2020–21 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team

The 2020–21 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team will represent the University of Illinois in the 2020–21 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by fourth-year head coach Brad Underwood, the Illini will play their home games at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois as members of the Big Ten Conference.

2020–21 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball
ConferenceBig Ten Conference
Ranking
CoachesNo. 6
APNo. 6
2020–21 record13–5 (9–3 Big Ten)
Head coach
Assistant coaches
CaptainAyo Dosunmu
Da’Monte Williams
Home arenaState Farm Center
2020–21 Big Ten Conference men's basketball standings
Conf  Overall
TeamW L PCT  W L PCT
No. 3 Michigan81 .889  131  .929
No. 6 Illinois93 .750  135  .722
No. 4 Ohio State104 .714  164  .800
No. 24 Purdue85 .615  137  .650
No. 21 Wisconsin85 .615  146  .700
No. 15 Iowa75 .583  136  .684
No. 25 Rutgers76 .538  116  .647
Indiana56 .455  108  .556
Minnesota57 .417  127  .632
Michigan State47 .364  107  .588
Penn State48 .333  79  .438
Maryland49 .308  1010  .500
Northwestern39 .250  610  .375
Nebraska07 .000  410  .286
2021 Big Ten Tournament winner
As of February 9, 2021; Rankings from AP Poll

Previous season

The Illini finished the 2019–20 season 21–10, 13–7 in Big Ten play to finish in fourth place. Their season ended when the Big Ten Tournament and the NCAA Tournament were canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.[1]

Offseason

Departures

On April 7, 2020, freshman big man Kofi Cockburn declared for the NBA draft, but did not hire an agent, leaving open the chance that he would return to school for his sophomore season.[2] On April 16, sophomore guard Ayo Dosunmu also declared for the draft.[3] Dosunmu did not hire an agent, but stated that he intended to stay in the draft. On July 31, Dosunmu withdrew his name from the NBA Draft and will return for his junior season.[4]

NameNumberPos.HeightWeightYearHometownNotes
Andrés Feliz10G6'2"195SeniorSanto Domingo, Dominican RepublicGraduated
Alan Griffin0F6'5"195SophomoreWhite Plains, NYTransferred[5]
Tevian Jones5F6'7"205SophomoreCulver City, CATransferred[6]
Kipper Nichols2F6'6"220RS SeniorCleveland, OhioGraduated
Samson Oladimeji35C6'4"210SeniorRolling Meadows, IllinoisGraduated

2020 Recruiting Class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes
Name Hometown High school / college Height Weight Commit date
André Curbelo
PG
San Juan, Puerto Rico Long Island Lutheran (NY) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 175 lb (79 kg) Nov 3, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 83
Coleman Hawkins
PF
Antelope, California Prolific Prep 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) 215 lb (98 kg) Nov 16, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 80
Adam Miller
SG
Chicago, Illinois Morgan Park 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) 170 lb (77 kg) Nov 21, 2019 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN:   ESPN grade: 89
Brandon Lieb
C
Deerfield, Illinois Deerfield 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) 205 lb (93 kg) Jun 25, 2020 
Recruiting star ratings: Scout:   Rivals:   247Sports:    ESPN: N/A   ESPN grade: N/A
Overall recruiting rankings:
  • Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight.
  • In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale.

Sources:

  • "2020 Illinois Commits". Rivals.com.
  • "2020 Team Ranking". Rivals.com.

