Basketball

Due to a disappointing result in last year’s NCAA Tournament, Illini fans are putting a lot of hope into a single-elimination tournament this season filled with potential potholes. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 3, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- We’ve all flipped the calendar to March and that means several 18- to 24-year-old basketball players are about to put a lot of effort, words, time and energy into a single-elimination tournament. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 2, 2022

I know, you have heard or seen this many times - an Iowa student-athlete interested in Illinois. Bettendorf High School All-Stater DJ Carton flirted with the Illini before he picked Ohio State, a school he had loved since his junior high days.

Being without Brad Underwood for the final 6:17 of the Ohio State game showcased a long-standing Illini plan for the assistant coaches.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 1, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When Tyler Underwood finally got his father into the State Farm Center tunnel following the Illinois head coach’s ejection Thursday night, the assistant coaches went to work.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 28, 2022

Point guard Kylan Boswell, 6-foot-1, 180-pound from Compass Prep in Arizona, Boswell picked the Arizona Wildcats today.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. - The final Sunday in February was a pretty average workday in the life of Brad Underwood.

A long day of the mental and psychological chess game that is college basketball; more than 12,000 fans of the other team screaming down onto the court - a necessary piece that Underwood and his Illinois Fighting Illini seem to thrive off - as they outworked Michigan to the tune of 93-85.

There was a special feeling in the air as the final buzzer sounded.  Perhaps an acceptance of the lopsided nature of the matchup as the locals headed for the exits; Illinois winning its fifth in a row over the Wolverines, though this one without their suspended head coach Juwan Howard.  It was Illinois' 20th win of the season, a Big Ten-best 20th road win over the past three seasons, and the 200th victory of Underwood's coaching career.

Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy February 28, 2022 The Illini faced […]

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuy February 27, 2022 The Illini continued […]

IlliniGuys Staff February 27, 2022 ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- […]

Kofi Cockburn had a miserable night offensively, defensively and on the glass in Illinois’ 86-83 home loss to Ohio State on Thursday night.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 26, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The margin simply isn’t very wide for Illinois and following the 86-83 loss to Ohio State Thursday night, the program’s head coach made that point as clear as possible.

Illinois’ most likely destination for its first and second round games of the 2022 NCAA Tournament is the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 25, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- With 16 days remaining until the NCAA Tournament bracket is revealed, otherwise unofficially known as Selection Sunday, the destination for Illinois’ first weekend is becoming clearer. 

Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy February 25, 2022 Tonight's game was […]

IlliniGuys Staff February 24, 2022 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - It […]

Illinois sophomore forward Coleman Hawkins has never been short on natural talent and ability but now he’s regained confidence and, subsequently, regained a role in this Illini rotation.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 24, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- It might be the height of irony that while at a university known for one of the nation’s best engineering programs, Coleman Hawkins is learning to calculate the basketball formula for work at Illinois. 

Illinois senior forward Jacob Grandison has a professional basketball routine to get him through the ups and downs of a long season and, at 24 years old, sees no reason to change it now.  

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 24, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- When returning from Willard Airport from a late game at Rutgers last week, Illinois All-American center Kofi Cockburn needed to find Jacob Grandison at around 2 a.m. and had a decent idea where he was.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 23, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois freshman forward RJ Melendez will be inactive for the next game due to having emergency surgery to remove his appendix.