LIVE BLOG: FINAL - Illinois 67, Indiana 66
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Welcome to the State Farm Center where Illinois (16-9, 9-6 in Big Ten Conference) will host Indiana.
I'm LOOKING LIVE...at the State Farm Center floor in Champaign, Ill., as we're about 10 minutes from the opening tip.
NOTE: Please join us as we live-blog and discuss the Illini exhibition game here in our weekly Illini Gameday Open Thread. Dive into the conversation — it's easy — by simply going to the top right of the redesigned site and click the follow button.
You can log in with Facebook or Google and either way, it's free. That's right...IT'S FREE. From there, sound off in the comment section and share your reactions and observations with our staff and fellow members of the Illini Now/Sports Illustrated community as we keep you up to date of the game in real-time.
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Game 29: Indiana at Illinois
Date/Time/Place: Sunday, March 1, 2020: 1 p.m. CST, State Farm Center, Champaign, Ill.
Capacity: 15,544
Records: Indiana 18-10, 8-9 in Big Ten; 19-16, 8-12 in Big Ten Conference in 2018-19. Illinois 19-9, 11-6 in Big Ten; 12-21, 7-13 in Big Ten Conference in 2018-19.
Line: Illinois by 5.5
Series Notes: Indiana leads the all-time series 93-87 with a current three-game winning streak. However, Illinois leads the series in Champaign 52-34.
TV: BTN - Brandon Gaudin (PBP), Shon Morris (analyst)
Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (PBP), Deon Thomas (analyst) - The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, Sirius/XM 383 and at FightingIllini.com.
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Two Key Numbers For Tonight's Game:
10 - As in a point total and rebound total for Indiana freshman Trayce Jackson-Davis. The Hoosiers are 9-0 when Jackson-Davis records a double-double.
4 - Andres Feliz carries a 4.0 assist/turnover ratio over the last four games, dishing out 16 assists while committing just four turnovers in 125 minutes of play.
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While we wait for pre-game updates, here's a look at the three keys and Matthew Stevens' prediction for tonight's game.
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NOTE: Uniform Update - Illinois seems to be going with the white throwback uniforms. Indiana will go with the all red road uniforms. Illinois is 3-2 this season in the throwback whites.
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NOTE: Officials for today's game are Terry Oglesby, D.J. Carstensen, Brian Dorsey.
Illinois going with the four-guard starting lineup around Kofi Cockburn. Indiana going with the Smith, Jackson-Davis, Brunk frontcourt and a Durham-Phinisee backcourt.
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Things Illinois can accomplish with a win today:
- First 12+ win Big Ten season since 2005
- First over-.600 Big Ten finish since 2009
- First 20+ win regular season since 2013.
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Other Big Ten Conference game on tap today:
3 p.m. - No. 19 Michigan (18-10, 9-8) at No. 23 Ohio State (19-9, 9-8)- CBS
3:15 p.m. - Northwestern (6-21, 1-16) at Nebraska (7-21, 2-15) - BTN
5:30 p.m. - Minnesota (13-14, 7-10) at Wisconsin (18-10, 11-6) - BTN
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MEDIA TIMEOUT - 15:56 left in 1st - Illinois 5, Indiana 4 - Great start by Da'Monte Williams on both ends of the floor (his physicality on Jackson-Davis bothers him). Cockburn already bothering Hoosiers shots around the tin. Illinois needs to value basketball better (three turnovers).
NOTE: Brunk already with two fouls so Indiana will be a much smaller lineup for this first half.
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MEDIA TIMEOUT - 11:59 left in 1st - Illinois 14, Indiana 14 - Devonte Green is making shots for the Hoosiers - which is necessary for this Indiana offense. Illinois is 0 of 3 from the foul line and has three turnovers. Giorgi hits first shot and State Farm Center is thrilled.
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INDIANA TIMEOUT - 10:53 left in 1st - Illinois 18, Indiana 14 - Transition turnovers leads to Da'Monte Williams dunk and Archie Miller is ticked off. Seven combined turnovers by both teams.
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MEDIA TIMEOUT - 8:00 left in 1st - Illinois 20, Indiana 19 - Giorgi picks up two fouls in about four seconds against Jackson-Davis so there goes that Giorgi-Kofi frontcourt that Underwood wanted. Illini need a big effort from Kipper Nichols.
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MEDIA TIMEOUT - 8:00 left in 1st - Indiana 28, Illinois 26 - Illini star guard Ayo Dosunmu is 3 of 9 in 16 minutes today. Indiana has made 3 of 4 from three-point range, which is good because they're 4 of 9 on layups. Underwood has brought Giorgi back in with two fouls but it is likely Cockburn who will now finish this first half.
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ILLINI TIMEOUT - 1:39 left in 1st - Indiana 32, Illinois 29 - Jackson-Davis catches Cockburn sleeping on defense to get easy lay-in. Jackson-Davis has 10 points already and Illini are without a field goal for last 2:44.
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HALFTIME - Illinois 36, Indiana 36 - Illini have yet to find anybody on the defensive end to handle Jackson-Davis and/or Green. Da'Monte Williams with a huge seven points in first 20 minutes but Ayo Dosunmu is just 4 of 10 but finally got downhill on drives in final possession. Illinois can't be happy with shooting 48 percent but game being tied.
NOTE: Indiana has doubled-up Illini on the offensive glass 6-3, which is unacceptable with Kofi Cockburn on the floor for 17 of the first 20 minutes.
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INDIANA TIMEOUT - 15:58 left - Illinois 43, Indiana 40 - Archie Miller watches Trayce Jackson-Davis take an off-balanced shot and then get beat down the floor by Giorgi and has to call a timeout. Illinois guard Ayo Dosunmu started to take over early here.
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MEDIA TIMEOUT - 11:27 left - Indiana 50, Illinois 49 - Hoosiers are 5 of 11 from three-point range today and haven't turned it over in this second half. Another quiet offensive game from Trent Frazier (two points on 0 of 2 shooting)
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MEDIA TIMEOUT - 7:09 left - Illinois 55, Indiana 53 - Kofi Cockburn has made his last five free throws and has been dominate on defense (five blocks). Hoosiers guard Devonte Green hit his first two shots and has missed seven of eight since.
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ILLINI TIMEOUT - 3:36 left - Illinois 62, Indiana 57 - Kofi Cockburn has just been dominant near the basket in this second half on both ends of the floor. Indiana has nobody to handle him when he wants to post and Giorgi's defense on Jackson-Davis has allowed him to roam for blocks.