Fighting Illini

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) &mdash; Joel Soriano scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in St. John&rsquo;s win over No. 6 UConn 85-74 on Sunday &mdash; its first victory in Hartford since 1988.
The double-double was the 16th of the season for Soriano. AJ Storr and Posh Alexander each added 14 points for the Red Storm (13-6, 3-5 Big East), which has won two in a row after a five-game losing streak. Dylan Addae-Wusu and Rafael Pinzon added 12 points each and Andre Curbelo had 10.
Jordan Hawkins led all scorers with 31 for UConn (15-4, 4-4 Big East), which has lost four of its last five games after starting the season 14-0. Alex Karaban had 16 points and Adama Sanogo added 14 points and 10 rebounds for the Huskies.
The game was tied at the halftime, but St. John&rsquo;s scored the first two baskets after intermission and led the entire second half.
NO. 12 XAVIER 80, NO. 25 MARQUETTE 76
CINCINNATI (AP) &mdash; Souley Boum and Jack Nunge each scored 16 points and Xavier won its 11th straight game by taking down No. 25 Marquette.
Olivier-Maxence Prosper made a jumper to cut Xavier&rsquo;s lead to 78-76 with 8 seconds left. Boum then hit two free throws to seal the victory.
Six players scored in double figures for Xavier (15-3, 7-0 Big East), which is off to its best start ever in Big East play.Nunge had 11 rebounds for his fifth double-double this season and second straight.&nbsp;
Tyler Kolek scored 25 points and Oso Ighodaro had 14 for Marquette (14-5, 6-2 Big East), which snapped a five-game winning streak.

Joel Soriano scored 19 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in St. John’s win over No. 6 UConn 85-74 — its first victory in Hartford since 1988.

St. John’s gives No. 6 UConn its 4th loss in 5 games

Champaign, IL&nbsp; &mdash;&nbsp; In a game that went down the to wire, the Illinois Fighting Illini (14-5, 7-2 Big Ten) held on to a narrow, last-second victory over the Michigan State Spartans (15-4, 6-2 Big Ten) without star center Kofi Cockburn, 56-55. Holding onto the win, No. 24 Illinois moved into first place in the Big Ten.
Illinois&rsquo; Trent Frazier led all players with 16 points in the contest, while Marcus Bingham Jr. led the way for the 10th-ranked Spartans with 13 points.&nbsp;
In a fairly lopsided first half, Illinois took a 34-20 lead into the break. Frazier displayed his tough shot-making ability early on and posted 10 points in the first period on 4 of 7 shooting. Freshman Luke Goode had a good first half as well with 6 points. Gabe Brown and Bingham led the Spartans in scoring at half with 5 points each.
Illinois extended its lead in the second half to 15 points, and up until roughly the 5:30 mark, looked completely in control to close it out. During the final five minutes of play, the Spartans&rsquo; defense was up to the task and made the necessary stops. On the other end, Malik Hall and Joey Hauser brought Michigan State back within two points at 56-54. Hall then missed the front end of a pair of free throws, which all but sealed the deal.&nbsp;
Brown finished with 10 points and 3 rebounds. Hall scored 7 points and secured 7 rebounds. Alfonso Plummer played a key role in the win, posting 11 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds for the home team.
No. 24 Illinois held onto the win, and as a result, moved into first place in the Big Ten.
Coming into Tuesday's game, the No. 10 Spartans&nbsp; had won 10 of their last 11 games, including a statement last weekend at Wisconsin. Senior forward Gabe Brown leads Michigan State in scoring at 13.6 points per game. Freshman Spartan wing Max Christie is averaging 10.5 points per contest and is a potential lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.&nbsp;
Cockburn, a junior big man, leads the No. 24 Fighting Illini in points and rebounds, but without him, they lack a physical force on the inside. Neither he nor point guard Andre Curbelo played in this one; however, the Illini were still able to sneak out with the victory.
UPCOMING
Illinois will visit Northwestern on Saturday afternoon.&nbsp;
Michigan State will host Michigan in a rivalry matchup on Saturday.&nbsp;
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In a game that went down the to wire, the Fighting Illini held on to a last-second victory over MSU without star center Kofi Cockburn.

No. 24 Illinois edges No. 10 Michigan State 56-55 to go atop Big Ten

In Kansas City, Missouri I had the chance to attend the Hall of Fame Classic, which featured the No. 13 Arkansas Razorbacks, No. 14 Illinois Fighting Illini, Cincinnati Bearcats and Kansas State Wildcats. The event was the stage for a handful of potential NBA and next-level prospects, so I would like to share my thoughts on players who caught my eye.
Kofi Cockburn | Illinois | Center
In his season debut, Kofi Cockburn showed immediately that he&rsquo;s a force to be reckoned with in the post. He had the opposing bigs in foul trouble early and often, and was able to throw down a powerful dunk early, which got the Illinois fans off their feet. Monday night, he posted 18 points, 7 rebounds and a block. He continues to improve his footwork and post moves on the offensive end, but the defensive versatility and mobility questions remain. Cockburn will likely test the NBA Draft waters again in 2022, and he has a chance to be a second-round selection.
Andre Curbelo | Illinois | Guard
After a fairly slow start in the first two games, Andre Curbelo showed again why, when locked in, he can be one of college basketball&rsquo;s most electric point guards. He showed both mental and physical toughness, as he played through some obvious pain in the first half. He isn&rsquo;t the biggest or most physically imposing player &mdash; which can bring some limitations &mdash; but he used his footwork, change-of-speed ability and craftiness to create opportunities for both himself and his teammates. Curbelo needs to cut down on the turnovers and improve as a shooter, but he did hit some smooth pull-up jumpers vs. Cincinnati, and ended with a stat line of 12 points, 5 assists, and 5 turnovers.
Davonte Davis | Arkansas | Guard
Davonte Davis is an athletic combo guard who excels on the defensive end and has shown flashes as both a slasher and shooter. He was averaging 6.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per game coming into the contest. He only posted 4 points, 4 rebounds, an assist and a steal Monday, but he made some really nice passes that created good looks for his teammates. The Razorback backcourt is loaded, so it&rsquo;s difficult for any of the guards to have high-volume nights. Still, Davis&rsquo; impact in transition and on the defensive end allow him to flash next-level potential.&nbsp;
Coleman Hawkins | Illinois | Forward
Averaging 14.3 points and 9.3 rebounds entering the contest, Coleman Hawkins displayed tremendous vision and ability as a passer. On the defensive end, he&rsquo;s disciplined and plays with purpose, using his length to contest shots. Listed at 6-foot-10 and 215 pounds, his ability to play both inside and on the perimeter make him a valuable player, one that has flashed next-level potential. He didn&rsquo;t fill up the box score Monday night by posting only two points, but he was still impactful.
Jaylin Williams | Arkansas | Forward
Jaylin Williams is a tough, competitive big man who continues to get better with every game. At 6-foot-10 and 240 pounds, he is a physical force who dominates the boards. While he may not do anything in high volume, he does the important things well. He&rsquo;s a solid interior scorer who is learning to stretch the floor, a great rebounder and a phenomenal passer. Monday night, he only posted 6 points and 8 rebounds in the win, but his impact was felt any time he was on the floor. (Plus, Williams had a solid stat line last week vs. Northern Iowa.)
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-theme="dark">
Jaylin Williams (6-10, 240) does it all again for the Razorbacks. 11 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks and 1 steal for the sophomore. Continues to show great vision/passing, instincts and toughness. <a href="https://t.co/Xx58P9rFeC">pic.twitter.com/Xx58P9rFeC</a>
&mdash; Derek Murray (@DMurrayHoops) <a href="https://twitter.com/DMurrayHoops/status/1461167599996260355?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2021</a></blockquote>

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Other Notables:
JD Notae | Arkansas | Guard
A quick-twitch guard with terrific speed, JD Notae was again the spark that got the Hogs off and running. He averaged 21.7 points in the first three games, and has a quick trigger as a result. Sometimes, the shot selection is questionable, and the misses can be bad, but he&rsquo;s becoming a tremendous volume scorer.
Jeremiah Davenport | Cincinnati | Guard
With good positional size at 6-foot-6, Jeremiah Davenport has the frame and tough shot-making ability to be a next-level player. He led the Bearcats at 12.5 points per game entering the event, and shot 4-of-8 from deep for a total of 19 points, leading the Bearcats to a big win Monday night.&nbsp;
Stanley Umude | Arkansas | Wing
The South Dakota transfer has played well early this season as part of a busy Razorback backcourt. Stanley Umude has good positional size and strength, allowing him to be effective and score both inside and out. Monday night he was impactful, hitting tough shots and causing multiple turnovers.&nbsp;
Selton Miguel | Kansas State | Guard
After playing with the Angolan Senior National Team, Selton Miguel enters his second season in Manhattan, KS. At 6-foot-4, he is a tough, physical and competitive guard who can impact the game in multiple ways, excelling on the glass and at getting to the rim. With his strong frame, he welcomes contact at the finish point and can be a real impact player on defense. While he&rsquo;s not a 2022 NBA Draft prospect, he&rsquo;s one to monitor as a future professional player. He finished with 14 points and 9 rebounds to go along with an assist, block and steal each.

