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Illinois' Coleman Hawkins, right, dribbles as Rutgers' Caleb McConnell (22) defends during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
Hawkins, Illinois shut out No. 24 Rutgers for 10 mins in win
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins scored 18 points and Illinois held No. 24 Rutgers scoreless for more than 10 minutes in the second half, rallying for a 69-60 win Saturday.
 
Missouri's D'Moi Hodge (5) heads to the basket as Illinois' Sencire Harris (1) defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Thursday, Dec. 22, 2022, in St. Louis. Missouri won 93-71. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
Brown scores 31, Missouri upsets No. 16 Illinois 93-71
 
Maryland forward Donta Scott (24) handles the ball against Illinois guard RJ Melendez during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Dec. 2, 2022, in College Park, Md. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)
No. 22 Maryland tops No. 16 Illinois 71-66 to stay unbeaten
 
Illinois' Jayden Epps (3) works the ball inside against Lindenwood's Remy Lemovou during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Friday, Nov. 25, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
Clark, Melendez lead Illinois in 92-59 rout of Lindenwood
 
Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins (33) and guards Jayden Epps, center left, and Sencire Harris celebrate during the second half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against UCLA on Friday, Nov. 18, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chase Stevens)
Shannon scores 29, No. 15 Illinois rallies past No. 8 UCLA
 
Dainja, Mayer power Illinois past Michigan State, 75-66
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Dain Dainja was an inside force Michigan State had no answer for and Matthew Mayer hit clutch 3s in the second half as Illinois ended the Spartans seven-game win streak with a 75-66 win on Friday night.
 
FILE - Baylor guard Matthew Mayer, left, drives past Norfolk State forward Dana Tate (21) during the second half of a college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday, March 17, 2022. The Illini were big winners in the offseason transfer market though, securing the talents of former Texas Tech wing Terrence Shannon Jr. and Baylor forward Matthew Mayer. (AP Photo/LM Otero, File)
No. 23 Illini look to new faces for deeper postseason run
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Illinois coach Brad Underwood believes a new crop of talent can help his team stay near the top of the Big Ten.
 
Illinois' Kofi Cockburn dunks against Chattanooga during the first half of a college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 18, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
Plummer’s late free throws lift Illini by Chattanooga 54-53
Alfonso Plummer scored 15 points, including the go-ahead free throws with 12 seconds to go, and fourth-seeded Illinois escaped 13th-seeded Chattanooga 54-53 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
 
Illinois fans storm the court at the conclusion of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa, Sunday, March 6, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
No. 20 Illinois beats No. 24 Iowa for share of Big Ten title
No. 20 Illinois locked up a share of the Big Ten regular-season title when Kofi Cockburn had 21 points and 14 rebounds to lead a 74-72 win over No. 24 Iowa.
 
Illinois forward Coleman Hawkins (33) passes the ball against Michigan center Hunter Dickinson (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Sunday, Feb. 27, 2022, in Ann Arbor, Mich. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)
Cockburn, Plummer help No. 15 Illinois beat Michigan 93-85
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Kofi Cockburn dominated on the inside, as usual, and his teammates provided plenty of offense from the outside.
 
Illinois' Kofi Cockburn, left, passes against pressure from Michigan State's Joey Hauser, right, and Julius Marble (34) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Saturday, Feb. 19, 2022, in East Lansing, Mich. (AP Photo/Al Goldis)
Cockburn leads No. 12 Illinois past slumping No. 19 Spartans
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Kofi Cockburn scored 27 points, Jacob Grandison had a season-high 24 and No. 12 Illinois held off No. 19 Michigan State 79-74 on Saturday.
 
Rutgers center Clifford Omoruyi drives to the basket around Illinois forward Omar Payne (4) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in Piscataway, N.J. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Rutgers downs No. 12 Illinois, 4th straight vs ranked team
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Rutgers isn’t just beating ranked teams, they are dominating them with a relentless hard-nosed style of play.
 
Illinois' Trent Frazier sets up a play during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan State, Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
No. 24 Illinois holds off No. 10 Michigan State, 56-55
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Trent Frazier scored a game-high 16 points, and No. 24 Illinois held on to beat No. 10 Michigan State 56-55 on Tuesday and take sole possession of first place in the Big Ten.
 
Purdue's Sasha Stefanovic (55) passes as Illinois' Trent Frazier defends during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game, Monday, Jan. 17, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
Stefanovic, No. 4 Purdue top No. 17 Illinois in double OT
Sasha Stefanovic scored 22 points, including a go-ahead 3 at the start of double overtime that sent No. 4 Purdue over No. 17 Illinois 96-88.
 
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
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Kofi Cockburn scored a career-high 38 points to lead No. 14 Illinois to a hard-fought 94-85 win over Texas Rio Grande Valley on Friday night.
 
Illinois' Andre Curbelo eyes a loose 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
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Coleman Hawkins had 17 points on Friday night and No. 11 Illinois overwhelmed Arkansas State in a 92-53 blowout.
 
Illinois center Kofi Cockburn dunks the ball during the first half of a first round NCAA college basketball tournament game against Drexel Friday, March 19, 2021, at the Indiana Farmers Coliseum in Indianapolis .(AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Top-seeded Illinois cruises past Drexel 78-49 to open NCAAs
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Kofi Cockburn muscled his way to 18 points and Illinois cruised past 16th-seeded Drexel 78-49 Friday in the Illini’s first NCAA Tournament game as a No. 1 seed in 16 years.
 
Key matchup: Gonzaga’s frontcourt will test Illinois freshman
This contest will be a clash of styles and wills with balanced, operate-through-bigs Gonzaga against younger, guard-heavy Illinois.