After a week-long Christmas break, No. 20 Illinois returns to action on Monday night in Champaign with fresh legs-and a familiar mindset. Head coach Brad Underwood isn’t about to let his team forget what’s been at the heart of their success this season: offensive rebounding.
That’s not just coach-speak. For Underwood, it’s practically a mantra.
“The thing that helps us more than anything is offensive rebounding,” Underwood said. “That’s all I harp on.
I think if you ask every player the thing I talk about the most, it’s offensive rebounding. We work on it every single day to get guys to create habits.”
And those habits are paying off. Illinois (9-3) has turned crashing the glass into a weapon, and they’ll look to keep that edge sharp against Southern (4-8) in their final nonconference matchup before the Big Ten grind begins.
The blueprint was on full display back on Dec. 22 during the Illini’s 91-48 dismantling of Missouri in the Braggin’ Rights rivalry game. Fifteen offensive boards led to 29 second-chance points-an avalanche Missouri simply couldn’t withstand.
There was a stretch in the first half when Illinois grabbed three straight offensive rebounds, each leading to a made three. Keaton Wagler, Ben Humrichous, and Jake Davis all got in on the action during that run, and the Illini never looked back.
That kind of relentless effort isn’t just energizing-it’s efficient. According to KenPom.com, Illinois entered the weekend ranked 13th in the nation in offensive rebounding percentage, pulling down 39.3% of their own misses. That’s elite territory, and it’s been a foundational piece of their offensive identity.
“These are the baskets you don’t have to grind and earn,” Underwood explained. “All you have to do is go to the glass. Our efficiency, our abilities on that end, are really predicated on being able to offensive rebound at a high level.”
Even freshmen are buying in. Keaton Wagler, a wiry guard still adjusting to the physicality of college hoops, has embraced the system. Against Missouri, he posted a career-high 22 points on 5-of-6 shooting from deep-and four of his eight rebounds came on the offensive glass.
“When everyone crashes the glass, teams get worn out from that and they don’t really want to box out every time,” Wagler said. “We know if we all go, we’re going to get the ball. That’s easy points.”
Wagler’s emergence adds another layer to an Illinois team that’s starting to hit its stride. Andrej Stojakovic has quietly put together three straight games in double figures, including 16 points against Missouri. And Zvonimir Ivisic continues to be a factor on the boards, pulling down a season-high 11 rebounds in the rivalry win-four of them on the offensive end.
As for Monday’s opponent, Southern arrives in Champaign riding a four-game losing streak, but don’t let the 4-8 record fool you. The Jaguars have faced a brutal nonconference schedule that’s included road trips to Baylor, Texas, and Arkansas.
Their most competitive showing came in a double-overtime thriller at Washington, where they pushed the Huskies to the brink before falling 99-93. That performance didn’t go unnoticed.
“They played Washington at Washington, double-overtime game,” Baylor coach Scott Drew said. “We know how good Washington is. … They definitely caught our attention.”
Southern’s offense is led by junior college transfer Michael Jacobs, who’s been a scoring machine this season. He’s averaging 20.9 points per game on 50% shooting, including nearly 43% from beyond the arc. After a quiet outing at Texas, Jacobs bounced back with his eighth 20-point game of the season against Baylor.
He’s not the Jaguars’ only weapon, either. Malek Abdelgowad (11.8 points per game) and Cam Amboree (10.1) give Southern multiple scoring threats, though they’ll be tested by an Illinois defense that’s been locking in as of late.
This will be the third meeting all-time between Illinois and Southern, with the Illini holding a 2-0 edge. The last matchup came on Nov. 19, 2023, when Illinois-ranked No. 23 at the time-cruised to an 88-60 win at home.
With Big Ten play looming, Monday night offers Illinois one final tune-up-and another opportunity to flex their identity on the boards. If they keep dominating the glass the way they’ve been, it’s going to be a long night for Southern-and a strong sign that the Illini are ready for the battles ahead.