LIVE BLOG: FINAL - No. 18 Illinois 69, Indiana 60; Illini 7-3, 3-1 in Big Ten
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- A belated Merry Christmas (happy Boxing Day) and welcome to the State Farm Center where No. 18 Illinois (6-3, 2-1) will host Indiana (5-3, 0-1).
After concluding a stretch with five out of six games away from home, Illinois will play five of its next seven at home, beginning today vs. Indiana.
I'm LOOKING LIVE...at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill., as we're about an hour from the opening tip.
NOTE: Please join us as we live-blog and discuss the Illini 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.
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Game 10: Indiana at No. 18 Illinois
Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Dec. 26, 2020: 3 p.m. CST, State Farm Center in Champaign, Ill.
Capacity: N/A (NO FANS!)
Records: Indiana 5-3, 0-1 in Big Ten Conference; 20-12, 9-11 in the Big Ten Conference in 2019-20 season. Illinois 6-3, 2-1 in Big Ten Conference; 21–10, 13–7 in Big Ten Conference in 2019-20 season.
Line: Illinois by 6.5
Series notes: Indiana leads the all-time series 93-88 but Illinois leads 53-34 in Champaign.
TV: FS1; Brandon Gaudin (PBP), Stephen Bardo (analyst)
Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (PBP), Deon Thomas (analyst).
Here is the Top 25 & Big Ten' lineup of games for today:
No. 8 Houston (6-0) at UCF (3-1) - CURRENTLY PLAYING ON ABC
No. 23 Ohio State (7-1, 1-1) at Northwestern (5-1, 2-0) CURRENTLY PLAYING ON FS1
No. 16 Virginia (4-1) vs. No. 1 Gonzaga (6-0) in Fort Worth, Texas - 3 p.m. CST, CBS
Projected Starters:
Indiana
Aljami Durham - G
Armaan Franklin - G
Rob Phinisee - G
Trace Jackson-Davis - F
Race Thompson - F
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Illinois
Ayo Dosunmu - G
Trent Frazier - G
Adam Miller - G
Da'Monte Williams- G
Kofi Cockburn - C
2:30 p.m. UPDATE - Illinois forward Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (foot) has been going through warmups with his Illini teammates but it is still unclear whether he'll actually be active to play today. The native of Belgium is dressed to play today.
2:45 p.m. UPDATE: The officiating crew for tonight's matchup is Bo Boroski, Keith Kimble, and Brooks Wells.
NOTE: Indiana is going with Trey Galloway, a 6-foot-4 freshman guard, in its starting lineup over 6-foot-1 Rob Phinisee. It will be the second start of the season for Galloway. Illinois going with same starters as the previous nine games.
Media Timeout (15:38 left in 1st): Indiana 5, No. 18 Illinois 1 - Underwood pretty upset with the start of his team (0 for 6 with two turnovers) but Indiana star Trayce Jackson-Davis is 0-for-4 and clearly bothered by the physicality of Cockburn. Illini going with a hockey line change (Giorgi, Curbelo and Grandison) after this timeout.
Media Timeout (11:52 left in 1st): No. 18 Illinois 9, Indiana 9 - Illinois on a quick 6-0 run over the last 97 seconds thanks to solid defense and Indiana star Trayce Jackson-Davis is 0 for 5 from the field. Curbelo with 2 points and 2 assists already off the bench.
Media Timeout (7:10 left in 1st): Indiana 19, No. 18 Illinois 16 - Indiana guard Armaan Franklin already has 11 points but is having trouble handling Ayo Dosunmu on the other end. Illini have six points from its bench.
MEDIA TIMEOUT (3:00 left in 1st): No. 18 Illinois 24, Indiana 23 - Illinois uses a 6-0 run over the last two minutes to take the lead. Dosunmu with 10 points as he and Curbelo try to drag Illini through this clog of a first half. Indiana not sending anybody to the glass (0 offensive rebounds) to avoid Illini transition.
ILLINI TIMEOUT (45.1 left in 1st): No. 18 Illinois 29, Indiana 27 - Da'Monte Williams is 2 for 2 from 3-point range. The rest of the Illini are 0 for 10.
HALFTIME: No. 18 Illinois 29, Indiana 27 - Illinois turned up the defensive intensity to hold Hoosiers to six points over the final six minutes. Dosunmu with 10 points and two assists. Cockburn with five points and six rebounds.
MEDIA TIMEOUT (15:58 left): No. 18 Illinois 35, Indiana 32 - Illinois has survived a day where they're 2 of 13 from 3-point range. Trayce Jackson-Davis is 2 of 9 from the field with just eight points.
MEDIA TIMEOUT (11:59 left): Indiana 40, No. 18 Illinois 37 - Adam Miller is 0 for 4 (all from 3-point range) and Cockburn is one rebound and one point away from a double-double.
ILLINI TIMEOUT (10:02 left): Indiana 46, No. 18 Illinois 44 - Underwood screaming at his players during this timeout "rebound the ball!" after giving up its second offensive rebound in this half. Armaan Franklin is 3 of 4 from 3-point range. The rest of IU is 1 of 6.
INDIANA TIMEOUT (10:02 left): No. 18 Illinois 51, Indiana 49 - Kofi Cockburn doing a great job in this segment protecting the rim and Ayo Dosunmu with a quick five points to give the Illini the lead. Dosunmu & Cockburn with a total of 32 points.
ILLINI TIMEOUT (6:35 left): No. 18 Illinois 55, Indiana 49 - Dosunmu has eight points in the last three minutes and his last two threes have caused IU timeouts.
MEDIA TIMEOUT (3:56 left): No. 18 Illinois 60, Indiana 57 - Ayo Dosunmu is doing his one-man band best to end this game tonight but Indiana is finding open looks on the other end to stay within one possession. Dosunmu with 12 points in last four minutes.