Basketball

Hours ahead of him leading Illinois into its first Sweet 16 game in 19 years, several Illini teammates of Terrence Shannon Jr. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 28, 2024

BOSTON — Ty Rodgers still vividly remembers the first time he saw Terrence Shannon Jr. on the campus of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign nearly two years ago. 

Just a few months after announcing his verbal pledge out of the transfer portal from Texas Tech in the summer of 2022, Shannon Jr. arrived at his next and final college looking for some pickup basketball games at the student rec center. 

Illinois freshman guard Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn tells IlliniGuys.com that he’s not interested in entering the transfer portal after this NCAA Tournament run is over. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 27, 2024

BOSTON — Unless a major dynamic shift occurs, don’t expect Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn to run into the transfer portal once this NCAA Tournament run ends for Illinois. 

The freshman guard, who has only played an average of seven minutes per game in 26 total games, told IlliniGuys.com during the team’s open locker room session inside TD Garden in Boston that he’s against transferring away from the Illini program just one season after they signed the former four-star guard as a consensus Top 150 prospect. 

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood cited historical precedent that having an nationally elite offensive team usually translates to NCAA Tournament success. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 27, 2024

BOSTON — When Illinois head coach Brad Underwood was reminded by a media member that defensive efficiency is usually more valuable than offensive excellence, the Illini seventh-year leader responded with a question of his own. 

“Did you tell that to Miami last year?” Underwood said quickly.

Underwood’s question leads into the example of the 2022-23 Miami (Fla.) squad that made a run to the Final Four despite being No. 99 (and one of the lowest ranked in the NCAA field) in defensive efficiency mostly due to the fact that the offense of Jim Larranaga’s Hurricanes program scored 63, 85, 88 and 89 points in its route to making the program’s first ever Final Four run.

Illinois and Iowa State will arrive at TD Garden for an NCAA Tournament matchup with the nation’s best offense and defensive units respectively. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 27, 2024

BOSTON — If you want best versus best, the second regional semifinal is where you’ll find it. 

At approximately 8:09 p.m. CST on Thursday evening, Illinois will bring the nation’s best offense (according to KenPom.com) and on the other side of the floor will be Iowa State and the nation’s most efficient defense. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 26, 2024

For the past three days, I've meticulously reviewed 14 game films featuring Illinois basketball, culminating in this comprehensive scout for Thursday's upcoming contest.

The talk surrounding Iowa State's trapping defense has been incessant, and rightfully so. Their adeptness at doubling the post, pressuring short corners, and executing aggressive blitzes on dribble handoffs is second to none. However, Illinois has confronted similar defensive schemes in recent matchups, particularly in games where opposing teams aimed to neutralize Marcus Domask's impact, referred to as "Booty Ball".

A Closer Look at Illini Tactical Success

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 26, 2024

The Illinois men's basketball team has achieved another team goal, reaching its first Sweet 16 in nineteen years. With excitement buzzing among IlliniGuys subscribers, many are eager to hear the perspectives of former successful players on the 2024 team.

One such voice is Peoria, IL legend center Marcus Griffin, a former McDonald's All-American in 1997, who recently shared his insights.

Griffin, who has found himself drawn back to the State Farm Center more frequently in recent years, explained, "To be honest, it's the vibes, and wanting to see the next great Illinois players keep things going." His return shows the connection and passion that former players maintain for the program.

Illinois Athletics March 24, 2024 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois […]

After several slow starts and early deficits throughout postseason play, Illinois outscores Duquesne 34-13 in the first 12 minutes of action. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 24, 2024

OMAHA, Neb. — So, about those Illinois slow starts huh?

In the team hotel on Thursday night just hours after Illinois had dispatched of 14-seed Morehead State 85-69, Illini assistant coach Geoff Alexander met with guards Terrence Shannon Jr. and Ty Rodgers to begin the preparation for all of the offensive actions that Duquesne can and will run at the Illinois defense. Alexander wanted to press with both of his starting 6-foot-6 perimeter defenders that Duquesne’s sets were predicated on its guard play of Jimmy Clark III and Dae Dae Grant. 

