
9th Ranked Illini Shut Down Edey But 2nd Half Rally Falls Short At #1 Purdue
By IlliniGuys Staff January 5, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]
9th Ranked Illini Shut Down Edey But 2nd Half Rally Falls Short At #1 Purdue
By IlliniGuys Staff January 5, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]
Sturdy's Illini Hoops Preview - Top Ten Battle at Purdue
Brad Sturdy, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio, Illini Uber-Insider
January 5, 2023
The Illini are into the top 10 and now head on the road to take on the #1 ranked Purdue Boilermakers. The Boilers have been on a roll outside of one road hiccup at Northwestern and Illinois has been playing like a top 10 squad, with their only recent loss a tough one at #5 Tennessee.
Illinois will be without leading scorer Terrence Shannon Jr. for the 3rd straight game as the All-American Guard is still on suspension, but it hasn’t fazed the Illini in dominant wins over FDU and Northwestern. Now, they get a much stiffer test in West Lafayette against #1 Purdue.
Here’s a breakdown.
Setting the Stage
#9/8 Illinois (11-2, 2-0 B1G) at #1/1 Purdue (13-1, 2-1 B1G)
Jan. 5, 2024 // 7:30 p.m. CT (8:30 p.m. ET) // West Lafayette, Ind. // Mackey Arena
TV: FS1 – Brandon Gaudin (Play-by-Play), Robbie Hummel (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas
A Harmonious Situation Off Illini’s Bench
Illinois graduate senior guard Justin Harmon has suddenly found rhythm in his new role after transferring from Utah Valley but it’s not a feeling that came quick in this 2023-24 season.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
January 4, 2023
CHAMPAIGN — Upon his arrival at Illinois, Justin Harmon learned his new secondary role at Illinois will be more difficult as previously being a primary option at Utah Valley.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Jeremiah Fears Staying In The Class of 2025
By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting
January 4, 2024
Illinois men's basketball top recruiting target Jeremiah Fears will not play college basketball until the fall of 2025
That's according to his dad Jeremy Fears Sr., who broke the news to IlliniGuys Thursday morning.
Basketball Recruiting Spotlight - Jaylon Dean-Vines 2025 6'3" SG
Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio
January 4, 2023
Jaylon Dean-Vines immediately makes an impression upon those watching his games for Dallas Kimball. He is an athlete extraordinaire and at 6’3”, he plays both SG and SF. He can demonstrate his athleticism in dramatic ways. Quite frankly, he gets up, up and away. His quickness at leaping is evident in blocked shots as he gets off the floor immediately and has that ability to jump quickly for a second time as well.
“My athleticism and ability to facilitate the ball.” is Jaylon’s response to what defines his game, “Most people don’t have the ability that I have, so I try to make the best out of it.” This athleticism has been a key to averaging 14.5 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game, 2.5 assists per game, and 2.1 steals per game.
Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Jaxson Davis 2027 G
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
January 3, 2023
The year 2024 appears to be off to a great start for Illinois freshman phoneme Jaxon Davis, a 6-foot-0, 160-pound guard from Gurnee, Illinois, home of former Illini guard Brandon Paul (Warren Township HS.)
Sturdy's Northwestern Rewind
By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular
January 3, 2024
(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)
Enjoy it Illini fans, because 30-point wins don’t happen very often in conference play The Illini were clicking on all cylinders on Tuesday night as they dominated Northwestern by a score 96-66. Marcus Domask had 32 points and 6 assists to lead Illinois as they moved to 11-2 and 2-0 in Big Ten play. Northwestern falls to 9-3 and 1-1 in the Big Ten.
Here’s a recap of what we saw.
These 3 Things
Booty Ball and More - Yes, Illinois used the dreaded booty ball from Domask and Rodgers to create double teams and then hit cutters and shooters when it came, but they did more than that.
Illini Prove They're No One-Trick Pony As They Gallop Past Wildcats in 96-66 Rout
By IlliniGuys Staff January 2, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]
Whitman Lays Out Two Scenarios Terrence Shannon Jr. Can Be Reinstated
In his recent media conference, Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman produced two scenarios where Terrence Shannon Jr. can have his indefinite suspension from the basketball program immediately lifted.
By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer
January 2, 2024
CHAMPAIGN — Two scenarios could potentially reverse the indefinite suspension of Terrence Shannon Jr. from the University of Illinois men’s basketball program.
Illinois athletics director Josh Whitman laid out the two options where Shannon Jr., who was arrested and charged with felony rape, could again be playing college basketball and they both involve the ‘Student-Athlete Conduct Panel’ formed through the university athletics department athlete conduct/discipline policy.
The panel is a three-person committee consisting of one faculty athletics representative, one representative from the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs department, and one faculty member from the College of Law.
In the same sentence of an answer in his Dec. 28 media conference, Whitman suggested
Sturdy's Northwestern Preview
By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular
January 2, 2024
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
The Big Ten is here. The 9th ranked Illini will host Northwestern in their Big Ten home opener on Tuesday night at 8PM. Illinois will again be without Terrence Shannon as they look to navigate the gauntlet of 19 remaining Big Ten games without the star Guard. Illinois has won 3 straight since losing at Tennessee, and have been climbing up the rankings.
The Wildcats come in with one of the best wins in the country in their home victory against #1 Purdue, and one of the worst losses in their home loss to Chicago State.
It should be fun.
Setting the Stage
#9 Illinois (10-2, 1-0 B1G) vs. Northwestern (10-2, 1-0 B1G)
Jan. 2, 2024 // 8 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
Basketball Recruiting Spotlight - Bryce Dixon 2026 6'4" SG
Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio
Cover photo courtesy of Brandon Rowell, BGREAT Athletics
January 2, 2024
On Christmas 2023, Bryce Dixon a 6’4” SG from Deron Williams country (The Colony High School in north suburban Dallas) tweeted out that he had an offer from the University of Illinois. Coach Cleve Ryan, who was an assistant coach during Deron’s high school career noted that Deron won The Colony a lot of games.
After watching Dixon play in their holiday tournament, Dixon has a lot of strengths that show on the court. The first is his size. He’s only 15 years old but he’s 6’4” and still growing. He also has a big frame, and he will clearly be able to carry more weight as he grows. He is the definition of a big guard.
Illini Top Moments In 2023
By IlliniGuys Staff
January 1, 2024
10) Illini men’s golf team reaches NCAA quarterfinals – Mike Small’s program has made reaching elite success commonplace,
Illini See Streak Against #16 Indiana Continue In Road Loss, 77-71
By IlliniGuys Staff December 31, 2023 (Cover photo courtesy […]
Illini Resume Big Ten Play at #16 Indiana
(From Illinois DIA Office) December 31, 2023 Illinois […]
Joe Lunardi: NCAA Tournament Selection Committee Likely To Have New Evaluation of Post-Shannon Illini
According to the student-athlete conduct policy, Illinois guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is slated to have a review by the ‘Student-Athlete Conduct Panel’ to assess his suspension.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
December 29, 2023
CHAMPAIGN — If Terrence Shannon’s indefinite suspension continues to resume, the 2024 NCAA Tournament selection committee will likely be forced to judge an Illinois resume differently starting right now.
ESPN.com analyst Joe Lunardi confirmed to IlliniGuys.com that Brad Underwood’s Illini squad will have a different skeptical eye upon its results now that Shannon, a first-team All-Big Ten guard averaging a team-high 21.7 points per game and 40.8 percent of his three-point attempts, will not be on the active roster for the foreseeable future.