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By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 18, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Kofi Cockburn was presented with basic, simple math against Purdue: two is greater than one. 

Purdue, ranked No. 4 in the Associated Press poll, has two elite-level bigs they can count on and Cockburn’s Illini squad has just him. The equation equaled a 96-88 loss for 17th ranked Illinois in double overtime as Cockburn watched nearly three-fifths of the game on his team’s bench marred in foul trouble.

Cockburn, who is one of the frontrunners for National Player of the Year, struggled to handle Purdue’s 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey throughout the loss on Monday. Cockburn’s early foul trouble, which was the first time he’s suffered through a plague of whistles, allowed Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter to go to senior Trevion Williams against the Illini’s smorgasbord of interior players behind Cockburn.

“Staying on the court would help. The improvement of Zach Edey is through the roof,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said. “We’re not going to get to where we need to go with him sitting for 30 minutes, that's for sure.” 

Luke Ford’s belief in Bret Bielema’s Illinois staff and […]

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Andre Curbelo certainly didn’t get a warmup effort before his dramatic return to the playing floor.

In his first action since being benched due to concussion-like symptoms following the 72-64 win over Kansas City in Kansas City, Mo. on Nov. 23, the Illini sophomore point guard finished with 20 points, six rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes against the fourth-best team in the country.

“To me, he’s the best point guard in the nation,” Illinois guard Alfonso Plummer said after the loss. “I feel like he’ll bring a lot of tension to other teams.”

Purdue (15-2, 4-2 in Big Ten Conference) spoiled the energy left that Curbelo gave this sellout crowd by being able to leave State Farm Center with a 96-88 victory in double overtime, the first win in Champaign by a league opponent in 366 days (87-81 vs. Ohio State on Jan. 16, 2021).

Purdue head coach Matt Painter joked in the post-game media conference that he wished Curbelo would’ve continued to be inactive just like he was for the previous 11 contests.

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Most successful DI football programs have a strong redshirt and walk-on system. In his second year, Illinois head coach Brett Bielema is starting to do just that.

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January 15, 2022

When Illinois head coach Brad Underwood lost his entire coaching staff, Illini Nation went into panic mode, which makes sense. Orlando Antigua spearheaded that group.

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Illinois head coach Brad Underwood knows he needs fifth-year guard Trent Frazier to have energy left for a March run but admits it’s hard to take him out of anything - including practice. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 14, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The most uncomfortable but necessary conversation for Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is usually with his star, fifth-year senior guard Trent Frazier. 

Following the COVID-19 pause, Illinois backup center Omar Payne has been everything the Illini coaches want from that role behind Kofi Cockburn. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 14, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- For the final three minutes and 57 seconds at Nebraska, Illinois benched arguably college basketball's most dominant post player and it wasn’t punitive.