    Future Recruiting

    Roster

    2020–21 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team
    PlayersCoaches
    Pos.#NameHeightWeightYearPrevious schoolHometown
    G 1 Trent Frazier 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)175 lb (79 kg) SrWellington (FL) Wellington, Florida
    F 2 Connor Serven (W) 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)215 lb (98 kg) FrSt. Rita (IL) Bushnell, Illinois
    G/F 3 Jacob Grandison 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)205 lb (93 kg) RS JrPhillips Exeter Academy (NH)/ Holy Cross Oakland, California
    F 4 Zach Griffith (W) 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)220 lb (100 kg) SrFisher High School Fisher, Illinois
    G 5 André Curbelo 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)175 lb (79 kg) FrLong Island Lutheran (NY) Vega Baja, Puerto Rico
    G 10 Edgar Padilla Jr. (W) 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)165 lb (75 kg) FrColegio San Ignacio de Loyola Carolina, Puerto Rico
    G 11 Ayo Dosunmu (C) 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)200 lb (91 kg) JrMorgan Park Chicago, Illinois
    C 12 Brandon Lieb 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)210 lb (95 kg) FrDeerfield Deerfield, Illinois
    F 13 Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)235 lb (107 kg) RS FrKA Pegasus Lommel, Belgium
    F 15 Giorgi Bezhanishvili 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)245 lb (111 kg) JrThe Patrick School (NJ) Rustavi, Georgia
    G 20 Da'Monte Williams (C) 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)215 lb (98 kg) SrManual Peoria, Illinois
    C 21 Kofi Cockburn 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)297 lb (135 kg) SoOak Hill Academy (VA) Kingston, Jamaica
    G 22 Austin Hutcherson  6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)180 lb (82 kg) RS JrHun School of Princeton (NJ)/ Wesleyan New York City
    G 32 Tyler Underwood (W) 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)180 lb (82 kg) GSNacogdoches High School / Oklahoma State Nacogdoches, Texas
    F 33 Coleman Hawkins 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)200 lb (91 kg) FrProlific Prep (CA) Sacramento, California
    C 34 Jermaine Hamlin 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)235 lb (107 kg) SoLincoln Lincoln, Illinois
    G 44 Adam Miller 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)180 lb (82 kg) FrMorgan Park Peoria, Illinois
    Head coach
    Assistant coach(es)

    Legend
    • (C) Team captain
    • (S) Suspended
    • (I) Ineligible
    • (W) Walk-on

