College Basketball

Game 14 // Illinois (10-3, 0-0 B1G) at Michigan (7-5, 0-0 B1G)
When	Tuesday, Dec. 30 | 2 p.m. CT
Where	Ann Arbor, Mich. | Crisler Center (12,707)
Television	ESPN2 (Announcers: Bob Wischusen and Dan Dakich)
Live Stream	WatchESPN
Radio	Illini Sports Network | Listen | TuneIn | Sirius (84) / XM (84)
Live Stats	GameTracker
Printable Notes	Illinois | Michigan | Big Ten
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Illinois Probable Starters (from previous game)
Pos.	No.	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	APG	Note
G	3	Ahmad Starks	5-9	170	Sr.	7.7	1.7	3.1	Assist/TO ratio 6th in B1G (2.9)
G	25	Kendrick Nunn	6-3	190	So.	9.0	2.8	1.8	43.6% 3FG (11th in B1G)
G	24	Rayvonte Rice	6-4	230	Sr.	17.7	6.5	1.8	4th in B1G in scoring
G	21	Malcolm Hill	6-6	230	So.	13.0	5.7	1.2	Shooting 52.6 percent from field
F/C	32	Nnanna Egwu	6-11	250	Sr.	7.8	5.4	1.0	12 blocks shy of UI career record
Off the Bench
Pos.	No.	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	APG	Note
G	1	Jaylon Tate	6-3	170	So.	3.2	1.2	3.1	Assist/TO ratio 9th in B1G (2.4)
G	10	Mike LaTulip	6-1	170	Jr.	2.8	0.8	0.0	4-8 3FG
G	11	Aaron Cosby	6-3	205	Jr.	8.2	3.5	2.0	2nd on team with 22 three-pointers
F	12	Leron Black	6-7	220	Fr.	5.9	4.2	0.0	6.0 rpg over last four games
C	22	Maverick Morgan	6-10	250	So.	3.5	1.8	0.1	7 pts & 5 reb vs. Kennesaw St.
F	31	Austin Colbert	6-9	210	So.	1.8	1.7	0.0	7-14 FG
F	43	Michael Finke	6-10	220	Fr.	–	–	–	Possible redshirt for 2014-15
F	45	Cameron Liss	6-6	200	Fr.	0.1	0.4	0.0	12 minutes of action on season
Sitting Out 2014-15
Pos.	No.	Name	Ht.	Wt.	Yr.	PPG	RPG	APG	Note
G	13	Tracy Abrams	6-2	185	Sr.	10.7*	3.5*	3.2*	Out for season with torn ACL
G	44	Alex Austin	6-4	185	Jr.	7.0*	2.4*	1.0*	EIU Transfer sitting out 2014-15

* Stats from 2013-14 seasonHead Coach John Groce
Career Record: 138-87/.613 (7th year)
At Illinois: 53-31/.631 (3rd year)
Big Ten: 15-21/.417

Series Notes vs. Michigan
All-Time Series Record: Illinois leads 85-78
Series Streak: Michigan W-7
Record at Ann Arbor: Michigan leads 49-29
Series Streak at Ann Arbor: Michigan W-2
Last Year’s Meetings: #12 MICH 84, ILL 53 (3/4/14, Champaign); #8 MICH 64, ILL 63 (3/14/14, Indianapolis)
Groce vs. Michigan at Illinois: 0-4
Groce vs. Michigan All-Time: 1-4

Illini in Big Ten Openers
A charter member of the conference, Illinois opens its 110th season of Big Ten basketball on Tuesday at Michigan … Illinois is 67-42 all-time in Big Ten openers, and has won 12 of its last 15 league openers … The Illini are 23-25 when beginning conference play on the road … This is just the seventh time in the last 19 seasons that Illinois opens Big Ten play on the road … Illinois’ last victory when opening league play on the road was an 87-77 win at Iowa on Dec. 29, 2010.

Illini Items
• Illinois carries a three-game Big Ten road winning streak into Ann Arbor after finishing last season with victories at Minnesota (Feb. 19), at No. 18 Michigan State (March 1) and at No. 24 Iowa (March 8).

