Head Coach John Groce
Career Record: 155-103/.601 (8th year)Â Â Â
At Illinois: 70-47/.598 (4th year)
Big Ten: 24-30/.444
Series Notes vs. Michigan
Series Record: Illinois leads 86-80
Series Streak: Michigan W-1
Record at Champaign: Illinois leads 55-26
Series Streak at Champaign: Illinois W-1
Last Year's Meetings:
 Michigan 73, Illinois 65, OT // Dec. 30, 2014 at Ann Arbor // Recap // Boxscore
 Illinois 64, Michigan 52, OT // Feb. 12, 2015 at Champaign // Recap // Boxscore
 Michigan 73, Illinois 55 // March 12, 2015 at Chicago // Recap // Boxscore
Groce vs. Michigan at Illinois / All-Time: 1-6 / 2-6
Opening Tip
Illinois enters Wednesdays's conference opener vs. Michigan on a season-best five-game winning streak, tied for the third-longest active streak in the Big Ten. This is Illinois' longest win streak entering league play since the 2008-09 season (six games).
Illini in Big Ten Openers
A charter member of the conference, Illinois opens its 111th season of Big Ten basketball on Wednesday vs. Michigan … Illinois is 67-43 all-time in Big Ten openers, and has won 12 of its last 16 league openers … The Illini are 44-17 when beginning conference play at home, and 23-5 at State Farm Center in conference openers … Illinois has won three straight when opening Big Ten play at home, with its last home loss in a conference opener coming to Ohio State on Jan. 3, 2008.
Elite Company
Junior guard Malcolm Hill leads the Fighting Illini in total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocked shots on the season. He is one of just three players nationally to lead his team in all of those categories, joined by LSU's Ben Simmons and Wichita State's Ron Baker.
Big Two
Juniors Kendrick Nunn and Malcolm Hill are leading the charge for the Illini offensive attack, ranking as the highest-scoring duo in the Big Ten, and third-highest among the six major conferences so far this season:
- Â Â Â 38.8 points, Buddy Hield (24.9 ppg) & Jordan Woodard (13.9 ppg), Oklahoma, Big 12Â Â Â
- Â Â Â 37.7 points, Kevin Punter (22.1 ppg) & Armani Moore (15.6 ppg), Tennessee, SECÂ Â Â
- Â Â Â 37.2 points, Malcolm Hill (18.7 ppg) & Kendrick Nunn (18.5 ppg), Illinois, Big Ten
Taking Care of the Rock
Illinois has been one of the best teams in the country under Coach John Groce in taking care of the basketball. Last year's team set a school record for fewest turnovers, averaging just 9.9 per game. That broke the previous school mark of 10.4 per game set by Groce's 2014 squad.
This year the Illini are currently averaging 10.1 turnovers per game, ranking second in the Big Ten and 13th nationally. Illinois also stands second in the conference with a +3.3 turnover margin (39th in NCAA).
Capitalizing Off Turnovers
Over the last four games, Illinois has averaged just 7.8 turnovers (31) while the opponent is double in that department, averaging 15.5 turnovers (62). The Illini have made the most from those extra opportunities, outscoring the opposition 68-to-26 in points off turnovers over this four-game stretch, an advantage of 10.5 points per game.
3-Point Improvement
The Illini have increased their production from behind the arc in recent weeks. Illinois is connecting on an average of 9.7 threes per game over the last seven games (68), a vast improvement over the average of 6.5 treys through the first six games. The Illini have drained at least nine 3-pointers in five of the last seven games, led by a season-high 14 triples vs. South Dakota (Dec. 19).
Illini Trends
• Illinois started a different lineup in 10 of its 13 non-conference games.
• Illinois is getting an average of 26.2 points from its bench, outscoring the opposing bench in 10 of its first 11 games, and by an average of 8.3 points on the year. Last season the UI averaged 18.7 points in bench scoring.
• Illinois' turnover rate of 14.2 percent stands 10th nationally.
• Illinois ranks fourth in the Big Ten and 54th nationally in defensive rebound percentage, grabbing 73.8 percent of opponent missed shots.
• Malcolm Hill has scored in double figures in every game this season and currently leads the Big Ten in scoring with an average of 18.7 points.
• Hill has 11 career games of 20+ points, including his first stretch of four straight over the most recent four games with 20 vs. Yale, 22 vs. UIC, 34 vs. South Dakota and 21 vs. Missouri.
• Hill enters Big Ten play on a tear, averaging 24.3 points (97), 6.3 rebounds (25), 4.0 assists (16), 1.8 blocks (7) and 1.3 steals (5) over the last four games.
• Hill has gotten to the foul line 35 times over the last four games, making 29.
• Hill ranks 21st in the NCAA in made free throws (66) and 38th nationally in free throw attempts (80), standing second behind Wisconsin's Nigel Hayes among Big Ten players in each category.
• Hill is currently averaging 3.9 assists this season (13th in Big Ten), after entering the year with a career average of 1.0 assists.
• Kendrick Nunn has scored in double figures in all eight games since making his season debut Nov. 27, and is currently averaging 18.5 points.
• Nunn's scoring average would rank second in the Big Ten, but he is currently not listed among the conference statistical leaders because he has yet to play in 75 percent of Illinois' games.
• Nunn, who led the team in 3-pointers last year, has combined for 24 treys over his eight games. His average of 3.0 made threes per game would rank second in the Big Ten.
• Nunn has shot better than 46 percent from the field in six of his eight games.
• Nunn grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds vs. Missouri and is averaging 7.3 boards (22) over the last three games.
• Since Nunn's return to the lineup, either Malcolm Hill (5 times) or Nunn (3 times) has been the Illini's leading scorer each of the last eight games.
• Michael Finke is averaging 14.3 points (86) on 61.5 percent shooting (32-52) and 63.2 percent 3-point shooting (12-19) over the last six games, scoring in double figures five times.
• Jalen Coleman-Lands is averaging 13.3 points (40) and shooting 50 percent from 3-point range (10-20) over the last three games.
• Coleman-Lands has made a 3-pointer in nine games this season, and has drained four or more treys in five games. His average of 2.2 made threes is 10th in the Big Ten.
• Khalid Lewis has combined for 18 assists (6.0 apg) with just three turnovers over the last three games.
Last Time Out: Illini 68, Missouri 63Â (Dec. 23)
The Fighting Illini hoisted the coveted Braggin' Rights trophy for the third straight year, closing out non-conference play with a 5-point win over Missouri in the annual rivalry game played in St. Louis.
Illinois went on a 10-0 run late in the first half, scoring on five out of six possessions, to open up a 14-point lead. The Illini led 41-27 at half and built the margin to as many as 20 points with 16:19 remaining. But after torching the nets in building the 50-30 advantage, the Illini offense then went on a cold spell. Illinois missed its next 12 shots along with three free throws as the Tigers answered with a 15-0 run to come within five points.
Still up by five with just over two minutes left, freshman Michael Finke hit his biggest shot of the night, a 3-pointer from the corner to put the Illini ahead 60-52. The Illini then sealed the win by making 8-of-10 free throws in the final 40 seconds.
A key factor in the UI's current winning streak proved vital once again, as Illinois committed just seven turnovers while Missouri had 15. That led to a 15-to-6 Illini advantage in points off turnovers.
The duo of Malcolm Hill and Kendrick Nunn led the Illini once again. Hill reached the 20-point mark for the fourth straight contest, scoring a game-high 21 points to go along with five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Nunn, meanwhile, recorded his first career double-double with 19 points and a career-high 11 rebounds while also grabbing a season-high four steals. Finke also had another stellar performance, tallying 16 points on 5-of-8 shooting.
Looking Back at Last Season's Illinois-Michigan Games:
• Michigan 73, Illinois 65, OT (Dec. 30 at Ann Arbor)
The Illini looked to be on their way to a fourth-straight Big Ten road win, but hot 3-point shooting by Michigan allowed the hosts to come back and protect its homecourt with an overtime victory.
Illinois led for the majority of the game, building an advantage that reached as many as 13 points – 48-35 – with 11 minutes remaining. The Wolverines, who had made just two of their first 15 attempts from 3-point range, then caught fire, draining five straight treys and six of nine to pull back to even. Illinois had its chances at the end, taking a 1-point lead on a pair of free throws by Malcolm Hill with 48 seconds remaining. Ricky Doyle made one of two at the line with 30 seconds to go to tie it and set up the final play of regulation. Rayvonte Rice drew two defenders after a screen, missing an 18-footer at the buzzer to set up overtime.
Hill made a jumper on the Illini's first possession in OT, but Michigan then rattled off 13 unanswered points to pull away. Hill led the Illini with 19 points, hitting 7-of-12 shots and scoring 15 of his points after intermission. He was the lone Illini in double figures, as Rayvonte Rice and Nnanna Egwu added eight points each.
• Illinois 64, Michigan 52, OT (Feb. 12 at Champaign)
In front of the largest State Farm Center crowd in Illini basketball history (17,087), the Orange and Blue saved its best for last, rallying in the final minutes of regulation and erupting in overtime to defeat Michigan and extend its winning streak to four.
Illinois struggled from the field for much of the night before getting hot late. Senior Ahmad Starks kept the Illini in the game in the first half, scoring nine of the team's 20 points. The Wolverines led by as many as eight in the second half and held a 50-43 advantage with three minutes left. That's when the Illini made their move, scoring the final seven points of regulation on a layup by Rayvonte Rice, a runner by Kendrick Nunn, and capped by a Nunn 3-pointer with 1:22 left that would send the game to overtime.
Illinois had all the energy in the extra session, scoring on their first seven possessions and grabbing three steals on their first four defensive possessions. That opened the floodgates as the run extended to a staggering 21 unanswered points. Illinois scored the first 14 points of overtime and nearly pitched a shutout, the Wolverines managing just two free throws with 13 seconds left. Michigan went the final eight minutes without a field goal.
Nunn led all scorers with 21 points. Starks finished with 12 points, four assists and a career-high four steals. Hill scored nine of his 11 points in the second half and added six rebounds. Nnanna Egwu, meanwhile, got stronger as the game wore on, scoring all six of his points in overtime while collecting a season-high 12 rebounds to go along with four blocks and three steals. And in his first game action since Jan. 3, Rice finished with four points, five rebounds and three steals in 27 minutes.
The 12-point win marked Illinois' largest margin of victory ever in an overtime game. The Illini also improved to 3-1 in overtime games under Coach John Groce. Â
• Michigan 73, Illinois 55 (March 12 at Chicago)
Illinois saw its NCAA Tournament hopes come to an end at the United Center, falling to Michigan in the Big Ten Tournament second round. The Wolverines opened the game strong, jumping out to a quick 14-2 lead. After missing eight of its first nine shots, the Illini then knocked down seven of its next nine attempts, responding with a strong 17-3 run of its own to grab a 19-17 advantage. But the Orange and Blue finished the first stanza on another cold spell, missing 10 of its last 11 from the field while Michigan ended the half on a 23-4 run to enter the locker room ahead 40-23.
After managing just 31 percent shooting in the first half, the Illini improved to 43.3 percent in the second half. But the UI could not slow down Michigan's offense, as the Wolverines made nearly 52 percent after intermission to keep control of the game.
Illinois was outscored by 18 points from the arc, with Michigan draining 7-of-15 treys while the Illini set a season low with just one triple on 13 attempts. Malcolm Hill led the Illini with 13 points while Rayvonte Rice had 10 points and a game-high nine rebounds and Leron Black added 10 points on 5-of-7 shooting.
Current Illini vs. Michigan
Malcolm Hill (5 G): 10.8 ppg (54), 4.4 rpg (22)
   Highlights: 13 points and six rebounds in last year's Big Ten Tournament … 11 points and six rebounds last year in Champaign … Team-high 19 points with seven rebounds last year in Ann Arbor.
Kendrick Nunn (5 G): 10.8 ppg (54), 2.8 rpg (14)
   Highlights: Game-high 21 points on 6-11 shooting, including 4-7 on threes, last year in Champaign … 14 points in 2014 in Champaign.
Tracy Abrams (6 G): 7.0 ppg (46), 2.6 rpg (18)
   Highlights: 11 points, five rebounds and five assists in 2014 Big Ten Tournament … 10 points and five rebounds in 2013 in Ann Arbor … 12 points and five rebounds in 2012 in Champaign.
Leron Black (3 G): 6.0 ppg (18), 4.7 rpg (14)
   Highlights: 10 points and five rebounds in last year's Big Ten Tournament … Six points and five rebounds last year in Ann Arbor.
Jaylon Tate (4 G): 5.5 ppg (22), 1.5 rpg (6)
   Highlights: Seven points in last year's Big Ten Tournament … Six points and five rebounds last year in Champaign … Seven points last year in Ann Arbor.
Maverick Morgan (4 G): 2.0 ppg (8), 1.0 rpg (4)
   Highlight: Six points in 2014 in Champaign.
Mike LaTulip (3 G): 0 pts, 0 reb
Cameron Liss (2 G): 0 pts, 0 reb