    Roster
    Last update: October 10, 2020

    Schedule and results

    Date
    time, TV
    Rank# Opponent# Result Record High points High rebounds High assists Site (attendance)
    city, state
    Non-Conference regular season
    November 25, 2020*
    1:00 PM, BTN
    No. 8 North Carolina A&T W 122–60  1–0
     28  Tied  10  Tied  7  Williams  State Farm Center (132)
    Champaign, IL
    November 26, 2020*
    11:00 AM, BTN
    No. 8 Chicago State W 97–38  2–0
     22  Dosunmu  11  Cockburn  7  Dosunmu  State Farm Center (143)
    Champaign, IL
    November 27, 2020*
    12:00 PM, BTN
    No. 8 Ohio W 77–75  3–0
     27  Dosunmu  14  Cockburn  8  Dosunmu  State Farm Center (155)
    Champaign, IL
    December 2, 2020*
    9:00 pm, ESPN
    No. 5 vs. No. 2 Baylor
    Jimmy V Classic
    L 69–82  3–1
     18  Dosunmu  7  Williams  5  Dosunmu  Bankers Life Fieldhouse (0)
    Indianapolis, IN
    December 5, 2020*
    8:00 PM, BTN
    No. 5 UT-Martin Cancelled due to COVID-19 within UT-Martin program State Farm Center 
    Champaign, IL
    December 8, 2020*
    8:30 PM, ESPN
    No. 6 at No. 10 Duke
    ACC–Big Ten Challenge
    W 83–68  4–1
     18  Dosunmu  12  Dosunmu  5  Dosunmu  Cameron Indoor Stadium (0)
    Durham, NC
    December 12, 2020*
    7:00 PM, ESPNU
    No. 6 at Missouri
    Braggin' Rights
    L 78–81  4–2
     36  Dosunmu  6  Cockburn  4  Curbelo  Mizzou Arena (578)
    Columbia, MO
    Big Ten regular season
    December 15, 2020
    6:00 PM, ESPN2
    No. 13 Minnesota W 92–65  5–2
    (1–0)
     33  Cockburn  13  Cockburn  9  Curbelo  State Farm Center (173)
    Champaign, IL
    December 20, 2020
    12:00 PM, ESPN2
    No. 13 at No. 19 Rutgers L 88–91  5–3
    (1–1)
     22  Dosunmu  12  Cockburn  6  Dosunmu  Rutgers Athletic Center (0)
    Piscataway, NJ
    December 23, 2020
    5:30 PM, BTN
    No. 18 at Penn State W 98–81  6–3
    (2–1)
     30  Dosunmu  7  Grandison  8  Curbelo  Bryce Jordan Center (158)
    University Park, PA
    December 26, 2020
    3:00 PM, FS1
    No. 18 Indiana
    Rivalry
    W 69–60  7–3
    (3–1)
     30  Dosunmu  15  Cockburn  5  Dosunmu  State Farm Center (178)
    Champaign, IL
    January 2, 2021
    5:00 PM, BTN
    No. 15 Purdue W 66-58  8-3
    (4-1)
     14  Cockburn  10  Tied  6  Curbelo  State Farm Center (167)
    Champaign, IL
    January 7, 2021
    8:00 PM, BTN
    No. 12 at Northwestern
    Rivalry
    W 81-56  9-3
    (5-1)
     18  Cockburn  12  Cockburn  7  Curbelo  Welsh–Ryan Arena (0)
    Evanston, IL
    January 10, 2021
    7:00 PM, BTN
    No. 12 Maryland L 63-66  9-4
    (5-2)
     23  Dosunmu  10  Cockburn  5  Tied  State Farm Center (169)
    Champaign, IL
    January 16, 2021
    11:00 AM, FOX
    No. 14 No. 21 Ohio State L 81–87  9–5
    (5–3)
     22  Dosunmu  11  Cockburn  5  Dosunmu  State Farm Center (175)
    Champaign, IL
    January 19, 2021
    7:30 PM, BTN
    No. 22 Penn State W 79-65  10-5
    (6-3)
     21  Cockburn  12  Cockburn  5  Dosunmu  State Farm Center (148)
    Champaign, IL
    January 29, 2021
    8:00 PM, FS1
    No. 19 No. 7 Iowa
    Rivalry
    W 80–75  11–5
    (7–3)
     25  Dosunmu  10  Tied  8  Curbelo  State Farm Center (190)
    Champaign, IL
    February 2, 2021
    8:00 PM, ESPN
    No. 12 at Indiana
    Rivalry
    W 75–71 OT 12–5
    (8–3)
     19  Frazier  10  Cockburn  4  Curbelo  Assembly Hall (0)
    Bloomington, IN
    February 6, 2021
    1:30 PM, FOX
    No. 12 No. 19 Wisconsin W 75–60  13–5
    (9–3)
     23  Cockburn  14  Cockburn  12  Dosunmu  State Farm Center (180)
    Champaign, IL
    February 11, 2021
    6:00 PM, ESPN
    No. 6 at No. 3 Michigan Postponed due to return-to-play for Michigan Crisler Center 
    Ann Arbor, MI
    February 12, 2021
    8:00 PM, BTN
    No. 6 at Nebraska     Pinnacle Bank Arena 
    Lincoln, NE
    February 16, 2021
     BTN
    Northwestern
    Rivalry
        State Farm Center 
    Champaign, IL
    February 20, 2021
     FOX/FS1
    at Minnesota     Williams Arena 
    Minneapolis, MN
    February 23, 2021
    6:00 PM, FS1
    at Michigan State     Breslin Center 
    East Lansing, MI
    February 27, 2021
     ESPN/ESPN2
    at Wisconsin     Kohl Center 
    Madison, WI
    March 2-4, 2021 (TBA)
     BTN
    Nebraska     State Farm Center 
    Champaign, IL
    March 6, 2021
     ESPN/ESPN2
    at Ohio State     Value City Arena 
    Columbus, OH
    Big Ten Tournament
    March 10 - 14, 2021
        Lucas Oil Stadium 
    Indianapolis, IN
    *Non-conference game. #Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses.
    All times are in Central Time.

    Source[7]

    Rankings

    Ranking movements
    Legend: ██ Increase in ranking. ██ Decrease in ranking.
    NR = Not ranked. RV = Received votes. т = Tied with team above or below. ( ) = First place votes.
    Week
    Poll Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Final 
    AP 8 5 6 13 18 15 12 14 22 19 12 6 Not released 
    Coaches 10 10^ 9 13 18 16 12 13 24 22 13 6

    *AP does not release post-NCAA Tournament rankings
    ^Coaches did not release a Week 1 poll.

    References

    This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.