By Brenda June Temple

1 30 2024

#14 ILLINOIS (15-5, 6-3) at Ohio State (13-7, 3-6)
Date | Time	Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024 | 6 p.m. CT
Location	Columbus, Ohio | Value City Arena
Tickets	Purchase Tickets
TV	Peacock (Jac Collinsworth & Stephen Bardo)
Live Stream	PeacockTV.com | Peacock App (Subscription Information)
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 85, SXM App 85
Live Stats	StatBroadcast
Printable Notes	Illinois | Ohio State
Pre-Game Media Availability	Coach Underwood (Jan. 29)
2023-24 Stats	Illinois | Ohio State
Record Book	Illinois
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniMBB  | #Illini  | @IlliniMBB  | Facebook  | YouTube

HEAD COACH BRAD UNDERWOOD

Career Record: 238-111 (.682), 11th year
At Illinois: 129-84 (.606), 7th year
Big Ten: 72-55 (.567)

SERIES HISTORY

All-Time Record / Streak: Illinois leads 109-82  /  Ohio State W-1
Last Meeting: Ohio State 72, Illinois 60 (2/26/2023 at Columbus)
Record at Columbus / Streak: Ohio State leads 50-43  /  Ohio State W-1
Underwood vs. Ohio State: 4-6

ILLINI VS. BUCKEYES STREAMED ON PEACOCK  

• Tuesday’s game will be Illinois’ first on Peacock, NBC’s streaming platform.
• Fans will need to purchase a Peacock subscription, which is available starting at $5.99 per month, to watch the game.
• For more information on Big Ten Men’s Basketball on Peacock and to purchase a subscription, visit PeacockTV.com.

OPENING TIPS

• No. 14 Illinois closes out a packed January schedule Tuesday with a Big Ten road test at Ohio State (6 p.m. CT/Peacock).
• Tuesday’s matchup with Ohio State, the lone regular-season meeting vs. OSU on this year’s schedule, is the 192nd in the series that dates back to the 1914-15 season. Illinois leads, 109-82.
• Illinois and Ohio State have split the last eight matchups in the series, with the Fighting Illini earning two road wins in Columbus since the 2018-19 season – a 63-56 victory on Feb. 14, 2019 and a 73-68 win on March 6, 2021.
• Illinois is No. 14 in the latest AP poll, marking the team’s 10th consecutive week inside the Top 25.
• Illinois is the Big Ten’s winningest team in conference play since the start of 2019-20. Entering Tuesday’s game at Ohio State, the Illini are 61-28 (.685) in league games over the last four-and-a-half seasons.
• Following Illinois’ road win at Michigan on Jan. 18, the Illini also have a Big Ten-leading 25 road wins (25-19, .568) on the road in conference play since the start of 2019-20, including a 2-2 mark this season.
• This week’s game at Ohio State is Illinois’ ninth in a packed January slate of Big Ten play. It is also the last in a stretch of five out of six conference matchups for the Illini on two-day preparations. Between Jan. 11 vs. Michigan State and Tuesday’s tilt at Ohio State, the Orange and Blue will have played seven games in just 19 days.

