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LIVE: FINAL - No. 1 Illinois 78, No. 16 Drexel 49 - Dosunmu w/ 17 pts, 11 rebs, 6 ast

No. 1 seed Illinois (23-6) ends an eight-year drought of NCAA appearances by taking on No. 16 seed Drexel (12-7) for a first round matchup.

Matthew Stevens

Good afternoon and welcome to the first round of the 2021 NCAA tournament from the home office of Illini Now/Sports Illustrated as No. 1 seed Illinois (23-6) ends an eight-year drought of NCAA appearances by taking on No. 16 seed Drexel (12-7) for a first round matchup.

We're about an hour from the opening tip from Illinois is making its 31st all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and first since 2013.

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Game 30: No. 1 Illinois vs. No. 16 Drexel

Date/Time/Place: Friday, March 19, 2021: 12:15 p.m. CST, Indiana Farmers Coliseum, Indianapolis, Ind.

Records: Illinois 23-6, 16-4 in Big Ten Conference; 21–10, 13–7 in Big Ten Conference in 2019-20 season. Drexel 12-7, 4-5 in Colonial Athletic Association; 13-18 (6-12 in CAA) in 2019-20 season.

Line: Illinois by 22.5

Series notes: The two schools have never played each other before today. Illinois has compiled a 40-31 (.563) record all-time in NCAA Tournament games. Illinois is 22-8 when playing its opening game of the NCAA Tournament. Illinois is 29-14 as a higher (better) seed in the NCAA Tournament. Illinois is playing in Indianapolis in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time, and first since 2005. The

Illini are 5-1 all-time in the NCAAs in Indianapolis (all previous games played at the RCA Dome):

1989: First Round – #1 Illinois 77, #16 McNeese State 71

 Second Round – #1 Illinois 72, #9 Ball State 60

2003: First Round – #4 Illinois 65, #13 Western Kentucky 60

 Second Round – #5 Notre Dame 68, #4 Illinois 60

2005: First Round – #1 Illinois 67, #16 Fairleigh Dickinson 55

 Second Round – #1 Illinois 71, #9 Nevada 59

TV: TBS; Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Dan Bonner (analyst), Dana Jacobson (sideline)

Radio ( Sirius: 136, XM: 203):  Craig Way (play-by-play), Donny Marshall (analyst)

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Projected Starters:

Illinois

Ayo Dosunmu - G

Trent Frazier - G

Adam Miller - G

Jacob Grandison - F

Kofi Cockburn - C

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Drexel

Camren Wynter - G

Xavier Bell - G

Zach Walton - F

T.J. Bickerstaff - F

James Butler - F

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PRE-GAME NOTES:

  • Illinois is making its 31st all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and first since 2013.
  • Illinois ranks fifth among Big Ten teams and 22nd among all NCAA schools for most Tournament appearances.
  • Illinois has earned a No. 1 seed for the fourth time in NCAA Tournament history: 1989, 2001, 2005, 2021.
  • Illinois and Michigan gives the Big Ten two No. 1 seeds for the first time in 20 years, since Illinois and Michigan State both earned No. 1 seeds in the 2001 NCAA Tournament.
  • Illinois has compiled a 40-31 (.563) record all-time in NCAA Tournament games. Illinois’ 40 NCAA Tournament wins ranks 23rd among all schools. Illinois enters the weekend aiming to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2005, when it went on to play in the national championship game. 
  • Illinois has the third-most NCAA Tournament wins among teams yet to win a national championship, trailing Oklahoma and Purdue (42 apiece).
  • Since 1975, when the field was increased to 32 teams, Illinois has advanced to the Sweet 16 eight times, the Elite Eight four times, and the Final Four twice.
  • Illinois has made five appearances in the NCAA Final Four, finishing as the national runner-up in 2005, placing third in 1949, 1951 and 1952, and tying for third in 1989.
  • Illinois has the most Final Four appearances among teams yet to win a national title, tied with Houston and Oklahoma.
  • Brad Underwood has brought Illini Basketball back to being a national contender. His rebuild of the program brought success in year three of his tenure, leading the Illini to a top-25 finish and what would have been an NCAA Tournament appearance before the postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. He has now directed Illinois to a No. 1 seed in year four as Illinois makes its return to March Madness for the first time since 2013.
  • While Underwood is making his first NCAA Tournament appearance with Illinois, it is his fifth trip to the big dance with his third program in eight seasons as a Div. I head coach. He led Stephen F. Austin to three consecutive appearances from 2014-2016, advancing to the Round of 32 in 2014 and 2016. He also took Oklahoma State to the NCAA tournament in his lone season in Stillwater in 2017. Underwood owns a 2-4 career record in the NCAA Tournament. 
  • Winners of seven straight and 14 of its last 15, Illinois is ranked No. 2 in the final AP poll of the 2021 season. This is the seventh time in school history that Illinois is in the top 5 of the final AP poll, and first time since 2005, when the Illini finished the season at No. 1.

