Basketball

Illinois forward/center Morez Johnson finished Sunday with seven offensive rebounds on a team that leads the country in rebounding margin.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 2, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois has seemingly re-invented a new and more efficient halfcourt set play for first-year forward/center Morez Johnson.

At a critical point in the half when Illinois was attempting turning the momentum of its matchup against Ohio State Sunday, the 19-year-old Johnson yelled for his lead guard Kasparas Jakucionis to shoot a three-pointer early in the shot clock. Even if the first-year guard missed long range shot, Johnson knew he’d track down the attempt in a position to do damage with the basketball.

By IlliniGuys Staff February 2, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

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

February 2, 2025

The Illini are back at home after the forgettable loss in Lincoln and need a win over a surging Ohio State Buckeyes team that has won 3 in a row including 2 on the road. Illinois has lost 4 of 6, but have been without one of their stars in each game due to injury, illness or foul trouble. Can they right the ship at home? 7’1 Center Tomislav Ivisic is listed as questionable, but odds are that he will not play again on Sunday as he works himself back into shape.

Regardless, Illinois will have to play much better offensively on Sunday if they want to get the win. Here’s a peek at what to expect.

Setting the Stage

#18 Illinois (14-7, 6-5) vs. Ohio State (13-8, 5-5)
Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025 // 12 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: CBS – Kevin Harlan (Play-by-Play) & Jim Spanarkel (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas National Radio: Compass Media Networks – Matt Smith (Play-By-Play) & Robert Horry (Analyst)

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys […]

Illinois center Tomislav Ivisic to have his injury report status upgraded Sunday to questionable vs. Ohio State but the optimism for him being active or a impactful contributors isn’t high.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 1, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — While the title of his playing status will likely change, the amount of minutes of game activity for Tomislav Ivisic is still unknown.

Ivisic, the first-year center who has missed the last three games after being diagnosed with mononucleosis, is still very unlikely to be a big factor when No. 18 Illinois hosts Ohio State Sunday afternoon (Noon CST, CBS).

By IlliniGuys Staff January 30, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By IlliniGuys Staff January 30, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

January 30, 2025

It’s always difficult to decide if you want to play a team that is reeling and desperate or a team that is playing well and due for a bad night. Personally, I will always take the team that is reeling, even if they are desperate. That’s the case on Thursday night in Lincoln when Illinois takes on the Nebraska Cornhuskers, losers of 6 in a row. The Cornhuskers are a dangerous team, already with wins over UCLA, Indiana and Creighton, but they are a team that has holes and they have been exposed a bit of late. Can the Illini add to their misery?

Here’s a breakdown.

Setting the Stage
#18 Illinois (14-6, 6-4) at Nebraska (12-8, 2-7)
Thursday, Jan. 30, 2025 // 7:30 p.m. CT // Lincoln, Neb. // Pinnacle Bank Arena
TV: FS1 – Kevin Kugler (Play-by-Play) & Nick Bahe (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Doug Altenberger

Meet the Huskers

(From Illinois Sports Information Office)   Illinois at Rutgers […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office)   Fighting Illini all-time […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 28, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Dylan Mingo's page on X)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — While Illinois football has been making waves with its impressive recruiting efforts, let’s not overlook the success of Illinois basketball, which has long set the recruiting standard in Champaign.

Brad Underwood, hired before both football coach Bret Bielema and women’s basketball coach Shauna Green, continues to elevate the Illinois basketball program. Together, the three coaches have put their respective programs to a higher level.

According to Rivals, Bielema’s 2026 recruiting class ranks 17th nationally. Green’s 2025 recruiting class is ranked seventh in the country by ESPN HoopGurlz, making Illinois the only Big Ten women’s basketball program in the top 10.

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio […]

By IlliniGuys Staff January 27, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

In her 113th career game at Illinois, fifth-year center Kendall Bostic reached the top of the school’s all-time rebounding record Monday night against Purdue. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 27, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Before every game she’s played in college, Kendall Bostic calls her dad to discuss the game plan. 

It’s a routine and tradition that Bostic can kept throughout her five-year college playing career, one at Michigan State and four at Illinois, and a daily father-daughter phone call is something that both hope continue long after Bostic is done playing the sport she loves. 

“He’s a coach and he’ll never stop being a coach,” Kendall Bostic said about her dad following the 83-74 season-opening victory on Nov. 7 against then-No. 19 Florida State. “I’ll always ask him ‘what’s your take?’ or ‘what do you see?’ And God love him, he’s goes all in on the scouting reports. He'll send paragraphs. It helps. I love it. He'll send clips and he'll watch stuff. It's just a cool relationship I have with him over basketball. He helped me get to where I am today. I didn't have any of the trainers. I played AAU and worked out with my dad. I credit him to where I am today because he got me here, so I always like to kind of hear his input before games.”