Heat Checks and Hail Marys - Making Christmas Merry Again
Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy December 23, 2021 The Illini demolished […]
Heat Checks and Hail Marys - Making Christmas Merry Again
Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy December 23, 2021 The Illini demolished […]
Illini Swagger Dominates in Braggin' Rights Game with Rout of Mizzou
IlliniGuys Staff December 22, 2021 ST. LOUIS, Mo. - […]
Early-Season Adversity Has Led To Mid-Season Confidence For Illini
By W. Elijah Smith -- IlliniGuys Contributor December 22, […]
Illini Basketball Preview - Illini vs Missouri
Connor Cagley, IlliniGuys Basketball Writer December 22, 2021 The […]
Fly on the Wall - Part 3 - Good Morning, State Farm Center!
The wake up call at the hotel was 5:45AM […]
Fly on the Wall - Part 2 - Personnel
By Brad Sturdy -- Illini Guys Insider/Analyst
It’s Friday afternoon, and we are between sessions for the Illinois men’s basketball team. So, where are they? They’re at Ubben. Hanging out together. Getting more shots up. For the freshmen, they get a second lift in with Coach Fletcher before they head back over to the State Farm Center for a look at the personnel for St. Francis, and a quiz.
So much has changed when it comes to scouting personnel. Now, Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball Assistant Coach Tim Anderson is in charge of the personnel aspect, but it wasn't always this way. In fact, Brad Underwood credits the pandemic for the change.
‘Last season, we couldn’t go out and recruit, so we changed the way we do things,’ Underwood said. ‘Gent (Former Assistant Coach Stephen Gentry) and Geoff were in charge of the offense, and O (Orlando Antigua) and Chin (Ronald Coleman) were in charge of the defense. Instead of one guy scouting the entire team, now we get everyone’s eyes on a team and I just feel like we can be much more thorough.’
Fly on the Wall Part 1 - Meet St. Francis
December 20, 2021
It’s a 2-day scout and game prep for Illinois basketball in today’s day and age of analytics and video, and our insider Brad Sturdy was able to be a fly on the wall for two days of prep and scouting before the St. Francis game last weekend. In the first of this 3-part series, we look at the last full practice prior to the game.
9AM Friday
At 8:30AM, the 3 Freshmen, RJ Melendez, Luke Goode and Brandin Podziemski are getting shots up in the State Farm Center. I’m told that one of the biggest (pleasant) surprises has been the time spent in the gym by these 3. Although they have had their issues at times, they are beginning to ‘get it’. Underwood said the last week of practice and these 3 games over break will be important for them if they want to be in the mix in Big Ten play.
‘Film Room’ is called out repeatedly as the timer on the State Farm Center basket ticks down, and the players, coaches and staff head to the ‘Ready Room’.
The Ready Room in the State Farm Center is the multi-media room, there are about 25 seats in 3 rows where the players sit in the first two rows and they watch film and clips. The session starts with Underwood going over COVID and the situation right now, with all of the shutdowns in college basketball, but quickly turns to the film session. This is actually the second film session on St. Francis. The players received their personnel packets and St. Francis team sheets on Thursday.
Illini women fall at SIU, 66-51
IlliniGuys Staff December 19, 2021 CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Adalia […]
Heat Checks and Hail Marys - Improved Defense and Offense Blow Away the Red Flash
Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy December 19, 2021 The Illini methodically […]
Sturdy's 3 Takeaways - St. Francis (PA)
Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuy December 18, 2021 Illinois dominated St. […]
Illini Set School Record In 106-48 Rout of St. Francis (PA)
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Kofi Cockburn recorded his 34th career double-double and the Illini hit a team record 18 three-pointers as Illinois cruised to a 106-48 win Saturday afternoon at State Farm Center.
Alfonso Plummer added 19 points, ending his streak of six consecutive games in which he scored 20 points or more. Jacob Grandison added 18 as Illinois (8-3) rebounded from an 83-79 defeat to Arizona on this same court a week earlier.
2001 & 2002 Illini Reunion at State Farm Center
IlliniGuys Stafff December 18, 2021 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - They […]
Illini Basketball Preview - Illini vs St. Francis (PA)
Connor Cagley, IlliniGuys Basketball Writer December 18, 2021 Today […]
Illini’s Underwood on Curbelo’s Instant Return: “It doesn’t work like that”
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer
December 17, 2021
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Do not expect to see Andre Curbelo playing in games before the end of the Christmas holiday season.
While still holding details back from the public on the nature of the ongoing condition of his sophomore point guard, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood did make it clear his staff is not aware of a current timeline for Curbelo’s active return to not only games but practices.
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