Basketball

By IlliniGuys Staff January 8, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

January 8, 2026

The Illini are back at home in the friendly confines of the State Farm Center to take on the Rutgers Scarlet Knights in their 2nd Big Ten home game of the season. The Illini are a 21.5 point favorite over the struggling Scarlet Knights, who have never won in Champaign.

Setting the Stage
#16 Illinois (11-3, 2-1 B1G) vs. Rutgers (8-7, 1-3 B1G)
Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026 // 7:30 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: BTN – Kevin Kugler (Play-by-Play) & Shon Morris (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Doug Altenberger

Notable
No. 16 Illinois carries a three-game win streak into a Thursday night Big Ten matchup vs. Rutgers at State Farm Center. Tipoff between the Fighting Illini and the Scarlet Knights is set for 7:30 p.m. CT on Big Ten Network.

*Rutgers is Illinois' lone home game in an 18-day period spanning the new year. The Illini captured a 90-55 home win vs. Southern on Dec. 29, then defeated Penn State, 73-65, at The Palestra in Philadelphia in their last outing on Saturday. Following this week's home tilt vs. the Scarlet Knights, the Illini will play back-to-back Big Ten road games − at #19 Iowa on Sunday and at Northwestern on Jan. 14 − before returning to State Farm Center Jan. 17 vs. Minnesota.

Ohio State guard and 2025 Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jaloni Cambridge drops a career-high 41 points to help No. 19 Buckeyes leave Champaign-Urbana with a win.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 8, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Shauna Green looked down the printed box score satisfied her team won so many statistical categories and then, she got to Jaloni Cambridge’s stat line.

That’s when all the color seemed to drain from the face from the fourth-year Illinois head coach’s face.

In a 78-69 home loss, the first home loss of the 2025-26 season for the Illini, to the No. 19 team in the country, it was one player’s offense that essentially covered up everything else Illinois (13-3, 3-2 in Big Ten Conference) did well on Wednesday.

No matter the statistic and you name it - because Green did - points in the paint, offensive rebounds, second chance points and bench points and Illinois won them. Cambridge made sure her 39-minute effort made all of those statistical wins by the Illini basically irrelevant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vp0h2gyGS0    

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 7, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy FIBA)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois men’s basketball program will host scoring wing Boyuan Zhang for an official visit when the Illini take on Rutgers at 7:30 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network Thursday night, IlliniGuys has learned.

Zhang is a 6-foot-7 left-handed wing from Garden Grove, California, and Veritas Prep high school. Illinois associate head coach Orlando Antigua is serving as the lead recruiter. Illinois is looking to add additional scoring on the wing for next season, and Zhang fits that need.

IlliniGuys caught up with Zhang

By IlliniGuys Staff January 7, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Illinois vs. #19 Ohio State Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026 […]

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Life on the road is never easy in the Big Ten, so when you get a comfortable win in a white out game and a special arena in league play, you take it. The Illini led by double digits most of the game and did enough to win 73-65 in a slogfest at the Palestra against an overmatched Penn State squad to move to 11-3 and 2-1 in league play with two road wins.

Keaton Wagler played just 20 minutes in the foul fest, but still had 16 points, while Kylan Boswell had 18 to lead the Illini. A big second half from David Mirkovic allowed him to get another double-double, with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

These 3 Things

Defense Traveled -

For the first time since Nov. 14 and only […]

By IlliniGuys Staff Writer January 3, 2026 (Cover photo […]

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

January 3, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Brent Zinkmann/IlliniGuys)

The Illini are back in action Saturday evening when they travel to Philadelphia for the annual ‘Palestra Game’ for Penn State. It’s not a secret that Brad Underwood has always wanted to play a game at the Palestra and the Illini relish the opportunity to play in big events and storied venues. Now, they get their chance.

Here's a look at the particulars:

Setting the Stage
#19 Illinois (10-3, 1-1 B1G) vs. Penn State (9-4, 0-2 B1G) Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 // 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET) // Philadelphia, Pa. // The Palestra TV: BTN – Cory Provus (Play-by-Play) & LaPhonso Ellis (Analyst) Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas (Analyst)

Notable
*No. 20 Illinois opens the 2026 calendar year with its return to Big Ten play, beginning with a Saturday night matchup in an historic venue vs. Penn State at The Palestra in Philadelphia (6 p.m. CT / BTN). Illinois is making its first appearance at The Palestra since Nov. 29, 2003, a 75-60 win over Temple.

*Saturday's contest opens a 12-day stretch in which the will Illini face three of four Big Ten opponents on the road.

Illinois head coach Shauna Green is convinced her youthful roster pieces contributing to the program’s first Top 10 win and 13-1 start is not phased by the underdog label.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 2, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — On one of the most historic days of her four-year tenure at Illinois, Shauna Green might be learning the advantages of youth is not knowing you’re an underdog when facing a historical powerhouse program.

For the first time since Green was hired in March 2022 and the first time for the program in over a decade, Illinois defeated a Top 10 opponent with a thrilling 73-70 win over No. 7 Maryland. It was the second time in green’s tenure that the Illini (13-1, 3-0 in Big Ten Conference) was celebrating a massive upset win on New Year’s Day after defeating No. 12 Iowa led by Caitlin Clark on Jan. 1, 2023.

When asked how this victory happened in front of an instantly pumped 5,207 fans inside State Farm Center, Green simply had to once again admit that her team, which is the third youngest power conference team, and youngest in the Big Ten, didn’t have any idea that they weren’t favored to knock off a previously undefeated Maryland squad.

By IlliniGuys Staff January 1, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Illinois vs. No. 7 Maryland Date/Time: January 1, 2026/3pm […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 31, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – After clinching her 250th career win as a coach, becoming the winningest coach in program history, leading the team to its first win at Purdue in five years, and pushing them to the best 13-game start in program history, Illinois women’s basketball head coach Shauna Green is laser-focused on the task at hand.

That’s a whole lot of different, but when asked about what exactly changed from last year to this year, Green pointed to losing something that many might consider a strength: veterans. After steering the ship with a crew of veterans for the last four years, Green says that an all-new team has been behind the hot start to the 2025-26 season.