CHAMPAIGN — Ayo Dosunmu proved once more his preseason All-American honor was deserved. Andre Curbelo took his flip for the breakout freshman efficiency. And No. Eight Illinois crushed Chicago State 97-38 on Thursday at State Farm Middle.

Dosunmu led Illinois with 22 factors, seven assists and 6 rebounds. Curbelo went off within the second half, ending with 18 factors and 7 rebounds, usually knocking down a board and working a one-man quick break.

Three different Illini additionally hit double-digit scoring. Adam Miller adopted up his 28-point debut with 15 factors towards Chicago State. Kofi Cockburn additionally had one other double-double with 14 factors and 11 rebounds, and Trent Frazier added 14 factors and 4 rebounds.

Illinois (2-0) will wrap up play in its personal multi-team occasion with a midday Friday tipoff towards Ohio.

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We’re a go at State Farm Middle for day two of Illinois’ multi-team occasion. Be sure you comply with alongside all day with our beat author, who’s posted up at State Farm Middle this week:

Tweets by Scott Richey

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Here is one space the place Bart Torvik’s T-Rank has a leg up on Ken Pomeroy’s KenPom Ratings. You’ll be able to remove all of the groups that have not performed in Torvik’s system. 

Illinois, in fact, would have been ranked excessive both manner. Limiting the scope to solely groups which have performed, nonetheless, noticed the Illini verify in because the No. Eight most effective offense and No. 20 most effective protection.

An additional dive reveals the Illini rank first in efficient area aim proportion (70 p.c!) and first nationally in offensive rebounding proportion (60.6 p.c). To not point out third in defensive rebounding proportion (10.6 p.c) and third in three-point proportion (54.Eight p.c).

The Illini will not all the time have video games prefer it did towards North Carolina A&T, however they did handle to pad their superior stats to start out the season. (And can most likely do the identical immediately towards Chicago State).

You play for @Illinimbb you higher compete. I clarify https://t.co/IIZL8l5MIX

— Seth Greenberg (@SethOnHoops) November 26, 2020

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Adam Miller making 6 of Eight three-pointers and scoring 28 factors in his Illinois debut generated somewhat nationwide faculty basketball curiosity.

Season-Opening Awards: Greatest Win: San Diego State over UCLABest Mid-Main Win: Western Kentucky over UNIWorst Loss: Pittsburgh vs. St. Francis (Pa.)Most Disappointing: Kansas State dropping to DrakeBest Debut: Illinois frosh Adam Miller (28 factors, 6-Eight from 3)

— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) November 26, 2020

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Illinois’ 62-point victory wasn’t the one large win for the Huge Ten yesterday, though it was the most important. Eleven different Huge Ten groups performed on the season’s first day, and, just like the Illini, all of them gained.

Highlights from the #Illini‘s spectacular 122-60 season-opening win over North Carolina A&T#EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/m54SFg8Zja

— Illinois Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 25, 2020

I’ll notice that the closest recreation got here by way of my alma mater, with Jap Illinois placing collectively a second half rally earlier than dropping a 77-67 recreation a Wisconsin. The Panthers’ Mack Smith was not environment friendly on the offensive finish, however his lone made shot was a three-pointer. That places Smith’s streak of 82 consecutive video games with a made three-pointer, which is simply six shy of former Illini guard Cory Bradford’s nationwide file of 88.

Anyway, here is what stood out to me from the Huge Ten openers:

— Iowa’s Luka Garza picked proper again up from the place he left off, ending with 26 factors, 10 rebounds and three blocks within the Hawkeyes’ 97-67 win towards North Carolina Central.

— Michigan State has some extent guard. Not less than by way of one recreation. Foster Loyer dropped a game-high 20 factors within the Spartans’ 83-67 victory towards Jap Michigan (aka the primary post-Cassius Winston recreation).

— Ohio State merely took care of enterprise in a 94-67 win towards Illinois State. Cal switch Justice Suening’s 19 factors made him considered one of 5 Buckeyes in double figures.

— Rutgers beat Sacred Coronary heart 86-63, however Geo Baker was damage and on crutches afterward. I nonetheless assume Ron Harper Jr. is the Scarlet Knights’ finest participant (and he had 18 factors factors and 10 rebounds), however Baker’s not a man Rutgers needs to lose for any size of time.