ILLINI TEAM NOTABLES

• Offensively, the Fighting Illini’s scoring average of 82.1 ppg ranks as the team’s highest since 1993-94 (84.0 ppg).
• Illinois ranks second in the Big Ten and 23rd nationally with a scoring margin of +13.5 ppg.
• 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.
• Illinois has 21 wins over Top 25 teams since 2019-20, sixth-most nationally. Three of the team’s four losses this season have been by single-digit margins against top-25 foes.
• Defensively, Illinois ranks 23rd nationally in scoring margin (+13.5) and 45th in field goal percentage defense (.405), marks that rank second and sixth in the Big Ten, respectively. The Orange and Blue are also 79th in the NCAA in blocks per game (4.2), sixth in the Big Ten.
• Illinois is among the top 20 nationally in two defensive categories via KenPom, ranking 14th in the nation in effective field goal percentage defense (.449) and 16th in 2-point field goal percentage defense (.441).
• KenPom also rates the Illini among the top 30 programs nationally in adjusted efficiency on both offense (7th, 120.3) and defense (30th, 97.0). Illinois is one of 10 programs to rank inside the top 30 in both metrics.
• The Illini lead the Big Ten and rank in the top 15 in the NCAA in total rebounds per game (43.2; fourth in NCAA), defensive rebounds per game (29.8, seventh in NCAA), and offensive rebounds per game (13.4; 20th in the NCAA). The Illini also rank second in the Big Ten in rebounding margin (+9.5), which ranks 12th nationally.
• Illinois enter play this week leading the Big Ten in second-chance scoring, converting their 13.0 offensive rebounds per game into 15.7 points per contest, more than two points higher than the next closest Big Ten program (Purdue, 13.6).
• The Illini average 43.2 rebounds per game is the team’s best single-season mark since 1972-73 (44.4 rpg).
• The Illini have outrebounded their opponents in 15 of 20 games this season, and own a 13-2 record when winning the battle on the glass.
• Illinois has pulled down 50+ rebounds in seven games this season, including a stretch four straight – vs. Valpo, Southern, Western Illinois, and at Rutgers – that was the longest streak of consecutive games with 50+ rebounds since the 1963-64 season.
• Illinois’ seven games of 50+ rebounds ranks as the most for the program since at least the 1979-80 season.
• The Illini closed a non-conference schedule featuring six opponents that competed in the 2023 NCAA Tournament, including two that advanced to the second round (Missouri and FDU), two Sweet 16 participants (Marquette and Tennessee), and 2023 Final Four Cinderella story, FAU. The Orange and Blue went 4-2 in those six contests.
• Illinois’ Braggin’ Rights win on Dec. 22 capped a run with four of five games away from State Farm Center. The month began with a 76-58 win at Rutgers in the Big Ten opener, followed by a 98-89 victory over No. 11 Florida Atlantic in the Jimmy V Classic at Madison Square Garden, before a hard-fought 86-79 loss at No. 17 Tennessee.
• 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.

ILLINI PLAYER NOTABLES

Marcus Domask

• Domask has scored in double figures in 13 of the last 14 games, with two 30+ point performances – a career-high 33 vs. Florida Atlantic at Madison Square Garden and 32 vs. Northwestern – plus game highs of 26 points at No. 1 Purdue and vs. Maryland.
• Domask is averaging 18.1 ppg over the last 14 games (254). He has climbed to 14th in the Big Ten at 15.2 points per game overall this season after averaging just 8.2 points over his first six games.
• In conference games only, Domask ranks fourth in the Big Ten at 19.9 points per game.
• Domask is one of the Big Ten’s most efficient scorers, ranking 15th in the conference with a .442 (107-242) field goal percentage.
• Domask ranks No. 2 in the Big Ten in free throw shooting at 87.5% (70-80), closing in on the Illinois program’s single-season record (minimum 75 attempts) of .874 (76-87) set by Alfonso Plummer in 2022.
• Domask is averaging 5.3 assists over the last 10 games (53), compared to 1.6 apg the first 10 games (16), and ranks 12th in the Big Ten 3.45 assists per game, and 15th with an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.47.
• 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.

