By Chris Coopersmith

GAME NOTES | SCHEDULE PAGE (LINKS TO LIVE VIDEO AND LIVE STATS) | WESTWOOD ONE RADIO | NCAA BRACKET

MOREHEAD, Ky. —  It March Madness, and the Morehead State Men’s Basketball team is looking for a little March gladness as the Eagles face off against Illinois in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Thursday at CHI Health Arena in Omaha, Neb. Tip off time is 3:10 p.m. ET.

MSU has only ever met the Fighting Illini program one time, in 1993, a loss for the Eagles at Illinois. The 14th-seed in the East Region, MSU won the OVC Tournament championship. The third seed Illinois claimed the Big 10 Tournament title.

The game can be heard on the Eagle Sports Radio Network (WIVY-96.3 FM) with Chuck Mraz and Tom Lewis. It is also available on Westwood One Radio with Kevin Kugler and Stephen Bardo. The game airs live on TruTV with Tom McCarthy, Deb Antonelli, Avery Johnson and AJ Ross on the call.

2023-24 RECORDS
MSU: 26-8 | ILL: 26-8

THE SERIES IN DEPTH
Record vs. ILL: 1-2
First Meeting: 12/10/93 ILL won 111-75 at ILL
Last Meeting: Same
Streak: ILL, 1 game
Record in Champaign, Ill.: 0-1
Record in Morehead, Ky.: 0-0
Neutral Record: 0-0

NOTABLE
• Morehead State is one of just 21 Division I teams to win 25+ games this season. The Eagles’ OVC Tournament championship win over Little Rock gave this team the program record with 26 wins in a season.

• Head coach Preston Spradlin has led MSU to four consecutive 20+ win seasons, a first in program history.

• Morehead State, the OVC’s only remaining team in Kentucky, is easily the winningest Division I MBB program in the state in the past four seasons with 94 wins.

• MSU is making the program’s 9th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament. Most recently, the program has appeared in 2009, 2011 and 2021, winning a game in the round of 64 in 2011 versus in-state foe Louisville.

• MSU has 318 three-pointers this season, a school single-season record. MSU is one of just 22 D1 teams to hit 300+ triples this year.

• With 512 assists this season, it marks the second time in the last three seasons the program has recorded 500+ assists in a season.

• Drew Thelwell became the winningest individual player in program history Feb. 10 vs. Eastern Illinois with 88 (now with 94). He broke Terrence Hill’s record of 87 from 2008-09 to 2011-12.

• Riley Minix is the 2023-24 OVC Player of the Year, making it back-to-back league Player of the Year honors for the program after Mark Freeman won it last year.

• Riley Minix ranks third in the nation in field goals made with 263.

• Riley Minix is shooting to become the first Eagle since OVC Player of the Year Ricky Minard in 2002-03 to average 20+ for a season. Minix enters the NCAA ranked 8th in the nation with 706 total points ad 23rd with 20.8 per game.

• Riley Minix has 19 double-doubles for the season. It’s the most double-doubles in a year since Johni Broome’s 22 in 2021-22. Minix posted 10 consecutive double-doubles from Feb. 3-March 7 – tying the program’s modern era record held by Kenneth Faried for consecutive double-doubles.

• Riley Minix has scored 706 points this season, the third best season in program history. Only three players ever – Dan Swartz (828 in 1955-56), Brett Roberts (815 in 1991-92) and Granville Williams (705 in 1960-61) – had scored 700+ points in a season at MSU.

• Riley Minix has 2,754 career collegiate points to go along with 1,380 career rebounds. He is one of four current Eagles (along with Kalil Thomas, Jordan Lathon, Mark Freeman [not active this year]) to have at least 1,000 career collegiate points.

• Drew Thelwell set the Morehead State single-season assist record this year, now with 207, eclipsing Nik Stojokovic’s previous mark of 204 set in 2007-08.

• Kalil Thomas scored a career-high 23 points on seven three-pointers against UTM in the OVC Tournament semifinals and set the MSU single-season record for three-pointers, now with 103. He broke the previous mark of 95 by Maze Stallworth in 2009-10.

• Kalil Thomas is one only 21 Division I players to hit 100+ three-pointers this season. He ranks tied for 11th nationally with 103 triples.

• Jordan Lathon has 21 double-figure scoring games and 11 games with 20+. Despite missing four games, Lathon still ranked sixth in the OVC in scoring at 15.4 per game.

