WHO: Illinois Fighting Illini (17-11, 9-8 Big Ten)

WHEN: 8:00 PM CT (Tuesday, February 25, 2025)

WHERE: State Farm Center (Champaign, IL)

TV: FS1 (Brandon Gaudin, Robbie Hummel)

RADIO: Hawkeye Radio Network (Gary Dolphin, Bobby Hansen)

MOBILE: foxsports.com/mobile

ONLINE: foxsports.com/live

FOLLOW: @HawkeyeBeacon | @IowaHoops | @IowaonBTN

LINE: Illinois -10.5 (total of 170.5)

KENPOM: Illinois -11 (83% chance of winning)

Illinois enters Tuesday night's game against Iowa in the midst of a three-game losing streak, the worst stretch of the Illini's season so far. Still, those struggles might say more about who the Illini have been playing than the Illini themselves -- that three-game losing streak has involved a loss to Michigan State, a loss at Wisconsin, and a neutral-site loss to Duke, three teams all ranked in the KenPom top-10.

Granted, all three of those losses came by double-digits (average margin of defeat: 26 points) and the Illini are just 9-8 overall in Big Ten play, including road losses to the likes of Northwestern, Nebraska, and Rutgers. Chalk them up as a "talented, but flawed" team this season.

G Drew Thelwell (6'3", 195 lbs; 10.1 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.0 apg, 51.9 FG%, 41.5 3FG%)

G Josh Dix (6'6", 210 lbs; 14.2 ppg; 3.0 rpg; 2.8 apg; 52.1 FG%; 42.7 3FG%)

F Payton Sandfort (6'8", 215 lbs; 16.3 ppg; 5.9 rpg; 3.0 apg; 41.0 FG%; 34.8 3FG%)

F Seydou Traore (6'7", 220 lbs; 6.5 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 1.4 apg, 44.1 FG%, 25.0 3FG%)

F Ladji Dembele (6'8", 255 lbs; 4.0 ppg, 3.2 rpg, 0.5 apg; 46.2 FG%, 39.3 3FG%)

Outside the long-term absences of Owen Freeman and Cooper Koch, the rest of the roster should be available for Iowa in Champaign.

G Kylan Boswell (6'2", 205 lbs; 11.0 ppg, 4.9 rpg, 3.1 apg, 38.2 FG%, 22.2 3FG%)

G Kasparas Jakucionis (6'6", 205 lbs; 15.5 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 4.8 apg, 46.6 FG%, 32.8 3FG%)

F Tre White (6'7", 210 lbs; 9.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 0.8 apg, 47.9 FG%, 24.4 3FG%)

F Ben Humrichous (6'9", 225 lbs; 8.4 ppg, 3.9 rpg, 1.1 apg, 38.0 FG%, 33.5 3FG%)

C Tomislav Ivisic (7'1", 255 lbs; 12.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 49.8 FG%, 33.9 3FG%)

It's been a total roster makeover at Illinois from last season to this year, with only one player in the regular rotation (Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn) returning from last season. The big addition for the Illini this season was star freshman Kasparas Jakucionis, though his time in Champaign figures to be short -- the 6'6" combo guard from Lithuania is widely tabbed to be a lottery pick in the 2025 NBA Draft if he chooses to enter.

Jakucionis has lived up to the hype in his debut season, leading the team in scoring (15.5 ppg) and assists (4.8 apg) and ranking second in rebounding (5.6 rpg). He's an exellent passer, a solid enough 3-point shooter (32.8%), and a capable defender as well. He's struggled a bit during Illinois' losing streak (12.1 ppg, 5.7 rpg, 2.3 apg), but he still profiles as a match-up nightmare for the Hawkeyes.

Nor is Jakucionis the only European import who's excelled for the Illini this year -- big man Tomislav Ivisic from Croatia is second on the team in scoring (12.4 ppg) and leading the team in rebounding (8.0 rpg). He's been fairly lethal around the basket (62.9% on 2-point attempts), but can stretch the floor as well (33.9% on 109 attempts). He also looks like an extremely challenging match-up for Iowa.

Illinois' third-leading scorer is Will Riley, a 6'8" freshman who's started just two games this season. RIley has been a very effective sparkplug off the bench, though, averaging 11.7 ppg on 41.2% shooting from the floor (33.3% from long range). Arizona transfer Kylan Boswell rounds out the double-figure scorers for the Illini; he's averaging 11.0 ppg on 38.2% shooting from the floor, though he's been an icy 22.2% from deep (on 108 attempts).

Louisville transfer Tre White and Evansville transfer Ben Humrichous round out the starting five for the Illini. White has chipped in 9.5 ppg and 5.3 rpg on 47.9% shooting, while Humrichous has added 8.4 ppg and 3.9 rpg on 38.0% shooting from the floor.

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Illinois ranks 18th nationally in offensive efficiency (6th in the Big Ten), but their scoring pop comes from inside the arc and around the rim. Illinois is second in the league at converting 2-point attempts (56.5%) and they do an excellent job of rebounding their own misses for second-chance opportunities (35.5% offensive rebound rate). The Illini don't get to the free throw line often (15th in the league in free throw rate) and they've been miserable from deep (29.1% from 3-point range, worst in the Big Ten).

The Illini rank 42nd nationally in defensive efficiency and seventh in the league. Though they rank last in the league in forcing turnovers (just 11.6% of opponent possessions), they've been very good at contesting shots. Opponents have an effective FG% of just 48.2% against them (3rd in the Big Ten), which includes 46.3% on 2-point attempts (best in the Big Ten) and 35.3% on 3-point tries (11th in the league).