— The one draw back of Michigan’s 96-82 win towards Bowling Inexperienced is the actual fact the Falcons scored 82 factors. That is not a slight to Justin Turner, who’s legit and opted to return to Bowling Inexperienced after initially testing the switch portal waters. However it was a recreation from Wake Forest switch (and one-time Illinois goal) Chaundee Brown for the Wolverines with a team-high 19 factors. 

— Nebraska practically doubled up McNeese State in a 102-55 win. The Cornhuskers will not all the time have six gamers in double figures, however a rotating main scorer (no less than early within the 12 months) would not shock me.

— Eric Ayala had 19 factors in Maryland’s 85-67 victory towards Previous Dominion. In a post-Anthony Cowan world, that is factor.

— It wasn’t a splashy 77-64 win for Purdue, however 7-foot-4, 285-pound freshman heart Zach Edey scoring a team-high 19 factors was a watch opener.

— Good day, Marcus Carr. The Minnesota guard scored 35 factors and likewise had seven rebounds and 4 assists within the Gophers’ 99-69 win towards Inexperienced Bay.

— Once more, it is only one recreation, however Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis may very well be making a kind of sophomore leaps. Jackson-Davis completed with 26 factors, 11 rebounds and three assists within the Hoosiers’ 89-59 victory towards Tennessee Tech.

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Two unavailable Illini have been already on the courtroom (and had been there some time) once I made it to State Farm Middle simply earlier than 9 a.m.

Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk, who’s getting back from a foot damage, was largely getting in some dash work — each cross-court and baseline to baseline. The redshirt freshman ahead additionally took a breather between sprints to get some free throws up.

Sixth-year guard Tyler Underwood, who’s coming off an arm damage, was additionally out early getting some pictures up.

Neither Bosmans-Verdonk or Underwood performed in Wednesday’s season opener towards North Carolina A&T. Neither did redshirt junior guard Austin Hutcherson, who’s out with a again damage. They are not on observe to play immediately both. Bosmans-Verdonk is arguably the closest to being again, and Illinois coach Brad Underwood stated he possible will not be again till someday subsequent month.

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Lower than 24 hours in the past Illinois was placing the ending touches on a 62-point victory towards North Carolina A&T. To not learn an excessive amount of into that sort of efficiency, it was the sort of recreation a high 10 staff ought to have towards a low main staff that completed final season ranked 287th in KenPom.

However it was somewhat greater than that, too. Illinois and North Carolina A&T largely had the identical rosters from once they met final December in Champaign, and that was solely a 31-point Illini win. Doubling the margin of victory 11 months later was an accomplishment.

That the duo of Ayo Dosunmu and Adam Miller practically outscored North Carolina A&T by themselves factors to only how dominant these two have been and the way dominant the Illini have been basically. Dosunmu had a double-double. So did Kofi Cockburn. Da’Monte Williams stuffed the stat sheet. Jacob Grandison was productive off the bench. 

Dosunmu and Miller led the way in which, nevertheless it was a relatively notable staff effort. 

Hitting a single-game file 17 three-pointers helped, in fact, and Dosunmu and Miller accounted for 11 of these makes. These two have been additionally fairly necessary in Illinois torching the Aggies in transition on a reasonably common foundation — sufficient for a 37-6 benefit in quick break factors. 

Now it is time to do it once more.

Illinois is a 39-point favourite immediately towards Chicago State. The Cougars are coming off a 23-point loss to Ohio and have been the worst Division I program within the nation a 12 months in the past. At present is one other “maintain enterprise” sort recreation from the No. 8-ranked Illini.

Will Illinois hit 17 three-pointers once more? Cannot say no after yesterday’s free-for-all, nevertheless it’s actually not a given. Will Miller gentle up one other staff in simply the second recreation of his profession? Nicely, cannot unequivocally say no to that one both.

However it’s easy. Handle Chicago State such as you took care of North Carolina A&T and clear up the few downside spots from a day in the past. Suppose a couple of fewer turnovers and possibly a extra environment friendly recreation from Trent Frazier.