• Eddie Ricks III (39), Dieonte Miles (36) and Riley Minix (35) all had 35+ blocked shots this year, marking the first time in program history with three players with 35+ blocks in same season.

COURTESY MOREHEAD STATE ATHLETICS

3 ILLINOIS (26-8, 14-6) at 2024 NCAA Tournament
Tournament Central	NCAA March Madness Live | Illinois Tournament Central
First Round	vs. No. 14 seed Morehead State
Date | Time	Thursday, March 21, 2024 | 2:10 p.m. CT
Location	Omaha, Neb. | CHI Health Center Omaha
Tickets	SeatGeek
Broadcast	TruTV (Tom McCarthy, Debbie Antonelli, Avery Johnson, & AJ Ross)
Live Stream	NCAA March Madness Live | NCAA March Madness App
Radio	Busey Bank Illini Sports Network | Varsity Network App | SiriusXM 209 or 202, SXM App 965
Live Stats	NCAA March Madness Live
Printable Notes	Illinois | Morehead State
Pregame Press Conference	Video | Transcript
2023-24 Stats	Illinois | Morehead State | Big Ten | NCAA
Record Book	Illinois | Morehead State | Big Ten | NCAA
Shop	Online Store | Auctions
Social Media	@IlliniMBB  | #Illini  | @IlliniMBB  | Facebook  | YouTube

HEAD COACH BRAD UNDERWOOD

Career Record: 249-114 (.686), 11th year
At Illinois: 140-87 (.617), 7th year
Big Ten: 80-58 (.580)
NCAA Tournament Career: 4-7 (eighth appearance)
NCAA Tournament at Illinois: 2-3 (fourth appearance)

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Appearances / Streak: 34th / 4
Record: 42-34 (.553)
Final Four Appearances: 5 / 2005

FIRST ROUND OPPONENT – NO. 14 SEED MOREHEAD STATE

Series Record: Illinois leads, 1-0
Last Meeting: #16 Illinois 110, Morehead St. 75 (12/10/1993 at Champaign)
Record in the NCAA Tournament: First meeting
Underwood vs. Morehead State: First meeting

FIGHTING ILLINI UNDER HEAD COACH BRAD UNDERWOOD

• Big Ten’s winningest team in league play over last five seasons
• 69 B1G wins from 2019-20 through 2023-24 are most in school history over five-year stretch
• Four straight NCAA Tournament appearances (fifth precluded by COVID-19 cancelation in 2020)
• One of only five schools with five straight 20-win regular seasons
• Three Big Ten Championships in last four years
• Five straight top-five B1G finishes, including top-2 finishes three of the last four years
• Three consensus All-Americans
• Seven first-team All-Big Ten selections
• 2024 B1G Tournament Champions
• 2022 B1G Champions
• Led B1G in wins in 2021
• 2021 B1G Tournament Champions
• 2021 NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed (fourth in school history)

