Harshita is an Esports writer at EssentiallySports. While she has been writing most of her life, her career as a writer began three years ago in Marketing.  She has been captivated by the power of storytelling and its ability to inform, inspire, and provoke change.

As a video game enthusiast, she enjoys playing Uncharted 3, Asphalt and Fall Guys.

In her free time, she enjoys reading and writing short fantasy fiction stories the most.

It is a highly stimulating game between the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Illinois Fighting Illini. Both Nebraska and Illinois football clubs have identical 2-3 overall records, but fell to 0-2 in conference play last weekend, with Illinois suffering a 44-19 defeat at Purdue and Nebraska getting trounced 45-7 by Michigan. With such records, it can be anyone’s game. Ultimately, Nebraska’s star quarterback Heinrich Haarberg is leading his team to victory in a 35-11 game. The Big Ten West showdown is taking place at the home venue of Illinois at Memorial Stadium on Friday. This matchup marked Nebraska’s head coach Matt Rhule’s first victory with his team. NEBRASKA FOOTBALL CRUSHES ILLINOIS DURING HALFTIME WITH 14-3 Illinois received the opening kickoff, which led to a successful first half for Nebraska football. Billy Kemp secured a 10-yard touchdown catch that put Nebraska on higher advantage with 7-0 in the first quarter. Nebraska’s defense shone as the team rendered Illinois with an 8-yard deficit on the drive. Jimari Butler sacked Illinois star QB Rocky Lombardi for a 9-yard loss on third down. READ MORE: “He Has My Vote”: Fans Ride the Prime Time Hype as Coach Prime Deion Sanders Announces Major Update [https://www.essentiallysports.com/nfl-news-he-has-my-vote-fans-ride-the-prime-time-hype-as-coach-prime-deion-sanders-announces-major-update/] The field position of Nebraska contributed to their stellar on-field performance. With Tristan Alvano securing his second PAT kick and Haarberg hitting Thomas Fidone on a wide-open, Nebraska football secured a halftime record of 14-3. With Nebraska’s commanding lead, they seem to have overturned their luck, or have they? WATCH THIS STORY: “Best One To Walk Off”: Coach Prime’s Assistant Weighs in On The Caleb Williams vs. Shedeur Sanders Football Showdown [https://www.essentiallysports.com/stories/nfl-news-best-one-to-walk-off-coach-primes-assistant-weighs-in-on-the-caleb-williams-vs-shedeur-sanders-football-showdown/] 

Nebraska football is maintaining its legacy, and it is evident from their last
game against Northern Illinois. 

Khosalu Puro is an NFL writer at EssentiallySports. Growing up with football
lovers in an environment where the game is always playing in the background, she
got the hook of the game early. A die-hard fan of the Dallas Cowboys, she also
states that her favorite players are Patrick Mahomes and Zack Martin. What she
values the most in team sports is team spirit and sportsmanship. And all her
choices are the top in their fields! A passionate writer since childhood, she
hustles with words while they grind with sweat. Her love for the NFL and writing
gave her a bright streak in the field of journalism. From spending two years
documenting NFL teams for ticket sales, she is ready to report now. But other
times when she's off the radar, you'll find her buried in writing, editing, and
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Khosalu Puro

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College Football Report: Nebraska Takes Commanding Lead in First Half Against
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Isiah Thomas Announces Debut Into $3.5 Billion Dollar Industry After Massive
Success With Champagne Brand

<h2>Illinois Fighting Illini 2021: News, Schedule, Roster, Scores, Injury Report</h2>
<img class="size-full wp-image-461426 aligncenter" src="https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/illinois-logo.png" alt="" width="1200" height="1734" />

The Illinois Fighting Illini compete in NCAA Men’s Basketball as a part of the <a href="https://bigten.org/standings.aspx?path=mbball">Big Ten Conference</a>. Some notable opponents from the conference include Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin. They were founded in 1906.

