Basketball

Incoming Illini Freshman Guard Jase Butler Decommits

Incoming Illini Freshman Guard Jase Butler Decommits

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April x, 2024

In a surprising turn of events, highly touted freshman guard Jase Butler has decided to decommit from Illinois, signaling a shift in the team's recruitment strategy.

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Illini Guard Adalia McKenzie Talks WBIT Championship With The IlliniGuys, Presented by HX Home Solutions

Illini Guard Adalia McKenzie Talks WBIT Championship With The IlliniGuys, Presented by HX Home Solutions

(Editor's note: IlliniGal Adalia McKenzie appears each week on […]

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Ked Goes One-on-One with Potential Toledo Transfer Dante Maddox Jr.

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Ked Goes One-on-One with Potential Toledo Transfer Dante Maddox Jr.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 6, 2024

Dante Maddox Jr., a transfer from Toledo, has recently emerged as a top prospect for several prominent programs. The scoring guard is 6-foot-2, 195-pounds. Originally from Bloom Township High School, his name has garnered attention in collegiate basketball circles.

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Illini Reserve Center Dain Dainja Transfers to Memphis

Illini Reserve Center Dain Dainja Transfers to Memphis

By IlliniGuys Staff April 5, 2024 (Photo courtesy Illinois […]

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Portal Kombat: Illinois Edition, Vol. I

Portal Kombat: Illinois Edition, Vol. I

By IlliniGuys Staff

April 4, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Wisconsin Athletics)

It's that time of year.  The season is over, postseason conversations are had, and players and coaches are already looking  toward the future even as the uniforms from the final game of the season are still in the dryer.  It's what we like to call...

Portal Kombat!  Illini edition

IlliniGuys members get access to the very latest insider information on who is in and who may be out of Brad Underwood's locker room.  The only thing for certain is Terrence Shannon Jr, Quincy Guerrier, and Justin Harmon are out of eligibility.  Otherwise, there are a countless number of options being weighed by everyone involved.

Our Brad Sturdy and Kedric Prince are keeping us in the loop several times a day with what they are hearing from their sources.  Here's a taste of what they've learned over the past couple of days:

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McKenzie’s Defensive Energy Slows Down Villanova & Leads Illini to Championship

McKenzie’s Defensive Energy Slows Down Villanova & Leads Illini to Championship

On a night where Adalia McKenzie had one point offensively, she proved the point Illinois head coach Shauna Green and her staff have been preaching to the talented, athletic junior wing. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

April 4, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS --- For the entire 2023-24 season, Illinois head coach Shauna Green has constantly tried to tell Adalia McKenzie that she’s one of the most important pieces of the basketball team and nothing about her value involves scoring points. 

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Illini Plan to Replace Dain Dainja

Illini Plan to Replace Dain Dainja

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 4, 2024

Illini fans are adjusting to the fact that Dain Dainja will not be back next season. Dainja, standing at 6-foot-9 and weighing in at 255 pounds, has left many fans wondering about the future of the Illini frontcourt.

Here at IlliniGuys, we have learned of a few possibilities and current players who could play a pivotal role for next year's Illini.

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Illini WBIT Championship Run Welcomes Back Confident Makira Cook

Illini WBIT Championship Run Welcomes Back Confident Makira Cook

The five straight Illinois wins for a 2024 WBIT championship saw the return of a confident Makira Cook to the court where she proved she’s one of the nation’s best perimeter players. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

April 3, 2024

INDIANAPOLIS --- Postseason play saw the return of a healthy, confident and rejuvenated Makira Cook. 

The Illinois guard effectively put away all anxiety and frustrations from early and midseason struggles related to a severe concussion in non-conference play. The recent play of the 5-foot-6 guard in March and the two games in Hinkle Fieldhouse in April more resembled the star perimeter who led Illinois to the 2023 NCAA Tournament. 

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Illini Women Lock Up Villanova to Win Inaugural WBIT, 71-57

Illini Women Lock Up Villanova to Win Inaugural WBIT, 71-57

By IlliniGuys Staff April 3, 2024 INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. - […]

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Illini Gearing Up For Styles Clash in WBIT Championship Game vs. Villanova  

Illini Gearing Up For Styles Clash in WBIT Championship Game vs. Villanova  

Illinois will look to push the pace inside Hinkle […]

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Transfer Number One, Come on Down: Wing Jake Davis Commits to Illinois

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Transfer Number One, Come on Down: Wing Jake Davis Commits to Illinois

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 1, 2024

Today, Illinois basketball received a significant boost as they welcomed Jake Davis, a talented shooter, to their roster. Standing at 6-foot-6 and weighing 210 pounds, Davis, a freshman from McCordsville, Ind., previously attended Cathedral High School and brings with him three years of eligibility following his transfer from Mercer.

Davis's decision to commit to Illinois came after considering offers from several other schools, including Butler, DePaul under new head coach Chris Holtman, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Colgate, and Wyoming, among others. His announcement was made via Twitter on March 13th that he was going to enter the transfer portal.

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Illini Women Dominate Washington State in WBIT Semifinal; Illinois Will Play Villanova in TItle Game  

Illini Women Dominate Washington State in WBIT Semifinal; Illinois Will Play Villanova in TItle Game  

For the first time in program history, Illinois women’s […]

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Illini Junior Center Dain Dainja Enters Transfer Portal

Illini Junior Center Dain Dainja Enters Transfer Portal

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Illini Add Sharpshooter Jake Davis

Illini Add Sharpshooter Jake Davis

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuys Uber-Illini Insider & Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio

April 1, 2024

The Illini wasted no time in adding to their roster after the season ending loss to UConn on March 30th and added Mercer sharpshooter Jake Davis to the fold. The 6’6 Davis was a tremendous player at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis before heading to Mercer. After a coaching change, he wanted to hit the portal and see what options he had. 

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illini Basketball Looking to Rebound from Elite 8 Loss by Working the Transfer Portal

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Illini Basketball Looking to Rebound from Elite 8 Loss by Working the Transfer Portal

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

April 1, 2024

After an awful loss in the Elite 8 against a formidable UConn in Boston last Saturday to Connecticut, the Fighting Illini men's basketball team found themselves grappling with disappointment but refusing to dwell in defeat. 

The Illinois squad through the season had been nothing short of a storybook tale, a journey that began with Head Coach Brad Underwood's declaration last August that this team would be something special. Throughout the season, Illinois notched an impressive 29 victories, secured a Big Ten tournament title, and embarked on an Elite 8 run, marking a historic moment for the program as they reached this stage for the first time in over two decades.

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