INDIANAPOLIS — The first time Illinois center Kofi Cockburn and Iowa center Luka Garza faced off, back in 2020, Garza owned the day. The Hawkeyes’ 6-foot-10 playmaker made Cockburn look inexperienced and uncomfortable, limiting him to just six points in a 72-65 Hawkeyes win in January of 2020. On that day, Garza exploded for 25
INDIANAPOLIS — The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team will face Ohio State for the Big Ten Tournament crown Sunday afternoon in Indianapolis. Illinois downed the Iowa Hawkeyes 82-71 in what might be the final meeting against Iowa’s National Player of the Year, Luka Garza. Kofi Cockburn prevailed in the battle of the big men, and
INDIANAPOLIS — Fresh off a dominant, 90-68 win over Rutgers in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals, Illinois coach Brad Underwood was overjoyed about more than just the result of the game. The Illini, the tournament’s 2-seed, dispatched 7-seed Rutgers with ease. But for the first time all season, the team also got to play in front
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team shocked the college basketball world Tuesday night with a stunning 76-53 blowout over No. 2 Michigan in Ann Arbor. Ayo Dosunmu sat out his third-straight game under concussion protocol, allowing room for Trent Frazier to score 22 points and Andre Curbelo 17 from the guard
MADISON — The 5th-ranked Illini men’s basketball team withstood a one-man basket barrage in the final three minutes, holding on to beat #22 Wisconsin at the Kohl Center for the second straight year. The final was 74-69. Illinois, playing without an injured Ayo Dosunmu, sustained a double-digit lead through most of the game despite committing 20
CHAMPAIGN — Beating the Big Ten’s worst team was a side story Thursday night for the Illini men’s basketball team. Ayo Dosunmu sat out on Senior Night after posting a video on Twitter showing a visibly swollen face. The Illini beat Nebraska 86-70 without him. Coach Brad Underwood said there’s no timetable for Dosunmu’s return,
EAST LANSING, Mich. — The winning streak is over for the Illini men’s basketball team, but the 23-year streak of NCAA tournament berths is still alive for Michigan State. The Spartans out-toughed the Illini en route to an 81-72 win last night in East Lansing. Illini Trent Frazier said his team was expecting the blunt
LINCOLN, Neb. — The Illini men’s basketball team survived frigid temperatures and a feisty Nebraska squad to win its fifth straight Big Ten game Friday night in Lincoln. The overtime final was 77-72. Ayo Dosunmu scored 15 points during a stretch that spanned the final 3:21 of regulation and the first minute of overtime. Illinois
CHAMPAIGN – Another ten-year losing streak fell by the wayside Saturday when the Illini men’s basketball team beat #19 Wisconsin 75-60 at the State Farm Center for the first time since 2011. It’s been so long that the building was then still known as the Assembly Hall. Kofi Cockburn tallied his thirteenth double-double of the
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Ayo Dosunmu went scoreless after halftime, and fouled out almost eight minutes before the final horn. But the Fighting Illini men’s basketball team managed without him in a 75-71 overtime win at Indiana last night. Trent Frazier and Andre Curbelo took the reins in a game that saw 53 personal fouls, and
CHAMPAIGN — Since the COVID-compromised 2020-21 college basketball schedule was released last autumn, January 29 had been circled on everyone’s calendar. The Illinois-Iowa game was important to Illini and Hawkeye fans, of course. But the entire country was waiting and watching. That #19 Illinois prevailed 80-75 over #7 Iowa means a bevy of non-Midwestern hoops
CHAMPAIGN – Kofi Cockburn is the national leader in men’s college basketball double-doubles, and he notched his eleventh of the season Tuesday night in a 79-65 Illini basketball win over Penn State at the State Farm Center. Cockburn scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, game-highs for both categories. He said teamwork was the key
CHAMPAIGN – The No. 14 Illini men’s basketball team dropped its second straight home game at the State Farm Center Saturday, with an 87-81 loss to the 21st-ranked Buckeyes of Ohio State. Two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball (as a player for Belleville West), E.J. Liddell, again haunted his home state school, dropping a career-high 26 points
CHAMPAIGN — The Maryland Terrapins now have two Big Ten wins, both on the road at nationally-ranked opponents. That’s after they upset #12 Illinois 66-63 Sunday night at State Farm Center in Champaign. Their previous conference win was at #8 Wisconsin. Daryll Morsell returned from a two-game injury break to score 19 points on 8-16
CHAMPAIGN — The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team beat Purdue 66-58 Saturday in Champaign. Freshman Andre Curbelo came off the bench to spark an Illini team that tripped out of the gate in both halves. The freshman scored only eight points and dished out six assists, but his presence on the floor changed the dynamic