Jacob Grandison
Duke center Kyle Filipowski drives to the basket in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Georgia Tech, Saturday, Jan 28, 2023, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Hakim Wright Sr.)
Duke Blue Devils at Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets 1/28/2023

Jan. 28, 2023 04:22 PM EST

Illinois' Coleman Hawkins (33) shoots as Eastern Illinois' Jermaine Hamlin (34) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 7, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
Shannon scores 24 as Illinois beats Eastern Illinois 87-57

By Gavin Good Nov. 07, 2022 11:37 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 24 points and Coleman Hawkins had

FILE - Illinois coach Brad Underwood gestures during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Ohio State on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. Underwood has added transfers and freshmen who could make the Illini very dangerous the second half of the season. (AP Photo/Michael Allio, File)
No. 23 Illini look to new faces for deeper postseason run

By Gavin Good Oct. 19, 2022 03:31 PM EDT
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Illinois coach Brad Underwood believes a new crop of talent

Illinois' Andre Curbelo passes the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Penn State Thursday, March 3, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
Williams helps No. 20 Illinois to 60-55 win over Penn State

By Gavin Good Mar. 03, 2022 09:35 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Da’Monte Williams made four 3-pointers on his way to a season

Illinois coach Brad Underwood talks with Ohio State coach Chris Holtmann before an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
No. 22 Ohio State ekes out 86-83 win over No. 15 Illinois

By Gavin Good Feb. 25, 2022 12:01 AM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Freshman Malaki Branham scored 31 points to lift No. 22 Ohio

Illinois' Jacob Grandison shoots against Michigan State during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, in East Lansing, Mich. Illinois won 79-74. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Cockburn leads No. 12 Illinois past slumping No. 19 Spartans

Feb. 19, 2022 02:38 PM EST
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Kofi Cockburn scored 27 points, Jacob Grandison had a

Indiana center Michael Durr (2) knocks the ball out of the hands of Illinois center Kofi Cockburn (21) as he attempts to shoot during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Frazier, No. 18 Illinois surge in 2nd half past Indiana

By Michael Marot Feb. 05, 2022 02:28 PM EST
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — No. 18 Illinois needed someone other than Kofi Cockburn to

Cockburn leads No. 18 Illinois past No. 11 Wisconsin, 80-67

By Gavin Good Feb. 02, 2022 11:32 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kofi Cockburn had 37 points and 12 rebounds and No. 18

Minnesota forward Jamison Battle (10) tries to shoot as Illinois forward Omar Payne (4) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)
Cockburn, Illinois dominate Minnesota 76-53

Jan. 04, 2022 09:10 PM EST
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Kofi Cockburn had 29 points, 10 rebounds and a season-high four

St. Francis' Myles Thompson (5) shoots between Illinois' Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (13) and Kofi Cockburn during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Illinois makes program-record 18 3-pointers in 106-48 win

Dec. 18, 2021 03:36 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kofi Cockburn scored 21 points with 11 rebounds and Alfonso

Iowa forward Keegan Murray (15) shoots over Illinois guard Da'Monte Williams during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, in Iowa City, Iowa. Illinois won 87-83. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Cockburn double-double leads Illinois past Iowa, 87-83

Dec. 06, 2021 10:01 PM EST
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Kofi Cockburn scored 17 points and grabbed a career-high 18

Illinois' Trent Frazier (1) dribbles as Rutgers' Paul Mulcahy defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Dec. 3, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
Plummer, Cockburn lead Illinois past Rutgers 86-51

Dec. 03, 2021 09:33 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Alfonso Plummer scored 24 points, Kofi Cockburn had a

Notre Dame's Blake Wesley (0) Illinois' Kofi Cockburn (21) and Illinois' Jacob Grandison vie for a rebound during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
Cockburn, Plummer lead Illinois past Notre Dame 82-72

Nov. 29, 2021 11:35 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kofi Cockburn scored 28 points, Alfonso Plummer added 21

Illinois' Kofi Cockburn (21) dunks the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Rio Grande Valley Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
Cockburn's career night lifts No. 14 Illinois to 94-85 win

By Gavin Good Nov. 26, 2021 10:30 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kofi Cockburn scored a career-high 38 points to lead No.

Marquette's Kameron Jones loses control of the ball as he falls while being defended by Illinois' Alfonso Plummer (11) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Aaron Gash)
Late steal gives Marquette a 67-66 win over No. 10 Illinois

By Steve Megargee Nov. 15, 2021 09:41 PM EST
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Tyler Kolek didn’t know if he’d be healthy enough to play

Illinois' Omar Payne dunks the ball during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Arkansas State Friday, Nov. 12, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
No. 11 Illinois easily tops Arkansas State 92-53

By Gavin Good Nov. 12, 2021 11:25 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had 17 points on Friday night and No. 11

Illinois' Da'Monte Williams (20) holds the ball away from Jackson State's Dyllan Taylor during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
Grandison leads short-handed No. 11 Illinois past Jackson St

By Gavin Good Nov. 09, 2021 10:33 PM EST
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Jacob Grandison scored a career-high 20 points as short

Illinois' Kofi Cockburn addresses the media during the first day of the Big Ten NCAA college basketball media days, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
Deep Illini build expectations around big man Kofi Cockburn

By Gavin Good Oct. 20, 2021 03:10 AM EDT
For all the excitment at Illinois this year, from earning a No. 1 seed in the

Illinois guard Da'Monte Williams, right rear, celebrates as Giorgi Bezhanishvili follows through on a dunk over Rutgers' Ron Harper Jr. during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game at the Big Ten Conference men's tournament in Indianapolis, Friday, March 12, 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
No. 3 Illinois gets past No. 5 Iowa, into Big Ten title game

By Michael Marot Mar. 13, 2021 11:07 PM EST
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Illinois center Kofi Cockburn learned some hard lessons

Penn State's Sam Sessoms, left, goes after a loose ball with Illinois' Ayo Dosunmu during first half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Dec 23, 2020, in State College, Pa. (AP Photo/Gary M. Baranec)
Dosunmu, Cockburn lead No. 18 Illinois past Penn State 98-81

By Travis Johnson Dec. 23, 2020 08:58 PM EST
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Illinois coach Brad Underwood isn’t going to change