Basketball

The Fighting Illini picked up a big-time recruit Morez Johnson from Chicago's  St. Rita High School, a 2024 nationally ranked prospect. Johnson is a  6-foot-7 power forward who many consider the best stretch-four Illinois coach Brad Underwood has recruited since he arrived at Illinois.

St. Rita's head basketball coach Roshawn Russell did a podcast for Brad Sturdy's 'Sturdy for 30'.

Illiniguys Cagley and Sturdy talk about the Illini opener […]

Tuesday night the Fighting Illini basketball team will tip off their 117th season with as much optimism as the program has ever seen.  Rare has been a campaign that opened with a returning All-American, teamed up with a potential All-American, AND a player picked by one outlet (FOX Sports) to be the defensive national player of the year.  By winning the Big Ten tournament, compiling the best regular season record in the Big Ten, and earning the fourth #1 NCAA tournament seed in program history, Illinois has proven it is once again one of the elite teams in the country.
Now…the challenge is to stay there.

On Friday, Illinois picked up an amazing basketball commit.  Morez Johnson is a 6-foot-7 power forward from Chicago’s St. Rita High and most feel he is the number one prospect in the state in the class of 2024. Johnson is already a four-star player at such an early age.

Chicago St. Rita coach Roshawn Russell joins Sturdy to […]

IlliniGuys Insider Brad Sturdy always has his ear to the ground and offered these thoughts on our message forums this morning after the Morez Johnson commitment.  Be the first to be in the know -- subscribe to IlliniGuys.com today!

-I am pretty sure most people outside the program were shocked by the Johnson commitment, but this has been what Illinois was hoping to do in 2024 since they hired Tim Anderson. and this is a just a start...

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Illiniguys Mike Cagley and Brad Sturdy breakdown the suspension […]

IlliniGuys November 2, 2021 The IlliniGuys present the first […]

The Illinois men’s basketball program has confirmed a multi-game […]

November 1, 2021

IlliniGuys Insider Brad Sturdy tips off the week with some notes from basketball practice, including some good news on Austin Hutcherson.

By Larry Smith - IlliniiGuys.com
October 31, 2021
I wish I had the time and space to tell you what a rewarding experience IlliniGuys has been in the almost 14 months since Mike and I said ‘what if…’  Yes, there are trying moments and too little free time, but it has been such a thrill to reconnect with old friends and make new ones…all linked by our common passion that is Fighting Illini sports. 
As you might imagine, my sports bucket list is pretty short.  I’ve been to Wrigley and Fenway and old Yankee Stadium, the Rose Bowl, Augusta National, and Panathenaic (1896 Olympics) Stadium in Greece. The fall of the Curse of the Bambino. Phelps’ eight Olympic gold medals.  Two of Brady’s Super Bowl wins.  Private conversations with Tiger after winning majors.  Life has been good.
But there is one thing missing:  an Illinois NCAA basketball championship.  While Brad, Kedric, Matt, and others have a front row seat, I’m sort of in the owner’s box for this go-round; always trying to get them (and you) what’s needed and now privy to the most inside of information.  I firmly believe Illinois has their best shot at that elusive title since the magical 2005 run and it’s exciting to watch it unfold up close and to see Brad Underwood build this program into one of the nation’s best.
Which brings me to this picture, the role IlliniGuys played in making it happen, and why it has created such an instant buzz.  Surprisingly, some have even questioned its validity.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Fans got to see the good, the bad and the ugly from Andre Curbelo.

Following his second and final exhibition game, the Illini sophomore point guard showcased just about everything but the consistency you’re hoping for from a potential All-Big Ten preseason selection.

It didn’t take long for Curbelo’s head coach to suggest how unimpressed he was with his lead guard.

“It wasn’t his best performance, let’s just put that way,” Underwood said in his post-game media conference.

Curbelo was not made available to media following Friday night’s final exhibition game of the Illini’s preseason.

In the 94-79 victory over Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania, the good for Curbelo was the fact he was forced to play 34 minutes of duty and showed a confidence with the basketball...

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illini weren’t sharp in their 2nd exhibition game, and despite scoring 94 points, they won by only 15 over a good Indiana University of Pennsylvania team. Illinois got 21 points from Kofi Cockburn and 16 from Coleman Hawkins and Alfonso Plummer while playing without Austin Huctherson, DaMonte Williams and Trent Frazier. Here’s a look at a few observations from the win.