Illinois has its best chance at winning a national championship in men’s basketball since 2005.
The Illini earned a No. 1 seed and are a popular pick to win the NCAA Tournament. The charismatic, determined team seems to be peaking at the right time after winning the Big Ten Tournament last week to extend its winning streak to seven games.
Illinois (23-6) plays No. 16 seed Drexel (12-7) in the first round Friday.
The Illini’s team chemistry, strength at multiple positions, depth and experience are expected to pay off in Indianapolis. Illinois finished as national runner-up in 2005. This season’s team is eager to make history.
So who are the Illini? Get to know Illinois’ key players.
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Starters
Ayo Dosunmu
Junior guard, 6-foot-5
The masked man is a dynamic scorer who has made numerous clutch shots in his career and a determined leader. Averaging 20.7 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.3 assists, the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player hasn’t been slowed by wearing a mask to protect his broken nose. This is expected to be his last run before entering the NBA draft.
Kofi Cockburn
Sophomore center, 7-0
Few big men are as imposing and dominant as Cockburn, who has recorded 16 double-doubles this season. His dunks throughout the Big Ten Tournament were showstoppers. Cockburn, who’s from Jamaica, makes 65.5% of his field goals, but his free-throw shooting (54.4%) is iffy.
Trent Frazier
Senior guard, 6-2
Frazier is a lockdown defender. He can be an inconsistent shooter, but when he gets hot, watch out. A four-year starter at Illinois, Frazier scored 22 points in a victory at Michigan and 24 in a win at Iowa.
Jacob Grandison
Junior guard/forward, 6-6
The veteran transfer from Holy Cross brings a consistent motor and a knack for key putbacks. He averages 4.6 points and 3.3 rebounds.
Adam Miller
Freshman guard, 6-3
Like Ayo Dosunmu, Miller is another star from Morgan Park. The 2020 Mr. Basketball winner in Illinois hasn’t shown impatience as he waits for his turn to shine. He has started every game and ranks fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 8.2 points. Miller also ranks sixth among Big Ten freshmen in scoring, and he shoots 33.3% on 3-pointers.
Bench
Andre Curbelo
Freshman guard, 6-1
The flashy point guard has grown by leaps in the last few weeks, seeming to take a step up when Ayo Dosunmu missed three games. He hasn’t slowed down. Curbelo, the Big Ten’s Sixth Man of the Year, has remarkable court vision. In the last eight games, he averaged 13.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists while shooting 54%.
Da’Monte Williams
Senior guard, 6-3
Williams is an ultimate glue player. Eager to dive on the floor or get in another player’s face, he provides the Illini with a dose of toughness. But he’s also a solid catch-and-shoot scorer, leading the team with 56.5% 3-point accuracy.
Giorgi Bezhanishvili
Junior forward, 6-9
There might not be a happier player in college basketball despite his scoring average and minutes dropping to career lows. The effervescent big man has been serviceable when Cockburn heads to the bench, and he averages 5.3 points in 14.7 minutes. He had a key stretch against Ohio State in the Big Ten Tournament championship game, scoring six points in a row during a 12-point, six-rebound performance.