• Illinois opens Big Ten play with four out of five games on the road. Altogether, Illinois is enduring a stretch of 10 out of 14 games away from home from Nov. 27-Jan. 14. Illinois is the only team from the six major conferences that over the course of 14 consecutive games this season will play 10 games away from its home arena.

• Illinois played a combined six road/neutral games during the non-conference portion of the schedule, tied for the most among Big Ten teams this season. The Illini have played the most road/neutral games in the Big Ten in each of Coach Groce’s three seasons, totaling 19 over his tenure. Michigan State has the second-highest total in the league over that period with 16.

• Illinois is the first Big Ten team since Ohio State in 2009-10 to open league play with four out of five on the road. The Buckeyes went 2-3 during that initial stretch en route to a 14-4 record and share of the Big Ten title.

• Illinois just concluded another undefeated non-conference slate at State Farm Center and will carry a 36-game homecourt winning streak against non-league opponents into the 2015-16 season; the nation’s third-longest active streak.

• Illinois ranks 24th in the nation in scoring (79.1 ppg) and has reached the 70-point marker nine times this season, winning eight of those nine games.

• Illinois has held its opponent to less than 70 points in nine of 10 wins this season, and 35 of its last 37 victories dating back to Feb. 10, 2013 during Groce’s first season.

• The Illini rank third in the nation in free throw percentage, shooting 77.7 percent as a team (205-264). The Illini single-season school record for free throw shooting is 74.4 percent, set by the 1996-97 squad.

• Illinois ranks fourth in the nation in turnover percentage (.140), sixth in turnovers (9.8 avg.) and 11th in turnover margin (+5.2).

• After allowing an average of 49.7 percent shooting (80-161) over a three-game stretch from Dec. 6-13, the Illini defense has held the last three opponents to combined 33.9 percent from the field (60-177).

• Senior Rayvonte Rice leads the Illini in both scoring and rebounding, averaging 17.7 points (fourth in Big Ten) and 6.5 rebounds (12th in Big Ten).

• Rice has an offensive rating of 128.2 on the season, ranked ninth nationally and first in the Big Ten among players with at least 24 percent of possessions used (KenPom).

• Rice has scored in double figures in all 28 games he has played against non-conference opponents as an Illini, averaging 18.3 points over two seasons against non-Big Ten teams.

• Rice has improved his shooting at every level this season. He is currently shooting 51.4 percent from the field, 47.1 percent from 3-point range and 80.6 percent from free throw line after entering his senior year as a 42.4 percent career shooter, including 28 percent from behind the arc and 71.2 percent at the line.

• Rice is averaging 19.7 points through six road/neutral games this season (118), and 19.4 points in five games against teams from the six major conferences (97).

• Rice ranks sixth in the Big Ten in steals, averaging 1.9 spg. His steal rate of 4.0 ranks 87th nationally.

• Sophomore Malcolm Hill has improved his scoring average by 8.6 points this year (13.0 ppg from 4.4 ppg), tied with fellow sophomore Zak Irvin of Michigan for the largest increase of any Big Ten player.

• Hill entered his sophomore year with a career-high of 11 points. He has surpassed or equaled that total in 10 of 13 games this season.

• Hill is averaging 13.8 points through six road/neutral games this season (83).

• Hill has scored in double figures in each of the last two games, averaging 13.0 points. This followed his first single-digit performances of the season the previous two games when he averaged 6.0 points.

• Hill leads the Illini with 32 offensive rebounds, ranking seventh in the Big Ten with 2.5 offensive boards per game. Hill grabbed 21 offensive rebounds all of last season.

• Senior Nnanna Egwu has tallied 165 career blocked shots, 12 away from equaling the Illini all-time record of 177 set by Deon Thomas from 1991-94.

• Egwu is averaging 7.2 rebounds (36), including an average of 3.8 offensive boards (19) in five games this season against teams from the six major conferences.

• Egwu is shooting 62.5 percent from the field over the last three games (10-16).

• Egwu has knocked down seven 3-pointers this year after totaling five treys all of last season. He is shooting 36.8 percent from behind the arc this year.

• Sophomore Kendrick Nunn has increased his scoring average to 9.0 points after averaging 6.2 points as a freshman. Nunn is third on the team in scoring despite playing the sixth-most minutes.

