Basketball

March 29, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

It wasn't a total shock, but Andre Curbelo made it official Monday afternoon: announcing that he will leave Illinois after two seasons and enter the transfer portal.  This is not the way he, nor anyone else, thought he would be spending his spring.  The preseason All-Big Ten pick had a tough season battling through injury.  We know we IlliniGuys join everyone in Illini Nation in wishing him good health and great success in the years to come.

'Belo's departure is the first of several roster changes expected this offseason.  What could be next for him?  Is Kofi talking to the NBA?  And what potential future Illini teammate has he been wooing?

IlliniGuys Insider Brad Sturdy has the answers to all of that and more in his latest platter of inside Illini stuff, served up exclusively on IlliniGuys.com.

Let's get to it!

Andre Curbelo confirms a widely regarded rumor that he’s entered the transfer portal with the intention of playing elsewhere after two seasons at Illinois. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 28, 2022

CHAMPAIGN -- Andre Curbelo has likely played his final game as a member of the University of Illinois men’s basketball program. 

March 28, 2022

Good Monday afternoon from the IlliniGuys! Sitting here in the state-of-the-art IlliniGuys studio (that's a wink to everyone who listens to our radio show) and anticipating all that's about to happen in the week ahead.

IlliniGuys Insider Brad Sturdy is like your favorite nurse at the doctor's office; he's got his finger on the pulse of Illini basketball!   He's always sharing his notes on our message forum for premium subscribers.  If you have a friend who seems to know what's going on inside the program or hears of things before you do, well...they probably know Brad OR subscribe to IlliniGuys.com!

Here's his latest offerings, including the latest on 5-star recruit Skyy Clark:

March 27, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

So what does a Big Ten tournament championship followed by a Big Ten regular season title bring you?

In the words of one message board insider  - "Illinois is now competing with the Kentuckys of the world and the big boys know it.  Illinois is back!"

The IlliniGuys message forums saw a record number of members online Saturday night as everyone speculates on the latest whispers.  Could a major decision with serious impact on the Illini's future success take place this week?

Here's the latest from IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy and our team of insiders.  If you didn't already know, Sturdy is the pre-eminent Illini basketball insider and you can find his stuff only on IlliniGuys.com. And we tease him a lot, but IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting Kedric Prince knows every mom in the country. His latest one-on-one conversation is below.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 25, 2022

The Illinois basketball team was on top of the world, winning a Big Ten Championship for the first time in 17 years. 

March 26, 2022

You may have heard that there's no offseason in college basketball and it's 100% true.  The Illini coaching staff had yet to touch down back in Champaign last Sunday night after being ousted from the NCAA tournament when their second season began:

Recruiting.  Or, as we call it here, "'cruitin' season!"

If you have followed along in the past, you know this isn't for the faint of heart.  These players are young men with all kinds of dreams and, sometimes, with all kinds of voices in their ear...sometimes telling them things that may or may not be in their best interests.

The result is a roller coaster of emotions, messages, things said or written -- all which can be interpreted in a number of ways, good or bad.

We're really fortunate to have the best in the business on our side.  IlliniGuys Insider Brad Sturdy, joined by Director of Recruiting Kedric Prince, leads our team of insiders that keep us updated with the very latest regarding the Illini:  who is staying, thinking of leaving, turning pro, on the fence...and what top transfers have their sights set on Orange and Blue.

We have no idea where this will all land, so all we can do is say 'strap in' and get ready.  Sturdy delivers the good on an almost daily basis and sparks so much conversation that our message boards stay in midseason form.

Here's his latest contribution.  Some eye-popping stuff here and a possible foreshadowing of some decisions and/or announcements that could take as early as this week.

For up-to-the-minute updates, subscribe to IlliniGuys.com.  Don't get left out!

Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 24, 2022

Tuesday afternoon, Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman announced former Dayton, Ohio, coach Shaun Green as the next women's basketball coach to lead the Fighting Illini.

(Editor's note: this was originally published Wednesday morning on the IlliniGuys message forum)

March 24, 2022

From Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst

Guys, I expect to return after a couple of days of following through with conversations and such. The Illini used 15 scholarships this year, subtract Frazier, Plummer and Williams who are out of eligibility.

Here's where we stand at the moment:

Dain Dainja (1) - Very high on this kid.
Luke Goode (2) - Role player, glue guy that can shoot it
RJ Melendez (3) - Potential star.
Brandin Podziemski (4) - They love his toughness. I think Podz wants to give it a try after the 5th year guys are gone and compete for PT with the frosh.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 16, 2022

Elliott Spencer is a 6-foot-9, 210-pound combo forward from St. Pius X in Georgia in the class of 2023.

Zain Bando, IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

March 22, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, IL – The vibes inside State Farm Center dawned a new era for the Illinois women’s basketball team.

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuy

March 22, 2022

What a ride for Trent Frazier and Da'Monte Williams. Went from the cellar to the penthouse in the Big Ten.

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood and Illini players still confused over explanation over the technical foul RJ Melendez was given in the NCAA Tournament second round loss to Houston. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 21, 2022

PITTSBURGH -- RJ Melendez still doesn’t know exactly how he’s supposed to handle his breakaway dunk to properly appease game official Brian O'Connell. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 21, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

PITTSBURGH -- “Coaches decision.”

This was the two-word answer from Illinois head coach Brad Underwood on why sophomore point guard Andre Curbelo sat on the Illini bench for the final 26 minutes of their 68-53 loss in the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament.

The answer was short and, coming off a crushing 15-point loss to end the season, it certainly wasn’t sweet.

Curbelo, who missed 11 straight games from Nov. 26 to Jan. 14 with issues related to a concussion diagnosis, had a roller coaster of a 2021-22 season that started by being named to preseason national watch lists. Ultimately, Curbelo’s second season at Illinois ends with him not being on the playing floor after the 6:03 mark of the first half of Sunday’s game.

“What a year!!!!!! A lot of up and down moments but we still standing 10 toes down. Time to reflect!!! Coming back stronger than ever,” Curbelo posted on Twitter immediately after the loss on Sunday. “Didn’t go the way we wanted but we fought through a lot of adversity. Love my brothers for life.”

In the post-game media conference, Underwood addressed a reporter's question...

Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy March 21, 2022 The Illini ran […]

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 20, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

PITTSBURGH -- The final moment for the Illinois seniors resulted in another disappointing NCAA Tournament thud.

Trent Frazier, Da’Monte Williams, Jacob Grandison and Alfonso Plummer will never wear an Illinois uniform again after March 20, 2022 and all four of those players will be taking that jersey off following a second round exit when they were the higher seed. The exit of these four players comes in a 68-53 loss to an aggressive Houston squad and another sputtering offensive outing where they were 4 of 18 from the field, 3 of 14 from the three-point arc.

“We didn't shoot it very well. We played well enough; we didn't shoot it very well. You look at our two games here, and we just -- we just shot it terrible,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said. “I've been through more things this year with this team than I have my entire career put together. And that's 35 years.”