By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

November 23, 2024

After falling in Alabama, the Illini are back in the friendly confines of the State Farm Center on Saturday afternoon to face Maryland-Eastern Shore in a buy game. Coming off the Alabama loss, the Illini sit 3-1 as they prepare to navigate a difficult holiday schedule after a couple of games at home. Here’s a look at the particulars.

Setting the Stage

#25/#20 Illinois (3-1) vs. Maryland-Eastern Shore (2-5)
Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 // 3 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
Stream: B1G+ – Alec Gilmore (Play-by-Play), Genesis Bryant (Analyst), Peter Hanson
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Scott Beatty (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas (Analyst)

Notable

-The Illini are coming off a 100-87 loss to No. 8 Alabama on Wednesday at the C.M. Newton Classic in Birmingham, Ala., and follow Saturday’s matchup vs. UMES with a Monday home game vs. Little Rock (8 p.m. CT/BTN). Illinois closes November with a Thursday contest vs. No. 20 Arkansas (3 p.m. CT/CBS) in the Thanksgiving Hoops Showcase at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City.

-Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks among the top 15 teams nationally in: 3-pointers per game (7th in NCAA, 12.0), 3-point attempts per game (9th, 33.8), rebounds per game (7th, 46.5), defensive rebounds per game (8th, 32.5), and rebound margin (15th, +13.3), scoring margin (11th, +29.7)

-The Hawks enter the 2024-25 season under new head coach Cleo Hill, Jr. All 11 players listed on the UMES roster are in their first year with the program.

-The Hawks were 9-20 overall last season including a 4-10 ledger in MEAC

-Ketron “KC” Shaw was 3rd in NCAA Division I in points per game with 25.8 per contest through 2 weeks. He followed that up with a triple-double and was Crowned MEAC Player of the Week. Shaw has scored 20 or more points in six of seven games this season and is averaging 23.4 points per game. UMES guard Evan Johnson scored a season-high 23 points last game, making eight of 12 shot attempts.

-• Saturday’s contest is the second meeting in the series between Illinois and Maryland-Eastern Shore. The 14th-ranked Illini defeated the Hawks, 85-43, at State Farm Center on Dec. 11, 2003, behind 19 points from Roger Powell and 16 points from Luther Head.

Prediction

The Illini will be ready to put the Alabama loss behind them and come out firing as they take care of business 95-62.