Dain Dainja - College Basketball News & Rumors | FOX Sports

Illinois' Dain Dainja rattles the rim for two-handed dunk against Bethune-Cookman

Illinois' Dain Dainja rattles the rim for two-handed dunk against Bethune-Cookman

JULY 25, 2023 • FOX SPORTS

Dain Dainja's 20-point performance leads Illinois to a come-from-behind 75-66 win against Michigan State

Dain Dainja's 20-point performance leads Illinois to a come-from-behind 75-66 win against Michigan State

JULY 25, 2023 • FOX SPORTS

13 points, seven boards in loss Dainja amassed 13 points (4-10 FG, 5-8 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and one steal across 24 minutes during Thursday's 79-76 loss to Penn State.

Impact Dainja bounced back after neither scoring more than 10 points nor playing for more than 20 minutes in a game in three previous contests. A guy whose role improved over the season, Dainja can take another big step if he continues on his path.

MARCH 10, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Dain Dainja, Myles Dread get in physical confrontation during Illinois vs. Penn State Big Ten second round matchup

Dain Dainja, Myles Dread get in physical confrontation during Illinois vs. Penn State Big Ten second round matchup

MARCH 10, 2023 • FOX SPORTS

2023 Big Ten, Big East Tournament picks, long shots

FOX Sports' John Fanta gives his favorite Big Ten and Big East Tournament picks, including a couple of long-shot picks that could make some...

MARCH 7, 2023 • FOX SPORTS

2023 Big Ten, Big East Tournament picks, long shots

College basketball highlights: No. 5 Purdue narrowly defeats Illinois

Big Ten men's basketball took center stage Sunday, as No. 5 Purdue narrowly defeated Illinois. Here are the highlights!

MARCH 5, 2023 • FOX SPORTS

College basketball highlights: No. 5 Purdue narrowly defeats Illinois

Illinois' Dain Dainja throws down an aggressive jam against No. 5 Purdue

Illinois' Dain Dainja throws down an aggressive jam against No. 5 Purdue

MARCH 5, 2023 • FOX SPORTS

Nears double-double Dainja totaled 17 points (7-11 FG, 3-4 FT), nine rebounds and one block across 30 minutes during Saturday's 81-79 loss to Iowa.

Impact Dainja has been solid on both ends of the court in a starting role for the Illini, as he's now made 11 consecutive starts and averaged 10.5 points and 6.6 rebounds over that span. Not surprisingly, the 6-9 center also leads the team in blocks at 1.4 bpg (1.9 bpg as a starter). His move to the starting lineup has also coincided with a run of successful play for Illinois despite Saturday's narrow defeat, as the Illini are 8-3 in that 11-game stretch.

FEBRUARY 5, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

WATCH: Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis Swats Dain Dainja Illinois forward Dain Dainja drove to the left block, but Indiana’s Trayce Jackson-Davis was there to reject the shot off the backboard.

JANUARY 20, 2023 • SACBEE.COM

Logs 20 points in win Dainja racked up 20 points (8-12 FG, 4-5 FT), seven rebounds, one assist and two blocks in 32 minutes during Friday's 75-66 win over Michigan State.

Impact Dainja continues his boom-or-bust season with a second 20-point effort to sandwich three games scoring less than 10. One can only hope that he finds more consistency if he continues to remain a starter.

JANUARY 15, 2023 • ROTOWIRE

Dainja leads Illinois against Northwestern after 22-point showing

Illinois visits the Northwestern Wildcats after Dain Dainja scored 22 points in the Fighting Illini's 85-52 win against the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats

JANUARY 3, 2023 • Associated Press

Leading scorer in win Dainja finished with 22 points (8-10 FG, 6-11 FT), six rebounds, four steals, four blocks and two assists across 26 minutes during Thursday's 85-52 win over the Bethune-Cookman Wi...

Impact Dainja showcased his full offensive arsenal against the Wildcats, leading the team in scoring while also being very efficient from the field. He was also an absolute force on the defensive end, leading the team in steals and blocks. The sophomore forward has been a completely different player for Illinois this season, averaging 10.7 points and 5.5 rebounds across 17.7 minutes per night.

DECEMBER 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Dainja scores 22 as Illinois defeats Bethune-Cookman 85-52

Dain Dainja scored a career-high 22 points and led five players in double-digit scoring as Illinois returned from a week off to power past Bethune-Cookman, 85-52

DECEMBER 30, 2022 • Associated Press

Starting Thursday Dainja is in the starting lineup for Thursday's game against Bethune-Cookman, Ethan Simmons of The News-Gazette reports.

Impact Dainja will get his first start of the year with head coach Brad Underwood opting to go with a bigger lineup Thursday night. The 6-9 Baylor transfer is averaging 9.8 points and 5.4 rebounds in 16.4 minutes per game and will look to take advantage of the opportunity against a weaker opponent.

DECEMBER 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Dainja dominates as No. 23 Illinois tops Kansas City, 86-48

Dain Dainja scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds and to lead No. 23 Illinois to an 86-48 win over Kansas City

NOVEMBER 12, 2022 • Associated Press

Productive from bench Dainja notched 17 points (8-9 FG, 1-4 FT), 10 rebounds and two blocks over 16 minutes during Monday's 87-57 victory over Eastern Illinois.

Impact Dainja didn't start in his first game since transferring from Baylor but showed why transferring to the Illini was a smart decision if he's to play a bigger role this season. Keep an eye on how Dainja develops, as he could make an excellent front court partner for star Coleman Hawkins with continued progression.

NOVEMBER 10, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Big Ten men's hoops: Summer questions for Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, more

The nation's deepest conference features a host of teams facing key questions. John Fanta breaks down Indiana, Michigan and more!

JULY 14, 2022 • FOX SPORTS

Big Ten men's hoops: Summer questions for Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, more

Chooses Illinois Dainja announced via his personal Twitter account that he has decided to transfer to Illinois.

Impact Dainja saw a very limited role over the first three games of the season for Baylor, as the Bears return their top two centers from a season ago and likely didn't have many more minutes available at the position. As a result, Dainja hit the transfer portal. It'd be highly unlikely to see him cleared for even a partial season, given how far past the NCAA deadline his decision came, though Dainja is likely positioning him to get in the center mix for the Illini as one of the eventual successors to Kofi Coburn, who many presume will turn pro after this season.

NOVEMBER 28, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Decides to leave Baylor Dainja will transfer from Baylor, Jeff Borzello of ESPN.com reports.

Impact Dainja took a redshirt last season and has played a very minimal role early in the 2021-22 campaign. Baylor is very deep, so he didn't see a clear path to playing time anytime soon. Dainja should be able to keep all four years of eligibility.

NOVEMBER 20, 2021 • ROTOWIRE