• Nunn is averaging 9.5 points in his four games as a starter this season (38) after averaging 10.3 points last year in 12 starts.

• Nunn has totaled a 12 assists compared to just two turnovers in his four games as a starter, spanning 107 minutes of play.

• Nunn is currently shooting 43.6 percent from 3-point range (11th in Big Ten) after shooting 38.8 percent from behind the arc last season.

• Senior Ahmad Starks ranks sixth in the Big Ten with a 2.9 assist/turnover ratio. He has had a positive ratio in 10 of 13 games with the other three an even ratio.

• Starks is shooting 64.3 percent on 2-pointers over the last five games (9-14).

• Starks has made at least one 3-pointer in every game this season.

• Freshman Leron Black is averaging 6.0 rebounds over the last four games (24). He set his career high twice during that stretch, with eight boards against both Hampton (Dec. 17) and Kennesaw State (Dec. 27).

Hill Improving Rapidly
Malcolm Hill came on strong at the end of his freshman season, starting Illinois’ last 12 games and averaging 6.5 points as a starter. On the heels of that success and bolstered by an offseason of hard work in the gym and the weight room, Hill is having a breakout sophomore campaign.

He currently ranks second on the Illini in scoring with an average of 13.0 points. He has scored in double figures in 11 of 13 games, led by a career-high 20 points vs. No. 7 Villanova at Madison Square Garden.

Hill has increased his scoring average by 8.6 points this year. That improvement is tied for the most of any Big Ten player, along with Michigan sophomore Zak Irvin.

Taking Care of the Rock
Last season’s Fighting Illini squad set a school record for fewest turnovers (by average), turning the ball over just 10.3 times per game. Illinois is taking care of the ball once again this season, averaging just 9.8 turnovers through 13 games and ranking fourth in the nation in turnover rate (.140).

The Illinois defense, meanwhile, is forcing an average of 14.9 turnovers. And the Illini are capitalizing on those extra possessions, outscoring the opponent by an average of 7.4 points per game off turnovers.

Looking Back at Last Year’s Michigan Games:
• #12 Michigan 84, Illini 53 (March 4, 2014)
Michigan torched the nets at State Farm Center en route to winning the outright Big Ten title. The Wolverines shot a blistering 69.6 percent from behind the arc, equaling the arena record with 16 three-pointers in 23 attempts. The Illini could not keep pace, despite shooting 54.2 percent in the first half. Illinois was outscored by 42 points from 3-point range, leading to the end of its three-game win streak.

Rayvonte Rice fell one rebound shy of a double-double, leading the Orange and Blue with 16 points and nine boards. Kendrick Nunn, meanwhile, totaled 14 points on 6-of-10 shooting.

• #8 Michigan 64, Illini 63 (March 14, 2014)
Illinois battled top-seeded Michigan from start to finish before falling just short in the Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal. The Wolverines were on fire for the first 29 minutes, similar to the offensive performance they had against the Illini 10 days prior in Champaign. Trailing 55-44 with 11:26 remaining, the Illini answered by scoring 10 unanswered to make it a one point game at the 8-minute mark. Illinois took its first lead since two minutes into the game on a Rayvonte Ricebucket, putting the Illini ahead 59-58 with under five minutes remaining. Illinois still maintained a two-point advantage with two minutes to go. The Wolverines cut the deficit in half on a Nik Stauskas free throw, then scored the final points on a Jordan Morgan layup with seven seconds left to put Michigan up by one. On the final possession, Tracy Abramsdrove past his defender and into the lane for an open 8-foot floater that bounced off the front of the rim at the buzzer.

The Illini outscored Michigan 32-to-14 in the paint and held the Wolverines to 36.4 percent shooting in the second half. Illinois also owned a 33-to-26 rebounding advantage and grabbed 10 offensive boards, converting those into 17 second-chance points. And for the first time all season, the Illini lost despite outshooting their opponent. Rice and Abrams scored 11 points apiece, while Nunn added 10.

Current Illini vs. Michigan
Rayvonte Rice (2 G): 13.5 ppg (27), 8.0 rpg (16)
Highlights: 11 points and seven rebounds in last year’s Big Ten Tournament … Team-high 16 points with nine rebounds last year in Champaign.