2021 - No. 2; 1952 - No. 2; 2005 - No. 1; 1951 - No. 5; 2001 - No. 4; 1949 - No. 4; 1989 - No. 3.

  • Illinois is fresh off winning the 2021 Big Ten Tournament championship, the program’s third conference tournament title and first since 2005.
  • Illinois has won 23 games, tallying the 34th 20-win season in school history. Following last year’s 21-win shortened season, Illinois has back-to-back 20-win campaigns for the first time since 2013 (23) and 2014 (20).
  • Illinois is one of only three teams ranked in the top 10 in both offensive (7th) and defensive (5th) efficiency by kenpom.com, joined by Gonzaga and Michigan.
  • Leading the Illini is Ayo Dosunmu. Owning numbers of 20.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, Dosunmu is racking up First-Team All-America accolades and contending for National Player of the Year as well. He is the only player in the NCAA over the last 11 seasons to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists, all while leading Illinois Basketball back among the nation’s elite.
  • Dosunmu is on pace to become just the second Big Ten player since 1993 to average 20 points, six rebounds and five assists, joining Ohio State’s Evan Turner, the National Player of the Year in 2009-10.
  • Dosunmu earned Most Outstanding Player of the Big Ten Tournament, averaging 19.0 points, 7.0 rebounds and 6.3 assists over the three wins while leading Illinois to the championship.
  • Dosunmu is a semifinalist for the Naismith Trophy and Wooden Award, finalist for the Cousy Award, the first-ever first-team AP All-American in school history, and an unanimous first-team All-American by The Sporting News and Sports Illustrated. 
  • Kofi Cockburn ranks second in the NCAA with 16 double-doubles this season. He posted double-doubles in 12 Big Ten games, averaging 18.6 points and 9.9 rebounds during league play.
  • Cockburn ranks fourth in the NCAA in field goal percentage at 65.6% and leads the nation with 71 dunks. Cockburn is the only player in the nation averaging at least 15 points and nine rebounds on 65% shooting.
  • Cockburn is contending for consensus All-America accolades alongside Dosunmu, earning second-team distinction by The Associated Press and The Sporting News and third-team by Sports Illustrated. He also is one of 15 players listed on the Wooden Award National Ballot.
  • Cam Wynter has been a key player for the Dragons since arriving on campus. A First Team All-CAA pick, the junior from Long Island was named the Most Outstanding Player at the CAA Championships. Wynter was 6-for-11 from deep in the three games. He leads the Dragons in scoring (16.8) and is second in the CAA with 5.3 assists. A two-year captain, the junior is also tops on the club with a .425 3-point percentage. 
  • Wynter is currently in the CAA top 10 in scoring, assists, assist-to-turnover ratio, field-goal percentage. and minutes played. Wynter tied a career-high with 31 points against FDU and had 29 at JMU.
  • James Butler was a Third Team All-CAA pick for the second straight season. Butler, who has already graduated and is in graduate school at Drexel, has six double-doubles this season, including one in the CAA semifinals vs. Northeastern. He now has 32 in his career. He scored a season-high 21 points against Saint Joseph’s and matched that at William & Mary.
  • Butler is third in the CAA with 9.2 rebounds per game and has the highest field-goal percentage in the league, but is one field-goal short of qualifying (.580).

