Basketball

By IlliniGuys Stafff January 5, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By IlliniGuys Staff January 5, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

From Illinois Sports Information Office: Illinois at Minnesota Date […]

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

January 4, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

I’m going to be a wet blanket on our Final Four projections and San Antonio reservations. The Illini are not as good as they looked on Friday night. Nobody is, at least every night. The Illini shot 16-29 from 3 point range and dominated #9 Oregon 109-77. They moved up to 5th in the NCAA NET and 8th on KenPom and the hype is over the top for now. But I will say this, and I have said this for 7 months. The upside, or ceiling, of this team is the Final Four and a potential national title, but the floor is still lower.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BIHmqxCzxI    

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 4, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois head coach Brad Underwood has revitalized a basketball program that was teetering on the brink of irrelevance under former head coach John Groce, who led the team from 2012 to 2017. Illinois Director of Athletics Josh Whitman decided it was time for a change.

Enter Underwood—a beacon of hope for the Illini. On the court, Underwood portrays a tough, no-nonsense persona, signaling that when you face Illinois, you'd better come prepared to battle.

By IlliniGuys Staff January 3, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

January 2, 2025

The first two months are in the books and the Illini now dive into the deep Big Ten pool. They split their first two conference games a month ago and have already gone 2-2 vs. Top 25 teams plus an emotional win over a Missouri team that had won 10 in a row, including an upset of then -#1 Kansas.

So...where does this team stand right now, hours away from taking the court in Eugene against #9 Oregon? We asked the IlliniGuys for their thoughts:

How would you grade the Illini so far?

Mike Cagley: Right now

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

January 2, 2025

The Illini are headed west for a pair of games on the left coast against Oregon and Washington as their first foray into the new Big Ten landscape. Oregon is ranked 9th in the country and have already built an impressive resume with wins over Texas A&M, Alabama and San Diego State. This will be a tough game for Illinois to win, but here’s how they do it and how a look at the details.

Setting the Stage

#22/20 Illinois (9-3, 1-1) at #9/9 Oregon (12-1, 1-1)
Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 // 9 p.m. CT (7 p.m. PT) // Eugene, Ore. // Matthew Knight Arena
TV: FS1 – Guy Haberman (Play-by-Play) & Casey Jacobsen (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

Notable

*Illinois opens the 2025 calendar year with a trip to the Pacific Northwest to face new Big Ten members Oregon and Washington, beginning Thursday night in Eugene against the No. 9-ranked Ducks (9 p.m. CT, FS1).

*This starts a stretch for Illinois with four of its next six games on the road. Illinois is 0-1 in true road games this season, and 2-2 away from home. lllinois is looking for its first road win over a top-10 team since beating No. 7 Ohio State on March 6, 2021.

*Illinois is 2-2 against ranked teams this season, with wins over No. 19 Arkansas and No. 20 Wisconsin. Illinois leads the Big Ten in the latest NCAA NET rankings at No. 11, one spot of ahead of Oregon.

January 1, 2025

It was one of the most thrilling - and intriguing - calendar years ever in Illini basketball history. The deepest NCAA tournament run in nearly two decades, but a legal battle that cast a dark cloud over most of the season and the emergence of the best one-year player that the Illini have ever seen.

Here's a look back:

By IlliniGuys Staff December 31, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

December 30, 2024

The Illini ended 2024 with a ‘Bam’, as in Kylan ‘Bam Bam’ Boswell throwing up a triple double as Illinois rolled to a dominant 117-64 win over Chicago State to move to 9-3 before they head into a gauntlet of Big Ten play beginning on Thursday at #9 Oregon.

Here’s a look back and where they stand:

*Illinois’ 117 points were its most since Nov. 25, 2020 (122 vs. North Carolina A&T) and the second-highest point total of the Underwood era. They Scored a season-high 60 points in the first half.

By IlliniGuys Staff December 29, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Brad Sturdy, Illini-Insider & Co-Host of the IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

December 29, 2024

The Illini will face their final; critter of the season on Sunday when the Chicago State Cougars come to town for an afternoon tilt. The Cougars come in 0-14, while the Illini sit 8-4 as the ready for a daunting Big Ten schedule. 

Here are the particulars.