The name <a href="https://archives.library.illinois.edu/blog/fighting-illini-name/">Illini</a> emerged when the University's student newspaper changed its name from 'The Student' to 'The Illini' in 1874. Over 40 years later in the 1910s, the word 'Fighting' was used initially as an adjective for the team, but later it became part of the name. It was officially adopted as the nickname by the University in the 1920s.

The current <a href="https://1000logos.net/illinois-fighting-illini-logo/#:~:text=The%20history%20of%20the%20team,abstract%20Native%20American%20in%201989.">logo</a> of the Fighting Illini is a bold letter I, which is orange with a blue border. When the university first introduced a logo in 1947, it was the face of a Native American. It was completely dropped in 2004 when the bold letter I was launched.
<h2>History</h2>
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Founded</td>
<td>1906</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Conference</td>
<td>Big 10 Conference</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Athletic Director</td>
<td>Josh Whitman</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Head Coach</td>
<td>Brad Underwood</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Arena</td>
<td>State Farm Center</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Championships (0)</td>
<td>-</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Conference Tournament Titles (2)</td>
<td>2003, 2005</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Conference Regular Season Titles (17)</td>
<td>1915, 1917, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Website</td>
<td><a href="https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball">https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball</a></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Who is the coach of the Fighting Illini?</h2>
The current coach of the Fighting Illini is <a href="https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/coaches/brad-underwood/1260">Brad Underwood</a>. He was appointed in 2017 after he won three consecutive Southland Conference Tournaments.

<img class="size-full wp-image-461425 aligncenter" src="https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/brad-underwood-illinois.jpg" alt="" width="1920" height="1231" />

Underwood signed a six-year deal worth $18 million, before getting an extension for up to 2026. After two underwhelming seasons, Underwood led the Fighting Illini to an impressive 21-10 record last season.
<h2>Who is the Athletic Director of the Fighting Illini?</h2>
The current athletic director of the Fighting Illini is <a href="https://fightingillini.com/staff-directory/josh-whitman/366">Josh Whitman</a>. He was appointed in 2016.

Whitman is an alumnus of the college and is also a former NFL player who became a lawyer after retirement. He was in charge of hiring Underwood as the head coach.
<h2>Achievements and Championships</h2>
The early 2000s and the 1980s were the most successful periods for the Fighting Illini. From 2001 to 2005, they won four out of the five regular-season championships.

In <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/schools/illinois/2005.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">2005</a>, they reached the National Final with a brilliant record of 37-2. But they lost by 5 points in the Final to UNC. That remains as their best finish in the NCAA tournament.

The Fighting Illini haven't won the NCAA Division 1 title yet.
<h2>Greatest NBA Players</h2>
It has been almost eight years since a former Fighting Illini was drafted in the NBA. But earlier, Illinois had many young prospects making it into the big league.

Some of the greatest NBA players from Illinois include <a href="https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/players/deron-williams-1.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Deron Williams</a>, Don Ohl, Nick Anderson, and Jerry Sloan. Williams was part of the team that finished as the runner-up in 2005. Sloan was inducted into the <a href="https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/jerry-sloan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Hall of Fame</a> as a coach in 2009.

<img class="size-full wp-image-461420 aligncenter" src="https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/deron-williams-illinois.jpg" alt="" width="1188" height="1743" />

Currently, Kendrick Nunn and Meyers Leonard are the only former Fighting Illini playing in the NBA.
<h2>Mascot and Uniform</h2>
The Fighting Illini had Chief Illiniwek as their mascot until it was retired by the University back in 2007 due to a lot of criticism around the stereotypes promoted by it.

In September 2020, the <a href="https://herald-review.com/news/state-and-regional/belted-kingfisher-advances-as-university-of-illinois-new-mascot/article_f399a3f4-4ace-5bfb-aad2-2bcbf64d917a.html#:~:text=A%20proposed%20new%20mascot%20for,recently%20voted%20on%20the%20question." target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">belted kingfisher</a> was voted as the new mascot for the University. Spencer Hulsey, an alumnus of the University of Illinois, is the one who came up with the idea for the kingfisher.