MEDIA TIMEOUT (13:01 left in 1st): No. 1 Illinois 10, No. 16 Drexel 8 - Trent Frazier has come out aggressive offensively (6 pts) and is doing an excellent job of keeping Drexel star guard Cam Wynter from getting in the lane. 

Ayo Dosunmu has barely touched the basketball and Kofi Cockburn had a rough start to this game. 

MEDIA TIMEOUT (11:42 left in 1st): No. 1 Illinois 13, No. 16 Drexel 8 - Kofi Cockburn gets his first bucket but Illini already have three turnovers in the first eight minutes of this game. Drexel is 3 of 15 from the field but only down five because they're limiting Illinois' transition chances. 

MEDIA TIMEOUT (7:17 left in 1st): No. 1 Illinois 17, No. 16 Drexel 11 - Not much shooting efficiency early in this game as Illini have missed its last five and Drexel is 1 for its last 10. 

After struggling early, Cockburn has six points and a block. Dosunmu is 0 for 3 in his NCAA tournament debut. James Butler, Drexel's inside presence is 0 for 3 with five rebounds. Illinois has seven fast break points. 

MEDIA TIMEOUT (3:55 left in 1st): No. 1 Illinois 25, No. 16 Drexel 17 - Dosunmu is starting to settle in as the Wooden Award finalist has six straight points and five rebounds. Illinois dominating the paint (18-6 points) and Drexel's trio of scorers Wynter, Butler and Bickerstaff are a combined 3 of 15 from the field. 

DREXEL TIMEOUT (2:48 left in 1st): No. 1 Illinois 31, No. 16 Drexel 17 - Illini on a 8-0 over the last 1:49 of action thanks to a suffocating defense (Drexel shooting 22.6 percent) and nine fast break points. Drexel having a real problem getting back on defense and Illini's depth starting to show. 

Dosunmu with six points and six rebounds. Cockburn with eight points. 

HALFTIME: No. 1 Illinois 39, No. 16 Drexel 21 - After Drexel took a 8-7 lead with 14:06 left, Illinois outscored the Dragons 32-13 thanks to holding Drexel to just 5 of 26 from the field from that moment on. 

Wooden Award finalist Ayo Dosunmu has eight points and seven points. Drexel leading scorer Cam Wynter hasn't gotten any easy looks as he finished first half with two points (1 of 7 FGs). 

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DREXEL TIMEOUT (14:58 left): No. 1 Illinois 52, No. 16 Drexel 25 - Illinois has forced five turnovers in this half and Dosunmu already has five points in this half and 13 overall. Drexel only shooting 22.7 percent. Cockburn with 12 points and Frazier with 11. Illinois with 34 points in the paint.  

MEDIA TIMEOUT (14:14 left): No. 1 Illinois 54, No. 16 Drexel 25 - The largest margin of victory for the Illini in a NCAA tournament game is 42 (2001 1st round - Illinois 96, No. 16 Northwestern State 54). Illinois has 38 of its 56 points in the paint. 

MEDIA TIMEOUT (11:13 left): No. 1 Illinois 60, No. 16 Drexel 31 - Illinois already starting to empty the bench as freshman Coleman Hawkins makes his first appearance in a few games. Nobody on Drexel has double figures and Illinois shooting 56.3 percent from the field and has 17 layups or dunks. 

MEDIA TIMEOUT (6:03 left): No. 1 Illinois 70, No. 16 Drexel 41 - Ayo Dosunmu has a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) and Andre Curbelo with eight points, five assists and three rebounds. Illinois with 19 fast break points and 22 dunks or layups today. 

MEDIA TIMEOUT (1:37 left): No. 1 Illinois 78, No. 16 Drexel 47 - In its first NCAA tournament game since 2013, Illinois likely to acquire its second-most lopsided blowout win. Ayo Dosunmu with 17 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.  

FINAL: No. 1 Illinois 78, No. 16 Drexel 49 - Illinois easily takes care of 16-seed Drexel by 29 points as Illini shoot 58 percent and have four starters with double figures. Drexel leading scorer Cam Wynter goes just 3 of 13 from the field. The 49 points is a season low for Drexel. 

Published
Matthew Stevens
MATTHEW STEVENS

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