Postgame Notes (via Illinois Athletics)
- Saturday's win over Central Michigan was the fourth straight for the Fighting Illini, who are now 8-3 on the season.
- Senior Tracy Abrams became the 49th Illini to score 1,000 points in his career. He had a career-high 31 points, bettering his pervious career best of 27 against Auburn 12/29/12. He hit 10-of-12 from the field, 7-of-8 from three-point range and 4-of-6 from the free throw line.
- Abrams' ten field goals (10-12) set a career high for the senior, besting his output at Hawaii (11/16/12).
- Abrams is the first NCAA Division I player in a game this season to make 10+ field goals, 7+ three-pointers and shoot 80% or better from the field.
- Abrams scored the most points in a first half by an Illini this season with 23 before the break.
- Abrams set a career high for three-pointers in a game with seven treys (7-8) from distance. Abrams is the first Illini to hit seven or more threes in a game since Brandon Paul made eight against Ohio State 1/10/12.
- Illinois had a season-high 49 rebounds. The Illini out-rebounded Central Michigan by 24 (49-25), a season best for rebound margin.
- Six Illini registered at least five rebounds in the win, the most in a game this season. Mike Throne Jr. led the way with 11 boards, while Morgan (7), Finke (5), Abrams (5), Hill (5) and Williams (5) also grabbed at least five.
- Illinois has double-digit offensive rebounds in six of its last seven games (13 today).
- Illinois held Central Michigan to a season-low 36 first-half points. The Chippewas were averaging 43.3 points in the first half this season.
- The first half was Illinois' third-best shooting first half of the season (.529), trailing only McKendree (.538) and Southeast Missouri (.556).
- Illinois has shot better than 50% in six games this season, all Illini victories. The Orange and Blue are 6-0 when shooting 50% or better and 2-3 when shooting under 50%.
- Senior guard Malcolm Hill's 10 points against Central Michigan gives him 1,451 for his career and moves him past Don Freeman (1,449) for 15th on Illinois' all-time list.
- Leron Black set a new career high with 21 points, topping his previous high of 18 set a week ago vs. VCU (12/3/16)
- Maverick Morgan scored in double figures for the third time this season. The previous two came against McKendree (11/15) and Southeast Missouri (11/11).
- Mike Thorne Jr. grabbed a season-high 11 rebounds on Saturday, surpassing his previous high of 10 against McKendree (11/15).
- Sophomore D.J. Williams tied his career high for rebounds with five, tying his total at Rutgers 2/16/16.
- Williams set a season-high for minutes played, clocking 18 minutes to surpass his previous total of 18 against Southeast Missouri (11/11)
- Samson Oladimeji registered his first points as an Illini with two free throws.