FIGHTING ILLINI NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES

• Illinois is making its 34th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and fourth straight.
• Illinois ranks fifth among Big Ten teams and 19th among all schools for most NCAA Tournament appearances.
• Illinois is one of only three Big Ten teams – and one of just 14 teams nationally – to earn a bid in each of the last four NCAA Tournaments.
• Illinois’ active streak of four straight NCAA Tournament appearances is its longest since participating eight years in a row from 2000 through 2007.
• Illinois has compiled a 42-34 (.553) record all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
• Illinois’ 42 NCAA Tournament wins ranks tied for 23rd among all schools.
• Illinois’ 42 NCAA Tournament wins are fourth most among teams yet to win a national championship, trailing Gonzaga (44), Purdue (44), and Oklahoma (43).
• Since 1975, when the field was increased to 32 teams, Illinois has advanced to the Sweet 16 eight times, the Elite Eight four times, and the Final Four twice.
• Illinois has made five appearances in the NCAA Final Four, finishing as the national runner-up in 2005, placing third in 1949, 1951 and 1952, and tying for third in 1989.
• Illinois’ five Final Four appearances are second most among teams yet to win a national title, trailing only Houston (6), and tied with Oklahoma.
• Head Coach Brad Underwood has brought Fighting Illini Basketball back to being a national contender. His rebuild of the program brought success in year three of his tenure, leading the Illini to a top-25 finish and what would have been an NCAA Tournament appearance before the 2020 postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. He directed Illinois to a Big Ten Tournament title and #1 seed in 2021, as Illinois played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. Underwood guided the Illini to a Big Ten Championship and #4 seed in 2022, advancing to the Round of 32 for the second straight season. In 2023, Underwood guided the Illini back to the NCAA tournament for a third straight season, and pushed that streak to four straight after leading the Illini to the 2024 Big Ten Tournament Championship Sunday in Minneapolis.
• With this year’s appearance, Underwood is the third coach in school history to lead Illinois to at least four straight NCAA Tournaments, joining Lou Henson (eight straight from 1983-90) and Bruce Weber (four in a row from 2004-07).
• Underwood is making his eighth trip to the NCAA Tournament with his third program in 11 seasons as a Div. I head coach. He previously led Stephen F. Austin to three consecutive appearances from 2014-2016, advancing to the Round of 32 in 2014 and 2016. He then took Oklahoma State to the Tournament in his lone season in Stillwater in 2017. Underwood owns a 4-7 career record in the NCAA Tournament.
• Illinois has seven players on its roster with previous NCAA Tournament experience, including two with experience at former schools. Coleman Hawkins (four games total, one in 2021, two in 2022, and one in 2023), Luke Goode (two games total, one in 2022 and one in 2023), Sencire Harris and Dain Dainja (one game each in 2023) have played all of their tournament games at Illinois. Terrence Shannon Jr. (six games total) played in five games at Texas Tech (two in 2021 and three in 2022) before helping Illinois to a tourney berth last season (one game). Graduate transfer Quincy Guerrier played in three NCAA Tournament games in 2021 at Syracuse.
• Terrence Shannon Jr. is the Illini’s active NCAA tournament scoring leader with 81 total points in his six previous appearances (13.5 ppg). Shannon has recorded three games with 20 points in the NCAA tournament, including Illinois’ first-round game vs. Arkansas last year. Shannon is also the team’s active NCAA tournament leader in assists (9 total, 1.5 per game) and steals (5 total, 0.8 per game). Coleman Hawkins is the team’s active NCAA tournament rebounding leader (16 total, 4.0 per game), and Quincy Guerrier leads the Orange and Blue’s active roster in blocks recorded in NCAA tournament games (6 total, 2.0 per game).
• Illinois and Morehead State are meeting in the NCAA Tournament for the first time. The Illini lead the all-time series over the Eagles, 1-0.
• Illinois and Morehead State last played on Dec. 10, 1993, in Champaign, a 110-75 Illini victory.
• Illinois has earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in school history, last coming in as a No. 3 seed in 1988. The Illini hold an all-time record of 3-3 as a No. 3 seed:
  • 1985 First Round (Atlanta, Ga.) – #3 Illinois 76, #14 Northeastern 57
  • 1985 Second Round (Atlanta, Ga.) – #3 Illinois 74, #6 Georgia 58
  • 1985 Regional Semifinal (Providence, R.I.) – #2 Georgia Tech 61, #3 Illinois 53
  • 1987 First Round (Birmingham, Ala.) – #14 Austin Peay 68, #3 Illinois 67
  • 1988 First Round (Cincinnati Ohio) – #3 Illinois 81, #14 Texas-San Antonio 72
  • 1988 Second Round (Cincinnati Ohio) – #6 Villanova 66, #3 Illinois 63