Derek Murray shares his takeaways from the Hall of Fame Classic, which featured a number of potential NBA prospects.

2022 NBA Draft: Scouting the Hall of Fame Classic

With the 2021-22 basketball season upon us, we will be highlighting prospects currently included in our <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/draft" target="_blank" rel="noopener">2022 NBA Draft Big Board</a> over the course of the next few weeks.
Earlier this week, we <a href="https://www.basketballnews.com/stories/2022-nba-draft-top-prospects-in-the-acc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">looked at the ACC</a>. Today, we'll break down the top NBA prospects from the Big Ten:
Caleb Houstan
Forward | Michigan
Height: 6-8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Class: Freshman Weight: 205&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Draft Day Age: 19.5 Wingspan: N/A &nbsp;&nbsp; Nationality: Canada
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Roles: Shooter, Scorer, Defender
Bottom Line: Caleb Houstan, a five-star recruit for head coach Juwan Howard and the Michigan Wolverines, is a high-level outside shooter, potentially a marksman, that possesses positional size at 6-foot-8. Considering Houstan's size, shooting mechanics, shot-making ability and versatility &mdash; to go along with solid defensive intelligence &mdash; many expect him to step in and produce at a high-level right off the bat during his freshman season this year in Ann Arbor. Houstan is widely projected at this point to be a lottery pick in the 2022 NBA Draft.
Jaden Ivey 
Guard | Purdue
Height: 6-4 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Class: Sophomore Weight: 200 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Draft Day Age: 20.4 Wingspan: 6-9 &nbsp;&nbsp; Nationality: USA
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Roles: Slasher, Defender, High-Flyer
Bottom Line: After being named to the 2020-21 All-Big Ten Freshman Team, Jaden Ivey led the United States to the U19 FIBA World Cup Gold Medal. Ivey is a great athlete and relentless defender who has flashed elite potential on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, Ivey had an inefficient freshman season, shooting just 39% from the field and 25% from deep. Even so, he showed the ability to create space for himself and score on multiple levels, and seems to be poised for a breakout year with the Purdue Boilermakers.
Keegan Murray 
Forward | Iowa
Height: 6-8&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Class: Sophomore Weight: 200&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Draft Day Age: 21.8 Wingspan: 6-11 &nbsp;&nbsp; Nationality: USA
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Roles: Defender, Rebounder, Glue Guy
Bottom Line: Keegan Murray has the potential to be a terrific glue guy, and has the tools to be a legitimate NBA prospect. At 6-foot-8 with a 6-foot-11 wingspan, Murray has a high motor and does a lot of the &ldquo;little things'' that contribute to winning, and he is a terrific defender. Despite shooting an inefficient 29.6% from deep last season, Murray shows promise as a shooter. In addition, his ability to attack close-outs and score from multiple levels lend hope to a greater offensive load. Murray&rsquo;s development is certainly something to keep a close eye on.
Andr&eacute; Curbelo
Guard | Illinois
Height: 6-1 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Class: Sophomore Weight: 175 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Draft Day Age: 20.7 Wingspan: 6-4&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Nationality: Puerto Rico
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Roles: Floor General
Bottom Line: Curbelo enters his sophomore season with a chance to be one of the best point guards in the Big Ten. With his creativity and flashiness as a facilitator, he averaged 9 points and 4 assists per game last season in 21 minutes per game. The biggest concern for him going into this year is his three-point shooting. He hit only 5 of 31 attempts last year, a lowly 16%. If he is able to improve as a shooter, and continue to provide on-ball value on both ends of the floor, he could have a breakout season.
E.J. Liddell 
Forward | Ohio State
Height: 6-7 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Class: Junior Weight: 240 &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Draft Day Age: 21.5 Wingspan: 7-0&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Nationality: USA
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Roles: Mid-Range Game, Rebounder
Bottom Line: Although he is a bit undersized for the position, the Buckeyes often use Liddell as a 4/5 in their lineups. He is physical and versatile on both ends of the floor, scoring both inside and out. He appears more comfortable in the mid-range and paint which works well for his college system, but raises questions in regards to his translatability to the NBA. Last year, Liddell scored 16.2 points and gathered 6.7 rebounds per game. He plays with great effort and toughness, and with increased scoring prowess as a junior, Liddell could carve out a spot for himself in the 2022 NBA Draft.

Matt Babcock breaks down the top 2022 NBA Draft prospects from the Big Ten.