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ILLINOIS LINKS: GAME NOTES | ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
BIG TEN TOURNAMENT: TOURNAMENT CENTRAL | BRACKET
Following a 15-point second-half comeback victory over Nebraska in the semifinals, No. 2 seed Illinois faces No. 5 seed Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament (BTT) championship on Sunday afternoon (2:30 p.m. CT, CBS).
Orange and Blue News previews the game, including probable starters, keys to the game, and a prediction.
SETTING THE STAGE
#13ap/14 Illinois // 25-8 Overall, 14-6 Big Ten
No. 2 Seed // 2024 Big Ten Tournament // Minneapolis, Minn. // Target Center
Championship vs. No. 5 Seed Wisconsin (22-12, 11-9) // Sunday, March 17 // 2:30 p.m. CT
TV: CBS – Ian Eagle (Play-By-Play), Bill Raftery & Grant Hill (Analysts), Tracy Wolfson (Sideline)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas (Analyst)
National Radio: Compass Media Networks – Gregg Daniels (Play-By-Play), Doug Gottlieb (Analyst) // Satellite Radio: SiriusXM – 84
GAME NOTES
Illinois advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship game with a 98-87 comeback win over Nebraska on Saturday.
Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 40 points in the win over the Cornhuskers, setting a new single game scoring record in the Big Ten Tournament.
Illinois is making its eighth all-time BTT championship game appearance, and first since 2021, when head coach Brad Underwood’s Illini defeated Ohio State, 91-88 in ovetime, to win the title.
Illinois is 3-4 all-time in the BTT championship game, winning titles in 2003, 2005, and 2021.
Illinois and Wisconsin are meeting for the fourth time in the BTT championship game. Illinois won in 2005 while Wisconsin won in 2004 and 2008.
Wisconsin advanced to the championship of the 2024 Big Ten Tournament with a 76-75 overtime win over top-seeded Purdue.
Wisconsin is shooting 41.8% (33-79) from 3-point range through 3 Big Ten Tournament games, an improvement over the team's 33.9% regular season mark.
PROJECTED STARTERS
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI
G - TY RODGERS, 6-6, SOPH | 6.7 PPG | 5.5 RPG | 2.1 APG
G - TERRENCE SHANNON JR., 6-6, SR. | 22.6 PPG | 4.1 RPG | 2.1 APG
F - MACUS DOMASK, 6-6, SR. | 15.7 PPG | 4.8 RPG | 3.6 APG
F - QUINCY GUERRIER, 6-8, SR. | 10.2 PPG | 6.5 RPG | 0.3 APG
F - COLEMAN HAWKINS, 6-10, SR. | 12.6 PPG | 6.2 RPG | 2.7 APG
*****
WISCONSIN BADGERS
G - CHUCKY HEPBURN, 6-2, JR. | 8.9 PPG | 3.3 RPG | 3.9 APT
G - AJ STORR, 6-7, SOPH. | 16.7 PPG | 3.9 RPG | 0.9 APG
G - MAX KLESMIT, 6-4, JR. | 9.5 PPG | 2.0 RPG | 1.9 APG
F - TYLER WAHL, 6-9, GRD | 10.9 PPG | 5.5 RPG | 1.8 APG
F - STEVEN CROWL, 7-0, JR. | 11.2 PPG | 7.2 RPG | 2.0 APG
KEYS TO THE GAME
SUPPORTIG CAST
Terrence Shannon Jr. is going on in the Big Ten Tournament, but it's the supporting cast from both teams that may decide the game.
Marcus Domask bounced back with 16 points, grabbed seven rebounds, dished out a team-high eight assists again Nebraska. He had a great game the last time Illinois faced.
The Illini need all hands on deck, though. Coleman Hawkins and Quincy Guerrier need to control the glass and defend the rim.
Wisconsin wing AJ Storr followed up his 30-point performance against Northwestern with another 20-point effort against Purdue. His supporting cast is stepping up.
Chucky Heburn is having a great Big Ten Tournament, scoring scoring 22 points with 4 assists, zero turnovers, and 3 steals against Purdue.
Wisconsin has been getting big contributions from its bench, owning a 52 to 20 scoring edge from reserves in the BTT.
START FAST - STAY FAST
Illinois has started slow in both games in the Big Ten Tournament and fallen behind by double digits. If that happens against on Sunday, its doubtful that the Badgers will let them off the hook.
Wisconsin showed that it will play until the final horn in the Purdue game, winning in a possession game against a team that is one of the best in college basketball in closing games out.
Illinois got rolling downhill that last time these two teams met with 19 fast break points and 52 points in the second half. Illinois would love to speed them up again and get Shannon in the open court.
BALL SECURITY
Wisconsin beat Purdue by turning them over the converting at the other end. They play an efficient halfcourt game and put the ball in the hands of Hepburn. Illinois was -1.95 in turnover margin against Big Ten teams this season.
Wisconsin forced 16 Purdue turnovers and scored 15 points off of those miscues by the Boilers. Purdue did not score any points off of 5 Wisconsin turnovers. Hepburn ranks second in the Big Ten, averaging 2.3 steals per game.
PREDICTION
ILLINOIS 82 WISCONSIN 79
Illinois gets off to a better start in the title game and cuts down the nets in Minneapolis on Selection Sunday. The Illini head into the Big Dance riding a four-game winning streak.
