Basketball

Illinois get 20 points from sophomore guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger […]

By Larry Smith - Co-Host & Executive Producer, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular 

December 20, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

(Editor's Note - Larry is the co-founder of IlliniGuys.com. His journalism career spans nearly four decades and includes more than 60 major championships worldwide and thousands of shows on CNN, TNT, and NBA TV. He is a Murrow, Emmy, and Peabody Award winner who is entering his second season as host of the WNBA on Ion Friday night studio show.)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - It's almost 51 weeks to the day when Terrence Shannon Jr.'s life turned upside down.  The All-American candidate found himself in Lawrence, Kansas answering to a rape allegation while, hundreds of miles away, he was being temporarily removed from the Illinois basketball team. The latter being reversed three weeks later, but only after he won a temporary restraining order against the school he represented.

Shannon maintained his innocence and was later cleared of all charges in Kansas after the season ended and, on February 15th, another step of putting one of the most bizarre turn of events in Illinois athletic history further in the rear-view mirror will be taken when the university will raise his jersey to the rafters.

No one is more deserving.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

December 17, 2024

BETTENDORF, Iowa – The Quad Cities has added another nationally ranked prospect to Illinois' recruiting radar. Jhaliana Guy, a 5-foot-9 combo guard, has showcased an exceptional athletic ability that has drawn the attention of 25 college programs, including the Illini.

Guy, ranked in the top 10 nationally by ESPNW, displayed her talents Friday night when the Bettendorf Bulldogs faced the Assumption Knights. While she didn’t dominate the scoreboard on this night, she did finish with 11 points on 4-for-10 shooting. But here's why she's drawing so much interest:

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) (Cover photo courtesy Joe […]

Despite again having a short bench, Illinois head coach Shauna Green was able to turn to reserves, such as Barry Wallace, to flip the momentum Sunday afternoon. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

Decembere 16, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — If she had never suffered an injury to her shooting hand, Berry Wallace’s role off the bench in her freshman season might have been exactly what she showed Sunday afternoon. 

Following a nine-point opening quarter that saw Illinois down early to a upset-minded Southern Indiana team that came four points away from defeating Indiana in Bloomington’s Assembly Hall, Illini head coach Shauna Green turned to arguably the most prestigious women’s basketball signee in the last decade to get them out of an offensive slump. 

Wallace responded to the call by her head coach with 12 points in the second quarter of a 73-50 blowout win by showcasing her ability to do the thing Illinois (9-2) has failed to show consistently throughout these last few weeks - hit jump shots. 

Mike Cagley & Brad Sturdy talk: CFP Predictions Heisman […]

Illinois freshman wing Berry Wallace produced a career-high 18 points off the bench in a 73-50 victory over Southern Indiana. 

Matthew Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 15, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Berry Wallace finally got to show why she was a McDonald’s All-America selection and arguably the most Illinois coveted signee of the Shauna Green era.

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuys Insider & Host of the IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

December 15, 2024

The opportunity was there in front of the Fighting Illini as they led Tennessee by as many as 6 points in the final 10 minutes and had the ball late with multiple opportunities to deal a knockout punch. Instead, they turned it over, failed on inbounds attempts, missed open shots, missed free throws, and allowed Justin Gainey to go coast to coast in the final seconds for a layup in a 66-64 loss. The Illini failed to make a field goal in the final 5 minutes as they fell to 7-3, with #1 Tennessee moving to 10-0. 

After watching the film, three things pop out. 

(From Illinois Sports Information Office)   Illinois vs. Southern […]

In a 66-64 loss to No. 1 Tennessee, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood immediately knew he’d made what he would consider an inexcusable coaching blunder.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 14, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It is exceedingly obvious that Illinois head coach Brad Underwood’s 61st birthday wish on Saturday would be for five seconds to be put back on the State Farm Center game clock and Tennessee’s final offensive possession to be replayed.

After he watched Tennessee guard Jordan Gainey drive practically the length of the floor to make a driving layup just as the buzzer sounded completing a 66-64 victory for the No. 1 Volunteers, Underwood immediately realized he forgot to do something.

By IlliniGuys Staff December 14, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

December 14, 2024

The top ranked Tennessee Volunteers are invading Champaign on Saturday as the Illini look to grab another signature win in what should be a rocking State Farm Center. The Illini are coming off of a win over #20 Wisconsin this week and are looking for another signature win in their difficult non-conference schedule.

Here are the particulars.

Setting the Stage

Illinois (7-2, 1-1 B1G) vs. #1ap/1 Tennessee (9-0)
Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024 // 4:30 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: FOX – Jeff Levering (Play-by-Play) & Robbie Hummel (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

Illinois will host No. 1 Tennessee inside State Farm Center on Saturday where Vols head coach Rick Barnes expects his fundamentally physical and sound defense will travel to Champaign.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 13, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The physicality of the college basketball game is one of the main reasons Kasparas Jakucionis wanted to attempt the transition from European amateur leagues to the University of Illinois.

If physical, in-your-face defense and rebounding was what the 18-year-old wished to see in his journey from Lithuania to Barcelona, Spain to Champaign-Urbana, Illinois, he’ll more than likely get his fill when No. 1 Tennessee comes to State Farm Center on Saturday afternoon.

Tennessee (9-0) comes into this game with one of the most intimidating and disciplined defensive operations in college basketball. The Volunteers, led by 10th year head coach Rick Barnes, are No. 2 in defensive efficiency by KenPom.com and it’s the style of play that routinely gets offenses out of its comfort zone with what could be classified as the Mike Tyson plan as the former world heavyweight champion said that “everybody has a plan, until they get punched in the face”.

By Larry Smith - Co-Host & Executive Producer, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

December 13, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Steven Branscombe-Imagn Images)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - It was a tough pill to swallow.

An Illinois team coming off a high-profile, thorough whipping of then-19th ranked Arkansas on a neutral court as one of the largest regular season television audiences in the past two decades watched, marched into Evanston ready to dispose of a lesser-renowned Northwestern and send a signal that they will be a beast not just in the Big Ten, but on a national stage.

They were three-fourths of the way there, leading by 10 with ten minutes to go.

Illinois head coach Shauna Green knows her team is playing solid defense and experiencing a recent offensive lull and she’d rather deal with that reality because the opposite would a nightmare.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 13, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In the two losses this season to Top 15 opponents, Illinois has gone through long stretches of offensive ineptitude while still maintaining defensive intensity and maturity.

When asked on Wednesday afternoon at State Farm Center if she would prefer this early season problem than the reverse situation, Illinois head coach Shauna Green was emphatic in her answer.