Coleman Hawkins

• Hawkins has scored in double figures in 11 of the last 12 games and is averaging 14.5 points, 6.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.4 blocks and 2.3 steals with 27 threes (2.3 per game) during that run.
• 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.
• 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).
• In his last two road games Hawkins has recorded back-to-back double-doubles of 21 points and 10 rebounds at Michigan (1/18) and 22 points and 13 boards at Northwestern (1/24), while shooting 54% (14-26) overall, 50% (5-10) from 3-point range, and a perfect 10-for-10 from the free-throw line, and adding five assists, three blocks, and eight steals.
• Hawkins has recorded at least one steal in each of his last 14 games, a career-long streak.
• Hawkins also posted a career-long streak of eight consecutive games with a block between Dec. 17 vs. Colgate and Jan. 18 at Michigan, and ranks 11th in the Big Ten at 1.29 blocks per game.
• Hawkins is the one of three player in the Big Ten to rank in the top 15 in the conference in both blocks per game (1.29 bpg, 11th) and steals per game (1.88 spg, sixth).
• Hawkins ranks first in the Big Ten in 3-point shooting among players listed 6-foot-10 or taller with 30 triples pointers on the season, more than the next two players – Wisconsin C Steven Crowl (14) and Minnesota F Dawson Garcia (12), combined.
• Hawkins has made 27-of-66 (.409) 3-pointers over the last 12 games, after going 2-of-14 (.143) from distance in his first five contests.
• Hawkins is averaging 8.8 rebounds per game over his last six contests, and has climbed to No. 14 in the Big Ten with an overall rebounding average of 6.6 rebounds per game.

Quincy Guerrier

• Guerrier leads one of the nation’s most tenacious rebounding teams, ranking seventh in the Big Ten in overall rebounding (7.85 rpg), sixth in defensive rebounding (5.80 rpg), and 13th in offensive rebounding (2.05 rpg).
• Guerrier leads the Illini and ranks third in the Big Ten with eight double-doubles through 20 games this season with the Illini. He totaled two double-doubles in 71 career games at Oregon, both coming during the 2021-22 season.
• Guerrier has scored at least 10 points in 10 of his last 12 games, averaging 14.7 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.
• Guerrier is 20-of-48 (.417) on threes over the last 12 games, compared to 2-of-20 (.100) over his first eight.

Luke Goode

• Goode started seven games, from Dec. 29 vs. FDU to Jan. 21  vs. Rutgers, averaging 30.4 minutes per game. Goode set his career high in minutes with 36 each in each game against Michigan State (1/11) at Maryland (1/14).
• Goode scored career-best 16 points at #1 Purdue and tied his career high with four 3-pointers against the Boilers, then two games later vs. Maryland he tallied 13 points including a trio of 3-pointers.
• Goode ranks 10th in the Big Ten at 2.0 triples per game and is shooting team-leading 40.4% from distance while knocking down a team-high 40 total 3-pointers on the season.

Justin Harmon

• Harmon has reached double-figures scoring in five of his last nine games and is averaging 10.4 points per game over that stretch. Harmon averaged just 4.1 points per game over his first 11 contests of the season.
• Harmon posted a season-high 20 points, hitting 7-of-11 from the field, including 4-of-5 from 3-point range, along with 2-of-2 at the foul line in 30 minutes of action in the Illini’s win against Northwestern on Jan. 2.
• Harmon led the Illini in scoring for the first time this season, with 18 points in the 86-63 home win vs. Rutgers (1/21).

Terrence Shannon Jr.

• Shannon has reached double-figures scoring in each of his last 24 games as an Illini, doing so in all 14 games this season, plus the final 10 contests of the 2022-23 campaign.
• Shannon recorded 16 points and four assist in the Illini’s victory over Rutgers (1/21).
• Shannon started at Northwestern (1/24) and posted 12 points, including 5-for-6 from the free-throw line.
• In the Illini’s victory over Indiana (1/27), Shannon scored 12 points, going 8-for-10 from the free-throw line and closing out the victory by knocking down six straight from the stripe in the final 63 seconds of the game.

Ty Rodgers

• Rodgers has provided the Illini with another excellent rebounder from his point guard position, ranking third on the team, behind Quincy Guerrier and Coleman Hawkins, at 5.1 rebounds per game.
• Rodgers has been particularly effective on the offensive glass where he has pulled down 39 of his 101 total rebounds for a team-leading 38.6%.

COURTESY ILLINOIS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS