DAIN DAINJA NEWS

One to watch in 2024-25 Dainja is considered an under-the-radar transfer, according to Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports.

Impact For Dainja, it is all about receiving maximized opportunities he never consistently got while enrolled at Illinois. He played 10 games with double-digit shots, and those matchups resulted in him averaging 17.3 points and 7.3 rebounds. Memphis' team went from a plethora of centers last season to needing a leading man, and this is how Dainja could shine.

SEPTEMBER 3 • ROTOWIRE

Paul Sullivan: Unsung teams and unexpected heroes - such as Northwestern's Ryan Langborg and Illinois' Dain Dainja - are what March Madness is all about OMAHA, Neb. - The best part about the opening weekend of March Madness is the element of surprise. Whether it’s a low-seeded team such as Oa...

MARCH 24 • NEWSOBSERVER.COM

Illinois routs Morehead State, 85-69, in NCAA Tournament first round behind Dain Dainja's monster second half OMAHA, Neb. - Some Illinois players wore T-shirts touting the “Dainja Zone” on their trip to the NCAA Tournament, a nod to big man Dain Dain...

MARCH 21 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Excels in win Dainja recorded 18 points (7-10 FG, 4-8 FT), eight rebounds and one block over 20 minutes during Friday's 77-74 win over Ohio State.

Impact Dainja converted on 7-of-10 looks from the field, closing with 18 points, eight rebounds and one block during Friday's win over the Buckeyes. The 6-foot-9 junior has appeared in all 32 games this season, averaging 5.9 points, 3.4 rebounds and 0.5 blocks on 10.1 minutes per game. Dainja, who has been efficient with his limited opportunities all season, will look to step up against the Cornhuskers on Saturday.

MARCH 16 • ROTOWIRE

Contributes in rout Dainja contributed four points (2-4 FG) and six rebounds in 13 minutes during Tuesday's 97-68 victory over Michigan.

Impact Dainja chipped in four points and six rebounds off the bench during Tuesday's rout of the Wolverines. The 6-foot-9 junior has appeared in 23 games (three starts), averaging 5.6 points, 3.2 rebounds and 0.5 blocks on 9.6 minutes per game. Despite taking a backseat role after starting in 21 games last season, Dainja, who is shooting 65.2 percent from the field on the season, remains involved off the bench.

FEBRUARY 16 • ROTOWIRE

Big Ten media day takeaways: Purdue seeks redemption, Izzo praises freshman PG, more

Purdue is looking for redemption, while Tom Izzo has high praise for his freshman point guard. Here are the top storylines from Big Ten men'...

OCTOBER 10, 2023

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

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

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

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

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