Illinois C Kofi Cockburn out vs. Maryland with concussion

Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn Steven Branscombe-USA TODAY Sports

Illinois star C Kofi Cockburn out vs. Maryland with concussion

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 1/21/22

When the Illinois men's basketball team takes on Maryland on Friday night, they'll be looking to bounce back from Monday's double-overtime defeat against Purdue. The loss to the Boilermakers was the program's first of 2022 and only their fourth of the season.

The Fighting Illini will be without their leading scorer and rebounder for the contest against the Terrapins, though, and possibly longer.

Illinois big man Kofi Cockburn will not play tonight at Maryland, Brad Underwood told @Stadium.

Suffered a concussion against Purdue and is in protocol. Said his status for Tuesday against Michigan State still up in the air.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanHoops) January 21, 2022

Cockburn is in his junior season and is currently averaging career highs in points (21.1), rebounds (11.8) and minutes per game (29.4) among other categories through 14 games, while shooting 58.9% from the field and 67.6% from the free throw line. The Jamaican is 11th in the NCAA in scoring and third in the Big Ten, third in the country in rebounding and for the second season in a row, he is leading the conference in his rebounds per game.

He led the entire Big Ten in field goal percentage last season (.654) and is fourth so far this season. In 2020, he was named the conference's Freshman of the Year and last year he was a second team consensus All-American and was named first team All-Big-Ten.

Illinois is currently 13-4 and ranked No. 17 in the country.

More must-reads: