2025-26 Men's Basketball Roster
Roster
Epps, Jayden
F
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Jersey Number 10
Jayden Epps
- Height:
- 6-2
- Weight:
- 190
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Norfolk, Va.
- High School/Previous School:
- Combine Academy - N.C./Georgetown
Bio
HONORS & AWARDS
2024-25 Big EAST Player of the Week • Dec. 16, 2024 • Georgetown
2022-23 Big Ten Freshman of the Week • Feb. 6, 2023 • Illinois
ESPN No. 88 National Recruit • Class of 2022
CAREER
Epps has played in 87 games while making 61 starts between his time at Illinois (2022-23) playing for Brad Underwood and at Georgetown (2023-24 • 2024-25) playing for Ed Cooley … Secured 1,177 points, 231 assists, 189 rebounds and 91 steals … Sank 39.8 percent of his field goal attempts (406-of-1020), 31.6 percent of his three-point attempts (154-of-487) and 76.2 percent of his free throw attempts (211-of-277) … Came away with 62 efforts with double-digit points fueled by 18 outings of 20+ points and seven performances with 30 or more points … Recorded multiple steals 23 times and handed out 5+ assists in 15 games.
BEFORE STATE
2024-25: Epps collected 12.8 points, 2.3 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game as a junior … Started in 22 of his 27 appearances … Connected on 39.3 percent from the floor (118-of-300), 34.4 percent from beyond the three-point line (53-of-154) and 75.0 percent on free throws (57-of-76) … Totaled 18 outings with 10+ points and reached the 20-point barrier on five occasions.
2023-24: Epps contributed 18.5 points, 4.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in his sophomore campaign ... Earned the starting nod in 28 of 29 games … Ranked among the BIG EAST’s top 10 in points (3rd) and assists (8th) … Converted on 39.2 percent from the field (177-of-452), 30.5 percent on three-pointers (64-of-210) and 76.3 percent from the charity stripe (119-of-156) … Pumped home 24 outings in double figures with 12 games of 20+ points.
2022-23: Epps notched 9.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game over his 31 appearances during his freshman season … The Fighting Illini posted a 20-13 record and made the 2023 NCAA Tournament … Started 10 of his last 12 appearances (Jan. 24-March 16) … Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Feb. 6) … Hit on 41.4 percent from the floor (111-of-268), 30.1 percent from three-point territory (37-of-123) and 77.8 percent on at the free throw line (35-of-45) … Captured 20 games with 10+ points with one outing of 20 or more points.
BEST GAMES
2024-25: Epps started the season with five straight games with double-digit points (Nov. 6-23) wrapped up by a 23-point effort against Saint Francis (Nov. 23) … His season-high was 27 points on an efficient 11-of-15 shooting at Syracuse (Dec. 14) … Began BIG EAST play with 21 points and three steals versus Creighton (Dec. 18) … Provided 15 points apiece at Seton Hall (Dec. 22), at Villanova (Jan. 20) and at Butler (Feb. 15) … Amassed a BIG EAST season-high 22 points at Creighton (Feb. 23) … Chipped in 20 points against Villanova (March 4) during home finale.
2023-24: Epps’ top scoring efforts in non-conference action were a season-high 34 points versus Jackson State (Nov. 25), 31 points against American (Nov. 19) and 24 points versus TCU • Texas Christian (Dec. 2) during the BIG EAST/Big 12 Challenge … Put together a 16-game run of consecutive games with 10+ points (Nov. 11-Jan. 27) … Fired in 30 points with five assists against Seton Hall (Jan. 9) … Dialed up 32 points and dished out 11 assists at Xavier • Ohio (Jan. 19) for his first career double-double … Tacked on 26 points and six assists at Providence (Jan. 27) … Managed 31 points and seven assists versus St. John’s (Feb. 21) … Exploded for a BIG EAST season’s best 33 points at DePaul (Feb. 24) … Capped season with another 30-point effort against Providence (March 13) at the BIG EAST Tournament.
2022-23: Epps reached double figures for the first time against Kansas City (Nov. 11) during his second career game … Poured in a season’s best 21 points ignited by five three’s versus Monmouth (Nov. 14) … Secured a team-leading 14 points against No. 16 Virginia (Nov. 20) at Continental Tire Main Event in Las Vegas … Added 11 points versus Syracuse (Nov. 29) in ACC/Big Ten Challenge and 11 points during an overtime victory over No. 2 Texas (Dec. 6) at the Jimmy V Classic held inside Madison Square Garden in New York City … Tallied 15 points against No. 14 Wisconsin (Jan. 7) … Made his first Big Ten start and provided 14 points versus Ohio State (Jan. 24) … Ripped off 14 of his 16 points after halftime coupled with a season-high five assists at Iowa (Feb. 4) … Dialed up a Big Ten season’s best 17 points sparked by four triples against Minnesota (Feb. 20).
HIGH SCHOOL
Epps was a four-star recruit and ranked as a consensus top 100 player by all the major recruiting services … Rated No. 88 by ESPN for the Class of 2022 … Played his senior season at Combine Academy in Lincolnton, North Carolina ... Averaged 18 points, five assists and four rebounds … Combine won the 2022 Hoop State Championship and posted a 26-8 record … Selected to the 2022 Iverson Roundball Classic All-Star Game … Attended King’s Fork High School in Suffolk, Virginia … Did not have a junior season due to the COVID-19 pandemic … Named 2020 Virginia High School Class 4A Player of the Year after he posted 26 points, six assists, six rebounds and four steals per contest as a sophomore … Led King’s Fork to a 24-3 record and a share of the Class 4A state title … Played the AAU circuit for Team Loaded based in Virginia.
PERSONAL
Born on November 12 … Majoring in interdisciplinary studies.
2024-25 Big EAST Player of the Week • Dec. 16, 2024 • Georgetown
2022-23 Big Ten Freshman of the Week • Feb. 6, 2023 • Illinois
ESPN No. 88 National Recruit • Class of 2022
CAREER
Epps has played in 87 games while making 61 starts between his time at Illinois (2022-23) playing for Brad Underwood and at Georgetown (2023-24 • 2024-25) playing for Ed Cooley … Secured 1,177 points, 231 assists, 189 rebounds and 91 steals … Sank 39.8 percent of his field goal attempts (406-of-1020), 31.6 percent of his three-point attempts (154-of-487) and 76.2 percent of his free throw attempts (211-of-277) … Came away with 62 efforts with double-digit points fueled by 18 outings of 20+ points and seven performances with 30 or more points … Recorded multiple steals 23 times and handed out 5+ assists in 15 games.
BEFORE STATE
2024-25: Epps collected 12.8 points, 2.3 assists, 2.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game as a junior … Started in 22 of his 27 appearances … Connected on 39.3 percent from the floor (118-of-300), 34.4 percent from beyond the three-point line (53-of-154) and 75.0 percent on free throws (57-of-76) … Totaled 18 outings with 10+ points and reached the 20-point barrier on five occasions.
2023-24: Epps contributed 18.5 points, 4.2 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game in his sophomore campaign ... Earned the starting nod in 28 of 29 games … Ranked among the BIG EAST’s top 10 in points (3rd) and assists (8th) … Converted on 39.2 percent from the field (177-of-452), 30.5 percent on three-pointers (64-of-210) and 76.3 percent from the charity stripe (119-of-156) … Pumped home 24 outings in double figures with 12 games of 20+ points.
2022-23: Epps notched 9.5 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game over his 31 appearances during his freshman season … The Fighting Illini posted a 20-13 record and made the 2023 NCAA Tournament … Started 10 of his last 12 appearances (Jan. 24-March 16) … Named Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Feb. 6) … Hit on 41.4 percent from the floor (111-of-268), 30.1 percent from three-point territory (37-of-123) and 77.8 percent on at the free throw line (35-of-45) … Captured 20 games with 10+ points with one outing of 20 or more points.
BEST GAMES
2024-25: Epps started the season with five straight games with double-digit points (Nov. 6-23) wrapped up by a 23-point effort against Saint Francis (Nov. 23) … His season-high was 27 points on an efficient 11-of-15 shooting at Syracuse (Dec. 14) … Began BIG EAST play with 21 points and three steals versus Creighton (Dec. 18) … Provided 15 points apiece at Seton Hall (Dec. 22), at Villanova (Jan. 20) and at Butler (Feb. 15) … Amassed a BIG EAST season-high 22 points at Creighton (Feb. 23) … Chipped in 20 points against Villanova (March 4) during home finale.
2023-24: Epps’ top scoring efforts in non-conference action were a season-high 34 points versus Jackson State (Nov. 25), 31 points against American (Nov. 19) and 24 points versus TCU • Texas Christian (Dec. 2) during the BIG EAST/Big 12 Challenge … Put together a 16-game run of consecutive games with 10+ points (Nov. 11-Jan. 27) … Fired in 30 points with five assists against Seton Hall (Jan. 9) … Dialed up 32 points and dished out 11 assists at Xavier • Ohio (Jan. 19) for his first career double-double … Tacked on 26 points and six assists at Providence (Jan. 27) … Managed 31 points and seven assists versus St. John’s (Feb. 21) … Exploded for a BIG EAST season’s best 33 points at DePaul (Feb. 24) … Capped season with another 30-point effort against Providence (March 13) at the BIG EAST Tournament.
2022-23: Epps reached double figures for the first time against Kansas City (Nov. 11) during his second career game … Poured in a season’s best 21 points ignited by five three’s versus Monmouth (Nov. 14) … Secured a team-leading 14 points against No. 16 Virginia (Nov. 20) at Continental Tire Main Event in Las Vegas … Added 11 points versus Syracuse (Nov. 29) in ACC/Big Ten Challenge and 11 points during an overtime victory over No. 2 Texas (Dec. 6) at the Jimmy V Classic held inside Madison Square Garden in New York City … Tallied 15 points against No. 14 Wisconsin (Jan. 7) … Made his first Big Ten start and provided 14 points versus Ohio State (Jan. 24) … Ripped off 14 of his 16 points after halftime coupled with a season-high five assists at Iowa (Feb. 4) … Dialed up a Big Ten season’s best 17 points sparked by four triples against Minnesota (Feb. 20).
HIGH SCHOOL
Epps was a four-star recruit and ranked as a consensus top 100 player by all the major recruiting services … Rated No. 88 by ESPN for the Class of 2022 … Played his senior season at Combine Academy in Lincolnton, North Carolina ... Averaged 18 points, five assists and four rebounds … Combine won the 2022 Hoop State Championship and posted a 26-8 record … Selected to the 2022 Iverson Roundball Classic All-Star Game … Attended King’s Fork High School in Suffolk, Virginia … Did not have a junior season due to the COVID-19 pandemic … Named 2020 Virginia High School Class 4A Player of the Year after he posted 26 points, six assists, six rebounds and four steals per contest as a sophomore … Led King’s Fork to a 24-3 record and a share of the Class 4A state title … Played the AAU circuit for Team Loaded based in Virginia.
PERSONAL
Born on November 12 … Majoring in interdisciplinary studies.
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