How to watch Illinois vs. UTRGV
Playing time: 7 p.m. Monday
TV channel: BTN
Online broadcast: FOXSportsGO
Odds: N/A (Illinois 97.4% chance to win – ESPN Match Predictor)
Quick hits:
Illinois fighting Illini (5-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
Head coach: Brad Underwood (9th season, 170-102)
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Last game: Illinois 98, LIU 58
Match day reading:
Wagler leads Illinois past Long Island in bounce-back game
Small details wiped out Illinois’ chances of winning: ‘Need to learn not to lose’
UT Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros (2-3, 0-0 Southland)
Head coach: Kahil Fennell (2nd season)
Last game: Missouri State 74, UTRGV 67
What happened the last time these two teams played?
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Illinois leads the all-time series 5-0.
November 26, 2021: Illinois 94, UTRGV 85
For the second consecutive match, it was the Alfonso Plummer and Kofi Cockburn show.
After going 44 as a duo against Kansas State earlier in the week, the duo combined for 68 Friday night to help the Illini escape a 94-85 scare against the Texas-Rio Grande Valley Vaqueros at the State Farm Center in Champaign.
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Three pillars of the starting lineup were excluded from the competition; Trent Frazier is still recovering from a knee injury suffered against Kansas State, Jacob Grandison is battling an illness and Andre Curbelo is dealing with the lingering effects of a concussion he suffered earlier in the season.
That being said, Illinois deployed a unique starting lineup consisting of: Alfonso Plummer, Da’Monte Williams, Austin Hutcherson, Coleman Hawkins, and Kofi Cockburn.
As has been the trend for the Illini this season, Brad Underwood’s team came out flat-footed. The absences of three rotation players only amplified this problem. The Illini found themselves trailing, 24-12, during the under-12 media timeout. Enter, Plummer and Cockburn. The duo went on a 27-13 run to close the half and combined for 31 of Illinois’ 39 first-half points.
Illinois’ defense struggled to get stops in the second quarter, with Vaquero’s offense finding surprising success among the trees. On the other end of the court, the Illini channeled their offense through their All-American, Kofi Cockburn. He scored nearly half of the Illini’s points in the second half, recorded a career-high 38 and almost single-handedly pulled the Illini out of an upset.
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The two teams were deadlocked at 82 with three minutes remaining before the Illini began to pull away. A pair of Hawkins free throws and a Williams putback gave the Illini their largest lead since the start of the first half. The Vaqueros were able to gain possession with a free throw, but didn’t get any closer as Illinois won 94-85.
