Basketball

Illini Take Offensive Slugfest Over Iowa 95-85

Illini Take Offensive Slugfest Over Iowa 95-85

Illinois got enough defensive stops to survive a test from an offensively confident Iowa squad to get to its 20th win of the 2023-24 season. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 24, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — In a matchup of the two of the league’s best scoring teams, Illinois won an offensive slugfest in State Farm Center. 

The Illini dispatched an upset-minded Iowa squad 95-85 in a game where the home team shot nearly 50 percent from the field to negate the idea that they gave up over 80 points for the fifth time this month.

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Sturdy's Illini Basketball Preview - Shootout versus Iowa at the State Farm Center

Sturdy's Illini Basketball Preview - Shootout versus Iowa at the State Farm Center

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

February 24, 2024

Iowa and Illinois are two of the highest scoring and best offensive teams in the country. They are also two teams that are struggling mightily on the defensive end of the floor. The ?Hawkeyes are trying to get a scalp for their NCAA tournament hopes, while the Illini are hoping to slide up a line in NCAA bracketology. It’s the annual orange out game for the Illini, so the place should be rocking.

Setting the Stage

#12 Illinois (19-7, 10-5 B1G) vs. Iowa (16-11, 8-8 B1G) 

Feb. 24, 2024 // 1:15 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center 

TV: BTN – Connor Onion (Play-by-Play), Robbie Hummel (Analyst) 

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

Illini Notables

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“If they can’t, I do” Illini Experience Brutal ‘Brad Underwood practice’ After Upset Loss at Penn State

“If they can’t, I do” Illini Experience Brutal ‘Brad Underwood practice’ After Upset Loss at Penn State

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood put his team through a brutal and physical two-hour practice session following another disappointing defensive effort at Penn State. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 23, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Luke Goode has been on this roster long enough to know what it meant when he arrived at the Ubben Basketball Facility for practice Thursday without being sent a practice plan yet.

The junior forward understood this set of events meant he and his teammates were in for a mentally awakening and physical tasking two-hour session. 

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Sturdy's Basketball Rewind - Collapse

Sturdy's Basketball Rewind - Collapse

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

February 22, 2024

The Fighting Illini led by as many as 14 points in the second half, by 10 with 2:30 to play and by 7 in the final minute. And yet they came away from Happy Valley with a 90-89 loss to Penn State, their 4th consecutive loss to the Nittany Lions and dashed their Big Ten title hopes. It’s another collapse late in the game, following the Michigan State and Nebraska games. 

At some point this team needs to figure it out. 

Deep Thoughts

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‘It’s a wrong mentality’: Underwood Buries Illini Players After Meltdown Loss at Penn State

‘It’s a wrong mentality’: Underwood Buries Illini Players After Meltdown Loss at Penn State

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood calls out players for defensive mental errors, blown assignments and fundamental lack of detail in a 90-89 loss at Penn State. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 22, 2024

The head men’s basketball coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is clearly at the blunt honesty stage with his veteran players following a monumental collapse at Penn State. 

In the post-game media conference after a devastating and confusing 90-89 loss inside Recreation Hall on the Pennsylvania State University campus where No. 12 Illinois gave up the game’s last eight points and was outscored 12-2 over the final minute and 50 seconds, Brad Underwood felt the need to call out players for what he called “blown assignment”, “a lack of attention to detail”, “silly mistakes” and a “wrong mentality” about disregarding the defensive end of the floor. 

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Another Massive Late-Game Collapse Allows Lions To Steal Victory From #12 Illini

Another Massive Late-Game Collapse Allows Lions To Steal Victory From #12 Illini

By IlliniGuys Staff February 21, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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Sturdy's Illini Basketball Preview - at Penn State

Sturdy's Illini Basketball Preview - at Penn State

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

February 21, 2024

The Illini are in Happy Valley Wednesday night to take on their nemesis from a year ago, the Penn State Nittany Lions. PSU beat Illinois 3 times a year ago, although many of those players are gone and there is a new coach in town in Mike Rhoades, it’s definitely a game that should have some revenge motives for the Fighting Illini. 

The Nittany Lions return to their roots Wednesday night when Penn State hosts #12 Illinois in its Return to Rec game. Rec Hall was the longtime home of Nittany Lion basketball until a 1996 move to the Bryce Jordan Center. Rec Hall had a final listed capacity of 6,846 for basketball, but more than 8,000 fans jammed into the iconic building for a basketball game six times in the building’s history, including a record 8,600 fans for a contest vs. Virginia on Dec. 5, 1973.