Mike Cagley, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports […]

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

March 24, 2024

For the first time in 19 years, the Illini are in the Sweet sixteen after an 89-63 drubbing of Duquesne on Saturday night in Omaha. Terrence Shannon continued his onslaught with 30 points, while Marcus Domask added 22 points and 7 assists as Illinois won their 28th game, the 3rd most in program history, behind only the 1989 and 2005 squads that reached the Final Four. 

Brad Underwood also reached his first Sweet Sixteen as a head coach, proving the old adage that you can’t win in March...until you win in March. Now it’s time to head to Boston in the springtime, for a matchup that will see the best offense against the best defense in college basketball when Illinois takes on Iowa State on Thursday hoping for a chance to take one more step up the ladder. 

Here’s what we saw on Saturday. 

These Three Things

Simulating Shannon...is

Brad Underwood ended his own personal NCAA Tournament drought at the same time that Illinois’ second-weekend postseason demons ended in Omaha. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 24, 2024

OMAHA, Neb. — Brad Underwood couldn’t help but turn, clap at and tear up while acknowledging the fans dressed in orange and blue behind his bench.

The Illinois seventh-year head coach exercised some significant postseason demons on Saturday as his employer ended a 19-year drought of reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. It’s a destination Underwood had never found and the goal of ending this drought was the reason he was hired away from Oklahoma State on March 18, 2017. 

By IlliniGuys Staff March 23, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Illinois senior forward Coleman Hawkins says he’s more intensely monitoring an injury situation to his left leg that has hampered most of his 2023-24 season. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 23, 2024

OMAHA, Neb. — During each of the three open locker room sessions of this NCAA Tournament, Coleman Hawkins has sat on the stool in front of his locker while constantly rubbing, stretching and extending his left leg. 

“It felt like (Thursday) I was playing on one working leg,” Hawkins said Friday. “I’m not going to lie. That game against Morehead State got to me.” 

Three members of Duquesne roster have been observing the daily fasting requirement of Ramadan along with still contributing to the program’s historic March winning streak. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 23, 2024

OMAHA, Neb. — It would be highly inadvisable to tell three players on the Duquesne roster that the concept of a miracle doesn’t exist. 

Duquesne fifth-year senior forward Fousseyni Drame and sophomore forward Halil Barre will tell anybody who will listen that they're experiencing a miracle everyday this month. And no, this phenomenon has nothing to do with their team’s run through the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament last week and the program’s first NCAA Tournament victory in 55 years on Thursday. Before, during and after this NCAA Tournament run is over for Duquesne (25-11), Drame, along with his injured and inactive twin brother, Hassan, and Barre say they consistently have the energy throughout the day that human beings with their current diet restriction shouldn’t be feeling. 

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

March 23, 2024

The Illini have the opportunity to take the next step and move into the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005 and will need to beat a tough and battle tested Duquesne team to get it done on Saturday night in Omaha. The veteran Illini squad has gotten continued great performances from their stars, and also have had someone step up from the other guys in every game. They have yet to have a game when everyone is clicking though, and they may need that down the road, but for Saturday it’s just about effort and intensity from the tip as they try to exorcize some demons from the 2021 tournament and the past 19 years of struggle. 

Here’s what we expect. 

Setting the Stage

2024 NCAA Tournament // Second Round // East Region 

3 Illinois (27-8, 14-6 Big Ten) vs. 11 Duquesne (25-11 Overall, 10-8 Atlantic 10) 

Saturday, March 23, 2024 // 7:40 p.m. CT // Omaha, Neb. // CHI Health Center Omaha 

TV: TNT – Tom McCarthy (Play-By-Play), Avery Johnson & Debbie Antonelli, AJ Ross (Sideline)

Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

National Radio: Westwood One – Kevin Kugler (Play-By-Play), Stephen Bardo (Analyst) Satellite Radio: SiriusXM – 209 or 202

Notables