Kendrick Nunn (2 G): 12.0 ppg (24), 2.5 rpg (5)
Highlights: 10 points and four rebounds in last year’s Big Ten Tournament … 14 points last year in Champaign.

Tracy Abrams (6 G): 7.0 ppg (46), 2.6 rpg (18)
Highlights: 11 points, five rebounds and five assists in last year’s Big Ten Tournament … 10 points and five rebounds in 2013 in Ann Arbor … 10 points in 2013 in Champaign … 12 points and five rebounds in 2012 in Champaign.

Malcolm Hill (2 G): 5.5 ppg (11), 1.5 rpg (3)
Highlight: Eight points in last year’s Big Ten Tournament.

Nnanna Egwu (6 G): 5.0 ppg (32), 4.6 rpg (32)
Highlights: Seven points and game-high nine rebounds in last year’s Big Ten Tournament … Six points and six rebounds last year in Champaign … Nine points, five rebounds and two blocked shots in 2013 in Ann Arbor … Game-high 10 rebounds in 2013 in Champaign.

Maverick Morgan (2 G): 3.0 ppg (6), 0.5 rpg (1)
Highlight: Six points last year in Champaign.

Jaylon Tate (1 G): 2 pts, 0 reb, 1 ast

Austin Colbert (1 G): 0 pts, 1 reb

Mike LaTulip (1 G): 0 pts, 0 reb

Game 13 Notes: Illinois 93, Kennesaw State 45 (Dec. 27)
1. Illinois won its 36th straight non-conference game at State Farm Center and extended its homecourt winning streak in regular-season non-conference games to 47 in a row.

2. UI led wire-to-wire for the third time this season, following Indiana State (Nov. 27) and Hampton (Dec. 17).

3. The Illini blew the game open with a 25-0 scoring run over a span of 6:21 in the first half, turning a 24-15 lead into a 49-15 advantage. Illinois went on to lead 54-18 at the break, the 36-point margin surpassing the UI’s 35-point halftime lead against Coppin State as its largest of the season.

4. Illinois held Kennesaw State to just 24.6 percent shooting, the lowest field goal percentage by an Illini opponent in Coach Groce’s tenure and lowest since Michigan State shot 24.1 percent vs. the UI on Jan. 31, 2012.

5. Kennesaw State’s 45 points were the fewest permitted by the UI since allowing 41 at Northwestern on Feb. 17, 2013.

6. The Illini shot 55.4 percent, their highest percentage since shooting 59.7 percent against Austin Peay (Nov. 21).

7. Illinois turned 16 Kennesaw State turnovers into 23 points, its highest total since converting 19 turnovers by American into 26 points (Dec. 7). For the game, the Illini had a 23-6 edge in points off turnovers.

8. Rayvonte Rice hit all seven of his field goal attempts, including two three-pointers, and hit 5-of-6 from the line to finish with a game-high 21 points. His offensive rating of 184 for the game was the highest of his Illini career.

9. Malcolm Hill went for 16 points and nine rebounds, narrowly missing his first career double-double. Hill’s nine rebounds matched his career high set against Coppin State (Nov. 16).

10. Aaron Cosby finished with 13 points, his first game in double figures since Indiana State (Nov. 27) and highest point total in the last nine games.

Home Sweet Home
After finishing 7-0 during the non-conference portion of its home schedule, Illinois will carry a 36-game homecourt winning streak into the 2015-16 season. The Illini last lost at State Farm Center to a non-league foe on March 24, 2010, against Dayton in the NIT Quarterfinal. The UI active streak ranks third nationally:

1. Duke-114, Next Dec. 29
2. Minnesota-43, Next Nov. 2015
3. ILLINOIS-36, Next Dec. 2015
4. Wichita State-30, Next Nov. 2015
T5. Pittsburgh-29, Next Dec. 30
T5. Iowa State-29, Next Dec. 31
7. Arizona-28, Next Nov. 2015

Illinois’ winning streak in regular season non-conference home games, meanwhile, now stands at 47 in a row heading into 2015-16. The Illini have gone undefeated at State Farm Center in regular season non-conference games each of the last six seasons, with the last loss to Clemson on Dec. 2, 2008.

» Complete Illinois Game Notes at Michigan (PDF).