About November: Seven Illinois counties voted in favor of exploring secession. The rural counties of Iroquois, Calhoun, Clinton, Green, Jersey, Madison and Perry all voted to examine “the possibility of separating from Cook County to form a new state and to seek admission to the Union as such.”

Kasparas Jakucionis, who had missed Illinois’ previous two games with a left arm injury, scored 19 of his 21 points in the first half of a blowout victory over Indiana.