Basketball

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

January 25, 2024

Usually, if you score 91 points you should win basketball games. But usually, the opponent doesn’t score 96 while shooting 55% from the floor and 61% from 3. That’s a recipe for a loss. The Illini beat Northwestern by 30 just 3 weeks ago but the Cats turned the tables and got the overtime win 96-91 on Wednesday evening. 

Here’s what we saw. 

Northwestern guard Boo Buie and his friends manhandled Illinois’ defensive scheme on simple ball-screen switches in route to the Illini’s 96-91 overtime loss. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 25, 2024

EVANSTON — Three words was all Brad Underwood needed to describe Illinois’ inability to effectively guard Northwestern in the final 25 minutes of a crushing road for the Illini. 

By IlliniGuys Staff January 24, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Brad Sturdy, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio as well as the Illini Insider

January 24, 2024

After beating a team by 30 at home, it should mean an easy road win, especially considering the return of All-American Guard Terrence Shannon. But life on the road in the Big Ten isn’t that easy. 

Just 3 weeks ago, Illinois dominated Northwestern 96-66 at the State Farm Center without Shannon, but it’s going to be much more difficult in Evanston. The Wildcats are 3-0 at home in Big Ten play. Having already beaten Purdue, Michigan State and Maryland. Illinois is 2-1 on the road, losing only at Purdue and it should be a fairly evenly split crowd. 

Let’s look at the particulars. 

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

January 23, 2024

Illinois commit Berry Wallace was named to the 2024 McDonald's All-American game today. Wallace is only the third player in the school's history to play in the prestigious game, joining 6-foot-3 post Destiny Williams in 2009 and Chatrice White in 2014.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

January 23, 2024

(Photo courtesy Morez Johnson)

In recent days the buzz around the Illinois program has been great. Illinois received news that its All-American wing Terrence Shannon Jr. was going to return, then handily beat Rutgers at home 86-63, and then on Monday receiving a commitment from the highest-rated recruit in well over 20 years when Jeremiah Fears committed to Illinois.

A player who will suit up for Illinois this fall is Morez Johnson from Thornton High School. The 6-foot-9, 220-pound forward is the leading candidate for Mr. Basketball in the state but found out Tuesday that he just missed out on making the final cut for the McDonald's All-American game.  According to a source,

Brad Sturdy, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio and on the Mount Rushmore of Illini Insiders

January 22, 2024

The Illini added talented 2025 guard Jeremiah Fears on Monday as their first commitment in the class of 2025. Fears is ranked in the top 50 on virtually every service and should make an immediate impact at Illinois.

Let’s breakdown his areas of strength and weaknesses and were he needs to grow over the next 20 months before he begins his collegiate career. 

Class of 2025 Rankings

ESPN - #16
24/7 - #44
Rivals - #27
HoopSeen - #37
On3 - #51

Fears is a dynamic 6’3 guard that can

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting January 22, 2024 […]

Brad Sturdy, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio, IlliniGuys Resident Illini Guru & the man who puts "Zoom" into IlliniGuys Subscriber Zoom tonight at 7:15 pm central

January 22, 2024

It doesn’t usually matter where they came from or how old they are, it takes time for transfers to find their fit and adjust to the new playing style. We have seen this before. In 2018-19, Andrez Feliz started slowly, but continued to improve and became a fan favorite down the stretch in that season as the young Illini improved and Feliz showed the toughness and shot making ability that made him so important the following season. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 22, 2024

Today is decision day for top 25 guard Jeremiah Fears; the ESPN nationally ranked and the four-star guard will make his college destination final this afternoon in Arizona at 2 p.m. CT.

The 6-foot-3 guard has been tight-lipped about where he is going to end up. Those close to the situation feel it is a three-team race between Illinois, Ole Miss, and Providence.

After just two practices, the Illinois high-powered fast break was suddenly back in a 23-point blowout win over Rutgers with the return of potential All-American guard Terrence Shannon Jr.

Matthew Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

PHOTO CREDIT: Matthew Stevens/IlliniGuys.com

January 21, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Gentlemen, restart your engines. 

After just two team practices following a three-week internal suspension, Terrence Shannon Jr. was back behind the wheel of the Illinois high velocity transition game in an 86-63 blowout win over Rutgers in front of a sold-out State Farm Center crowd. 

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

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

January 21, 2024

The Illini are back in action on Sunday as they try to get the sweep of Rutgers in a Big Ten play. The Illini beat the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway back in December by a 76-58 score and will hope to duplicate that performance. 

But of course, that’s not the big story. Illini guard Terrence Shannon returned to practice on Friday afternoon and will come off of the bench on Sunday following an injunction granted by the US Federal Court that allows him to play while he is facing charges in Kansas. 

"The courts decided that Terrence Shannon gets back to full status immediately,” Brad Underwood said.  “When Josh informed me of that decision, we had a late 4 p.m. practice and Terrence was available for that practice. Terrence will not start Sunday against Rutgers and will begin the integration process.”

Shannon was averaging almost 22 points per game through 11 games for Illinois and may have an even bigger impact on the defensive end, an area where the Illini have struggled during his suspension. 

Here’s what we expect. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 21, 2024

The transfer portal has really changed the game for incoming college freshman basketball players. Make no mistake: there is definitely a place for them in today's collegiate game. But in scouring the Big Ten, most of them are waiting their turn.

The opportunity for allowing players to develop in college basketball is almost unheard of; if they do not like their playing time now, they can leave and make other programs better at the expense of the first academic institution. 

By Larry Smith/IlliniGuys Co-Founder & Co-Host/Executive Producer, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

January 20, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The IlliniGuys spent some time Saturday morning with Rob Lang, partner with Thompson Coburn LLP and legal representative of Terrence Shannon Jr. as the Illini star player battled the University of Illinois’ zero tolerance policy and the automatic suspension issued on December 28th when he was charged with rape by a Kansas district attorney.

Lang, representing Terrence and his mother Treanette Redding, agreed to break down the process that resulted in a federal court judge issuing a preliminary injunction Friday afternoon that allows Shannon to immediately rejoin the team and return to the court tomorrow against Rutgers.  That will end his six-game absence and will be his first game since he scored 30 points in the Braggin’ Rights win over Missouri on December 22nd.

I want to thank IlliniGuys co-founders Mike Cagley and Brad Sturdy, director of recruiting Kedric Prince, and staff writer Matt Stevens for their tireless work these past three weeks. Kudos as well to key individuals who have spent countless hours working the phones and giving professional input in developing our content and giving IlliniGuys.com members crucial and important insight into these proceedings.