichous leads the team and ranks 13th in the Big Ten averaging 2.0 triples per contest. 

Tre White

  • After opening the year averaging 7.1 points and 5.0 rebounds in eight games, Tre White found a rhythm on the court for the Illini. Beginning with a 23-point, 8 rebound effort vs. #20 Wisconsin on Dec. 10, White averaged 12.1 points (157) and 6.2 rebounds (80) the team's next 13 games, scoring in double figures seven times.

Kylan Boswell

  • Kylan Boswell recorded the seventh triple-double in Illinois history and fifth of the Underwood era against Chicago State (Dec. 29), tallying 18 points, career-high 10 rebounds, and career-high 10 assists. 

  • Boswell scored in double-figures in 12 of 14 games for the Illini between the Dec. 10 vs. Wisconsin (19 points) and Feb. 2 vs. Ohio State (14), including a career-high 22 points in the Illini win at Indiana on Jan. 14. During that 14-game stretch, Boswell averaged 13.9 points (195), 6.3 rebounds (88), and 4.2 assists (59).

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

  • Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn continues to make a big impact for the Illini in his sophomore season. Over 13 games prior to being held scoreless in just four minutes while dealing with an illness at Minnesota (Feb. 8), Gibbs-Lawhorn averaged 10.0 points (130) while shooting 52.2% (48-92) from the field.

  • During that run, Gibbs-Lawhorn made the first start two starts of his collegiate career vs. Ohio State (Feb. 2) and at Rutgers (Feb. 5). Against Ohio State, he was key to the Illini's 87-79 come-from-behind victory, posting 10 points highlighted by a momentum-shifting steal and run-out dunk that capped a 12-2 run to pull the Illini to within one possession after OSU's lead had reached 11 points. 

Morez Johnson Jr.

  • Morez Johnson Jr. is also excelling for the Illini. Over his last 14 games, which includes the first starts of his career in each of the Illini's last six games, Johnson is averaging 8.4 points (117) and 7.0 rebounds (98). 

  • During that 14-game run, beginning with the Illini's Braggin' Rights win vs. Mizzou on Dec. 22, Johnson has recorded a 20-point, 11-rebound double-double in the win over Penn State (Jan. 8), a 15-point, nine-rebound effort in his second-career start vs. Northwestern on Jan. 26, and 14-point, 15-rebound double-double in the team's come-from-behind win over Ohio State on Feb. 2. 

  • Johnson, at 6.7 rebounds per game, is just short of Efrem Winters (6.9 rpg in 1982-83) for the second-best freshman mark in Illini history. Kofi Cockburn set the record holds the record at 8.8 rpg as a freshman in 2019-20. 

  • Through 24 games, Johnson has recorded a team-leading 27 total blocks, tied for sixth in the Illini freshman record book with James Augustine (2002-03). Johnson is on pace to finish his freshman season third among Illini freshmen all-time behind only Deon Thomas (54 in 1990-91) and Kofi Cockburn (44 in 2019-20).

Will Riley

  • Will Riley opened his Illini career by breaking the program's scoring record for a freshman debut with 31 points to go with seven rebounds and three assists in the team's season-opening win vs. Eastern Illinois. 

  • Riley has led the Fighting Illini in scoring seven times, all in a reserve roll, providing a vital scoring threat off the bench. He has paced the team in scoring in each of the last four games heading into Tuesday vs. UCLA. 

  • Riley enters that matchup with the Bruins coming off of an historic outing in the team's win at Minnesota (Feb. 8), becoming the only freshman in the nation since at least 1996-97 to record a game with 27+ points, 9+ rebounds, and 7+ assists without a turnover. 

  • Riley is the two-time reigning Big Ten Player of the Week, and has earned three B1G FOW awards this season.

Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)

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Players Mentioned

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

#2 Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

G
6' 1"
Sophomore
Keaton Kutcher

#24 Keaton Kutcher

G
6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
test
AJ Redd

#5 AJ Redd

G
6' 3"
Junior
Ty Rodgers

#20 Ty Rodgers

G/F
6' 6"
Junior
Jason Jakstys

#31 Jason Jakstys

F
6' 10"
Freshman
Morez Johnson Jr.

#21 Morez Johnson Jr.

F
6' 9"
Freshman
Jake Davis

#15 Jake Davis

F
6' 6"
Sophomore
Ben Humrichous

#3 Ben Humrichous

F
6' 9"
Graduate Student
Tomislav Ivisic

#13 Tomislav Ivisic

C
7' 1"
Sophomore
Kasparas Jakucionis

#32 Kasparas Jakucionis

G
6' 6"
Freshman
Carey Booth

#0 Carey Booth

F
6' 10"
Sophomore
Kylan Boswell

#4 Kylan Boswell

G
6' 2"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

#2 Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn

6' 1"
Sophomore
G
Keaton Kutcher

#24 Keaton Kutcher

6' 2"
Redshirt Junior
test
G
AJ Redd

#5 AJ Redd

6' 3"
Junior
G
Ty Rodgers

#20 Ty Rodgers

6' 6"
Junior
G/F
Jason Jakstys

#31 Jason Jakstys

6' 10"
Freshman
F
Morez Johnson Jr.

#21 Morez Johnson Jr.

6' 9"
Freshman
F
Jake Davis

#15 Jake Davis

6' 6"
Sophomore
F
Ben Humrichous

#3 Ben Humrichous

6' 9"
Graduate Student
F
Tomislav Ivisic

#13 Tomislav Ivisic

7' 1"
Sophomore
C
Kasparas Jakucionis

#32 Kasparas Jakucionis

6' 6"
Freshman
G
Carey Booth

#0 Carey Booth

6' 10"
Sophomore
F
Kylan Boswell

#4 Kylan Boswell

6' 2"
Junior
G