Expect a packed and raucous crowd on Wednesday evening. 

Setting the Stage

#12AP/12 Illinois (19-6, 10-4 B1G) at Penn State (12-14, 6-9 B1G) 

February 21, 2024 // 5:30 p.m. CT (6:30 p.m. ET) // University Park, Pa. // Rec Hall 

TV: BTN – Jason Horowitz (Play-by-Play), Stephen Bardo (Analyst) 

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

Notables

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Destiny Jackson

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Destiny Jackson

Tim Anderson's Crucial Role in Recruiting Could Help Women Land Recruit

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 20, 2024

In college basketball recruiting, the right connections and relationships can make all the difference. Destiny Jackson, a 5-foot-6, four-star recruit from Whitney Young High School in Chicago, holds the title of the number one high school recruit in the state of Illinois for the Class of 2025.

Recently visiting the Illinois women's basketball program could be a game-changer in her recruitment, and a familiar face might just be the key.

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Illini Women’s Hoops Trying to Crash 2024 NCAA Tournament With Key Final Month Stretch

Illini Women’s Hoops Trying to Crash 2024 NCAA Tournament With Key Final Month Stretch

The 86-66 win over No. 14 Indiana is just one part of a regular season finale stretch for an Illinois women’s basketball team trying to salvage an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 20, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — While suddenly in the role of a late arriving guest to a party they weren’t ever invited to in the first place, the next three weeks for the Illinois women’s basketball could see them crashing the 2024 NCAA Tournament. 

Following the season-defining 86-66 victory over No. 14 Indiana where Shauna Green’s program led for the final 30 minutes and without a doubt showcased its best version of itself, Illinois now has an opportunity no other team in Division I currently outside of the postseason bubble has in its regular season finish.

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Shannon Jr. Named Big Ten Player of the Week

Shannon Jr. Named Big Ten Player of the Week

IlliniGuys Staff February 19, 2024 Terrence Shannon Jr., hailing […]

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Crimson & Creamed: Illini Dominate No. 14 Indiana 86-66

Crimson & Creamed: Illini Dominate No. 14 Indiana 86-66

In what is obviously Illinois’ most impressive win of the 2023-24 season, Illinois recorded a blowout victory over a Top 15 program in State Farm Center on President’s Day. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 19, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Maybe it’s a situation where the Illinois women’s basketball program enjoys playing highly ranked opponents in its own building on holidays. 

Last season it was taking down then-No. 10 Iowa by four points on New Year’s Day. This season, Illinois made No. 14 Indiana its upset victim and by doing so, the Illini’s postseason resume-validating victory of the 2023-24 season came on national television on President’s Day.

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Four-Star Basketball Recruit Steven Reynolds III Receives Offer from Illinois

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Four-Star Basketball Recruit Steven Reynolds III Receives Offer from Illinois

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 18, 2024

Steven Reynolds III is making noise as the 6-foot-5, 170-pound guard from Washington High School continues to impress DI coaches. The latest development in his promising career came on February 4th, when Reynolds visited the Illinois campus to witness a game against Nebraska and finally received an offer from the Illini.

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Sturdy's Rewind: Turtle Roadkill

Sturdy's Rewind: Turtle Roadkill

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

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'Had to make winning plays’: Inside Marcus Domask’s Transition Defensive Play Saved Illini in Maryland

'Had to make winning plays’: Inside Marcus Domask’s Transition Defensive Play Saved Illini in Maryland

Illinois wing Marcus Domask was all there was between Maryland guard Jamir Young and the basket with three minutes to go but the 23-year-old Illini got a big defensive stop. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 18, 2024

The play Brad Underwood believes was the difference between his first ever win at Maryland and another road defeat will not be recorded in the record books and the men’s basketball head coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign couldn’t care less. 

With about three minutes remaining in a game where No. 14 Illinois led by one, Maryland lead guard Jamir Young had one Illini player to beat on a fast break layup to the rim. Following a costly mental error by Coleman Hawkins to blindly toss the basketball behind his head and toward Maryland’s end of the floor while flying out of bounds, Marcus Domask had to react in the other way he knew how to stop another two points for the home team. 

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#14 Illini Break College Park Curse With 85-80 Win

#14 Illini Break College Park Curse With 85-80 Win

By IlliniGuys Staff February 17, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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