Basketball

Illinois Basketball Preview - at Maryland

Illinois Basketball Preview - at Maryland

IlliniGuys Staff

December 2, 2022

#16 ILLINOIS (6-1, 0-0) Basketball Game Notes

at #22 Maryland (7-0, 0-0)

Dec. 2, 2022 | 8 p.m. CT (9 p.m. ET) | BTN | College Park, Md. | Xfinity Center

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Illini Women’s Basketball Dominate Pitt 92-71 in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Illini Women’s Basketball Dominate Pitt 92-71 in ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Makira Cook celebrates her 21st birthday by dropping 22 points against an overmatched Pittsburgh squad in a 21-point road victory for Illinois. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 30, 2022

Makira Cook celebrated her 21st birthday by delivering Illinois its first true road win of the 2022-23 season. 

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Sturdy's Takeaways: Illini Dominate the Orange

Sturdy's Takeaways: Illini Dominate the Orange

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst

November 30, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

Coleman Hawkins posted a triple double, while the Illinois defense held Syracuse to 44 points in a 73-44 thrashing that saw no Orange players in double figures. RJ Melendez showed out with 15 points and Terrence Shannon had 17 as Illinois moved to 6-1 heading into a tough stretch of games beginning at Maryland on Friday. 

Here’s what we saw.

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“Sometimes it’s just not very pretty and it can’t be”: Underwood Finds His Ugly Winning Example With This 2022-23 Version of Illini Basketball

“Sometimes it’s just not very pretty and it can’t be”: Underwood Finds His Ugly Winning Example With This 2022-23 Version of Illini Basketball

In a 73-44 win over Syracuse, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is basking in the beauty of how his team figured out how to thrive in what might be considered by others as ugly basketball. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 30, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Ron Johnson/USA Today Sports)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- In a 29-point blowout win in its ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup, this Illinois squad accomplished something that their head coach has been talking about since he arrived in Champaign.

Brad Underwood, who is entering his sixth season leading the Illini program, constantly has spoken about his affection for finding the beauty in what a majority of basketball fans might see as ugly play. Specifically, Underwood is always looking for examples of when his basketball team finds ways to succeed on nights when jump shots aren’t falling. The 73-44 win over a struggling Syracuse team was the 2022-23 Illini’s ability to hang their version of a Jackson Pollack painting inside State Farm Center while their head coach applauded the grotesque.

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Hawkins Records 1st Career Triple-Double As #16 Illinois Routs Syracuse

Hawkins Records 1st Career Triple-Double As #16 Illinois Routs Syracuse

By IlliniGuys Staff November 29, 2022 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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Coleman Hawkins Continues Earning Underwood’s Trust

Coleman Hawkins Continues Earning Underwood’s Trust

Game Preview: Syracuse at #16 Illinois

Date/Time/Place: Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022: 6:30 p.m. CST, State Farm Center

Capacity: 15,544

Records: Syracuse 3-3; Illinois 5-1

Betting Line: Illinois by 12.5

Series notes: Illinois leads the all-time series 46-45-6 but the two teams haven’t played since Syracuse won 75-64 in Honolulu on Dec. 27, 1995. It’ll be Syracuse’s first trip to State Farm Center and the last Illini win was in the 1989 NCAA Tournament Regional Final round in Minneapolis. This will be the last year of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge series. 

TV: ESPN - ESPN – Dave Pasch (Play-by-Play), Fran Fraschilla (Color Analyst)

Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (PBP), Deon Thomas (analysis), & Scott Beatty with Loren Tate (Pre/HT/Post) - The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, Sirius/ XM satellite radio & SiriusXM Internet and at FightingIllini.com.

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood admits to being more patient with junior forward Coleman Hawkins now that he’s a veteran leader on this 2022-23 squad

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 29, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Ron Johnson/USA Today Sports)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Brad Underwood’s logic is Coleman Hawkins has earned more of his trust simply by obtaining veteran wisdom. 

The sixth-year head coach at Illinois has previously repeated that he was verbally and emotionally strict on the 6-foot-10 forward in his first two years inside the program and “harder on Coleman than anybody probably had been before”. This back-and-forth relationship, which led to Hawkins seeing more of the bench than he likely wanted and Underwood seeing less on-floor consistency than he likely wanted, culminated in an awkward postseason media session last April where Hawkins wouldn’t publicly commit to returning to Illinois for the 2022-23 season. 

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Illinois Waiting for a Decision from St. Rita's Center James Brown

Illinois Waiting for a Decision from St. Rita's Center James Brown

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 29, 2022

Thanksgiving week was supposed to be a big week for St. Rita's basketball team.

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Late cold snap knocks Illini from unbeaten ranks

Late cold snap knocks Illini from unbeaten ranks

By IlliniGuys Staff November 26, 2022 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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Sturdy's Takeaways: Illini Roll Over Lindenwood

Sturdy's Takeaways: Illini Roll Over Lindenwood

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst

November 26, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

As the Illini recovered from their turkey coma, they got a chance to play a warmup game against the Lindenwood Lions on Friday night at the State Farm Center. The result was a 92-59 win over the Lions, but it was also a chance for them to work on some new things, get some players some court time and prepare for the future schedule, which is about to become a gauntlet. 

Skyy Clark scored 19 points to lead the way, while RJ Melendez added 17 and Terrence Shannon 16 for the Illini. Lindenwood got 20 points from Keenon Cole. The Illini are now 5-1 and will host Syracuse at 6:30 PM on Tuesday evening in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge.

Here’s what we saw.

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St. Rita 64-56 Loss Leaves Bitter Taste in Morez Johnson's Mouth

St. Rita 64-56 Loss Leaves Bitter Taste in Morez Johnson's Mouth

Kedric Prince – IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

November 26, 2022

Washington, Ill. -- Illinois commit Morez Johnson knew how big the stage was Wednesday night at Washington High School in Illinois.

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Watch: Brad Underwood postgame after Lindenwood win

Watch: Brad Underwood postgame after Lindenwood win

Illini coach Brad Underwood earns his 99th win at […]

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Versatile Illini Toy With Lindenwood In Tuneup For ACC/Big Ten Challenge

Versatile Illini Toy With Lindenwood In Tuneup For ACC/Big Ten Challenge

By IlliniGuys Staff

November 25, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - RJ Melendez and Skyy Clark became the latest Illini to enjoy a breakout night as the 16th ranked team in the country ran past Lindenwood 92-59 to tune-up for their most difficult stretch of the season.

Coming off their first loss of the season to Virginia at the Main Event in Las Vegas on Sunday, Illinois (5-1) was in control throughout.  The Illini shot 64% in the first half as they built a 49-25 halftime lead.

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Illini Women Wave Past Charlotte in Daytona Beach

Illini Women Wave Past Charlotte in Daytona Beach

By IlliniGuys Staff November 25, 2022 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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Jeremiah Fears Puts on a Show to Beat St. Rita 64-56

Jeremiah Fears Puts on a Show to Beat St. Rita 64-56

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 25, 2022

Washington, Ill. -- Typically as an eighth-grade student, the last thing most athletes are worried about is getting a DI basketball offer.

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Lindenwood versus Illini Preview

Lindenwood versus Illini Preview

IlliniGuys Staff Cover photo courtesy of Joe Clark, IlliniGuys […]

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