• Illinois is 31-16 as a higher (better) seed in the NCAA Tournament.
• Illinois is 2-2 against the No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament:
  • 1985 First Round (Atlanta, Ga.) – #3 Illinois 76, #14 Northeastern 57
  • 1987 First Round (Birmingham, Ala.) – #14 Austin Peay 68, #3 Illinois 67
  • 1988 First Round (Cincinnati Ohio) – #3 Illinois 81, #14 Texas-San Antonio 72
  • 1997 Second Round (Charlotte, N.C.) – #14 Tennessee-Chattanooga 75, #6 Illinois 63
• Illinois is 24-9 when playing its opening game of the NCAA Tournament and has won its first game in four of its last five Tournaments (2011, 2013, 2021 & 2022).
• Illinois is playing in Omaha in the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
• Illinois is in the East Region for the seventh time overall (10-6 record), and first since 2013.
• Illinois played a total of 15 games against 10 teams that made this year’s NCAA Tournament, compiling a record of 9-6. Here is a game-by-game look at how Illinois did against the 2024 Tournament field:
  • Nov. 10 vs. Oakland (W, 64-53)
  • Nov. 14 vs. #4 Marquette (L, 64-71)
  • Dec. 5 vs. #11 Florida Atlantic (W, 98-89)
  • Dec. 9 at #17 Tennessee (L, 79-86)
  • Dec. 17 vs. Colgate (W, 74-57)
  • Jan. 2 vs. Northwestern (W, 96-66)
  • Jan. 5 at #1 Purdue (L, 78-83)
  • Jan. 11 vs. Michigan State (W, 71-68)
  • Jan. 24 at Northwestern (L, 91-96 (OT))
  • Feb. 4 vs. Nebraska (W, 87-84 (OT))
  • Feb. 10 at Michigan State (L, 80-88)
  • March 2 at Wisconsin (W, 91-83)
  • March 5 vs. #3 Purdue (L, 71-77)
  • March 16 vs. Nebraska (W, 98-87)
  • March 17 vs. Wisconsin (W, 93-87)
• Six Big Ten teams are participating in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Illini earned the league’s automatic bid as Big Ten Tournament champions. Michigan State, Nebraska, Northwestern, Purdue, and Wisconsin were selected as at-large participants.
• Illinois’ all-time scores vs. first- and possible second-round opponents:
  • #14 Morehead State (1-0)
    • 12-10-1993 110-75 W Champaign, Ill.
  • #6 BYU (4-2)
    • 12-2-1965 98-109 L Provo, Utah
    • 12-14-1967 63-55 W Champaign, Ill.
    • 12-16-1977 81-74 W Champaign, Ill.
    • 11-30-1979 86-76 W Provo, Utah
    • 12-19-1980 75-80 L Knoxville, Tenn.
    • 12-17-2016 75-73 W Chicago, Ill.
  • #11 Duquesne (2-1)
    • 3-22-1952 74-68 W Chicago, Ill. (NCAA Mideast Regional Second Round)
    • 12-29-1973 83-85 L New York City, N.Y.
    • 12-9-1989 112-81 W Champaign, Ill.
• There are 11 former Illinois coaches participating in this year’s NCAA Tournament:
  • Former head coach Bill Self (Kansas head coach)
  • Former head coach John Groce (Akron head coach)
  • Former assistant coaches Orlando Antigua (Kentucky associate coach), Chin Coleman (Kentucky  assistant coach), Dustin Ford (Akron associate coach), Stephen Gentry (Gonzaga assistant coach), Chris Lowery (Northwestern associate coach), Norm Roberts (Kansas assistant coach) and Jamall Walker (Grand Canyon assistant coach)
  • Former assistant to the head coach Darren Hertz (Dayton assistant coach)
  • Former graduate assistant Brian Dutcher (San Diego State head coach)
• Third-year Illinois assistant coach Chester Frazier also played in the NCAA Tournament as Illini.
• Illinois’ all-time leading scorer in NCAA Tournament play is Dee Brown, who had 179 points in 13 games from 2003-06.
• Illinois’ all-time leading rebounder in NCAA Tournament play is James Augustine, who grabbed 102 boards in 13 games from 2003-06.
• 22 different Fighting Illini players have recorded double-doubles in NCAA Tournament action. James Augustine is the Illinois career leader with three career Tournament double-doubles. The most recent double-double by an Illini in the Tournament was Kofi Cockburn’s 17-point, 13-rebound performance in the 2022 first-round win over Chattanooga.
• Frank Williams scored 30 points in a Sweet 16 victory over Kansas in 2001, the first 30-point game by an Illini in the NCAA Tournament. The UI single-game tournament scoring record was eclipsed three years later by Deron Williams’ 31-point performance in a Round of 32 victory over Cincinnati in 2004.

EVERY DAY GUYS EXCLUSIVE:

Read the latest feature stories on the Fighting Illini men’s basketball team.

• March 13: ‘Everybody’s Gonna Remember Me for How I Treated Everybody’: Rodgers Brings Winning Experience, Humble Personality to Illinois
• Feb. 16: Playing the Right Way: Domask Makes Most of Lone Season at Illinois, Impacts Winning in Final Collegiate Campaign
• Jan. 10: ‘I Just Wanted to be Different’: Hawkins’ Legacy Grows in Fourth Year With Program
• Dec. 7: Harmon Takes Long Road to Illinois in Final Year of Eligibility
• Nov. 30: ‘I Owed That Sacrifice to Everybody’: Goode Finds, Establishes Role in Third Season at Illinois
• Oct. 26: ‘Now or Never’: Hawkins, Shannon Gear Up for ‘Last Dance’ at Illinois
• Oct. 19: Every Day Guys: How Three Words Became Engrained in Illinois’ Team Culture, Identity

Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)

COURTESY ILLINOIS ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS