An examination of the numbers that help explain the Illini's hard-fought (and somehwat humbling) 66-54 victory

Averaging 17.5 offensive rebounds per game, the Golden Grizzlies crash hard – and then turn those boards into points (12.0 second-chance points per game). Oakland lacks size (tallest starter: 6-foot-7), but the Golden Grizzlies have solid athletes who play hard.

It’s the final matchup of a three-game homestand for Illinois (2-0) when it takes on Oakland (1-1) this Wednesday. The Illini are looking to keep their streak of 30-plus point wins after out-scoring EIU by 45 and SIUE by 32.