<img class="size-full wp-image-461422 aligncenter" src="https://www.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/illinois-mascot.jpg" alt="" width="999" height="783" />

The <a href="https://teamcolorcodes.com/illinois-fighting-illini-colors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">team colors</a> of the Illinois Fighting Illini are navy blue and orange.
<h2>Current Roster</h2>
The Illinois Fighting Illini roster for the 2020-21 season has <a href="https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster?path=mbball" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">17 players.</a>
<table style="height: 1158px" width="512">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Position</td>
<td>Jersey
Number</td>
<td>Name</td>
<td>Height</td>
<td>Weight</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>G</td>
<td>1</td>
<td>Trent Frazier</td>
<td>6-2</td>
<td>175</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>F</td>
<td>2</td>
<td>Connor Serven</td>
<td>6-9</td>
<td>215</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>G/F</td>
<td>3</td>
<td>Jacob Grandison</td>
<td>6-6</td>
<td>205</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>F</td>
<td>4</td>
<td>Zach Griffith</td>
<td>6-6</td>
<td>220</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>G</td>
<td>5</td>
<td>Andre Curbelo</td>
<td>6-1</td>
<td>175</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>G</td>
<td>10</td>
<td>Edgar Padilla Jr.</td>
<td>6-1</td>
<td>165</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>G</td>
<td>11</td>
<td>Ayo Dosunmu</td>
<td>6-5</td>
<td>200</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>12</td>
<td>Brandon Lieb</td>
<td>7-0</td>
<td>210</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>F</td>
<td>13</td>
<td>Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk</td>
<td>6-8</td>
<td>235</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>F</td>
<td>15</td>
<td>Giorgi Bezhanishvili</td>
<td>6-9</td>
<td>245</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>G</td>
<td>20</td>
<td>Da'Monte Williams</td>
<td>6-3</td>
<td>215</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>21</td>
<td>Kofi Cockburn</td>
<td>7-0</td>
<td>285</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>G</td>
<td>22</td>
<td>Austin Hutcherson</td>
<td>6-6</td>
<td>180</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>G</td>
<td>32</td>
<td>Tyler Underwood</td>
<td>6-2</td>
<td>180</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>F</td>
<td>33</td>
<td>Coleman Hawkins</td>
<td>6-10</td>
<td>215</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>C</td>
<td>34</td>
<td>Jermaine Hamlin</td>
<td>6-10</td>
<td>235</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>G</td>
<td>44</td>
<td>Adam Miller</td>
<td>6-3</td>
<td>180</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>Schedule</h2>
The Fighting Illini began their 2020-21 season with a huge 122-60 win against North Carolina A&amp;T on November 25. They have a 27-game regular season that ends with an away game against Iowa on March 5, 2021. Currently, their record is 3-0.

The full schedule is available on the college <a href="https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule?path=mbball" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">website</a>.
<h2>How to contact Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball?</h2>
Illinois Fighting Illini on Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/IlliniMBB?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Eauthor" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@IlliniMBB</a>

Illinois Fighting Illini on Instagram: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/illinimbb/?hl=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">@illinimbb</a>

Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois Fighting Illini 2021: News, Schedule, Roster, Scores, Injury Report The Illinois Fighting Illini compete in NCAA Men’s Basketball as a part of the Big Ten Conference. Some notable opponents from the conference include Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin. They were founded in 1906. The name Illini emerged when the University&#8217;s student newspaper changed its name from &#8216;The Student&#8217; to &#8216;The Illini&#8217; in 1874. Over 40 years later in the 1910s, the word &#8216;Fighting&#8217; was used initially as an adjective for the team, but later it became part of the name. It was officially adopted as the nickname by the University in the 1920s. The current logo of the Fighting Illini is a bold letter I, which is orange with a blue border. When the university first introduced a logo in 1947, it was the face of a Native American. It was completely dropped in 2004 when the bold letter I was launched. History  Founded 1906  Conference Big 10 Conference  Athletic Director Josh Whitman  Head Coach Brad Underwood  Arena State Farm Center  Championships (0) &#8211;  Conference Tournament Titles (2) 2003, 2005  Conference Regular Season Titles (17) 1915, 1917, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005  Website https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball  Who is the coach of the Fighting Illini? The current coach of the Fighting Illini is Brad Underwood. He was appointed in 2017 after he won three consecutive Southland Conference Tournaments. Underwood signed a six-year deal worth $18 million, before getting an extension for up to 2026. After two underwhelming seasons, Underwood led the Fighting Illini to an impressive 21-10 record last season. Who is the Athletic Director of the Fighting Illini? The current athletic director of the Fighting Illini is Josh Whitman. He was appointed in 2016. Whitman is an alumnus of the college and is also a former NFL player who became a lawyer after retirement. He was in charge of hiring Underwood as the head coach. Achievements and Championships The early 2000s and the 1980s were the most successful periods for the Fighting Illini. From 2001 to 2005, they won four out of the five regular-season championships. In 2005, they reached the National Final with a brilliant record of 37-2. But they lost by 5 points in the Final to UNC. That remains as their best finish in the NCAA tournament. The Fighting Illini haven&#8217;t won the NCAA Division 1 title yet. Greatest NBA Players It has been almost eight years since a former Fighting Illini was drafted in the NBA. But earlier, Illinois had many young prospects making it into the big league. Some of the greatest NBA players from Illinois include Deron Williams, Don Ohl, Nick Anderson, and Jerry Sloan. Williams was part of the team that finished as the runner-up in 2005. Sloan was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach in 2009. Currently, Kendrick Nunn and Meyers Leonard are the only former Fighting Illini playing in the NBA. Mascot and Uniform The Fighting Illini had Chief Illiniwek as their mascot until it was retired by the University back in 2007 due to a lot of criticism around the stereotypes promoted by it. In September 2020, the belted kingfisher was voted as the new mascot for the University. Spencer Hulsey, an alumnus of the University of Illinois, is the one who came up with the idea for the kingfisher. The team colors of the Illinois Fighting Illini are navy blue and orange. Current Roster The Illinois Fighting Illini roster for the 2020-21 season has 17 players.  Position Jersey Number Name Height Weight  G 1 Trent Frazier 6-2 175  F 2 Connor Serven 6-9 215  G/F 3 Jacob Grandison 6-6 205  F 4 Zach Griffith 6-6 220  G 5 Andre Curbelo 6-1 175  G 10 Edgar Padilla Jr. 6-1 165  G 11 Ayo Dosunmu 6-5 200  C 12 Brandon Lieb 7-0 210  F 13 Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk 6-8 235  F 15 Giorgi Bezhanishvili 6-9 245  G 20 Da&#8217;Monte Williams 6-3 215  C 21 Kofi Cockburn 7-0 285  G 22 Austin Hutcherson 6-6 180  G 32 Tyler Underwood 6-2 180  F 33 Coleman Hawkins 6-10 215  C 34 Jermaine Hamlin 6-10 235  G 44 Adam Miller 6-3 180  Schedule The Fighting Illini began their 2020-21 season with a huge 122-60 win against North Carolina A&amp;T on November 25. They have a 27-game regular season that ends with an away game against Iowa on March 5, 2021. Currently, their record is 3-0. The full schedule is available on the college website. How to contact Illinois Fighting Illini men&#8217;s basketball? Illinois Fighting Illini on Twitter: @IlliniMBB Illinois Fighting Illini on Instagram: @illinimbb

Illinois Fighting Illini Archives

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Nebraska football is maintaining its legacy, and it is evident from their last game against Northern Illinois. 

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College Football Report: Nebraska Takes Commanding Lead in First Half Against Illinois

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College Football Report: Nebraska Takes Commanding Lead in First Half Against Illinois

Nebraska football crushes Illinois during halftime with 14-3