Basketball

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

January 20, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

With 3:12 remaining in the first half on Saturday morning, the Illini trailed Minnesota 32-26. The vaunted Illini offense had been stagnant, showing no signs of life, missing open shots and were heading towards another morning game debacle at home.

Brad Underwood then inserted little used, and previously much hyped, point guard Mihailo Petrovic to provide a spark, and he did not disappoint. In that final 3:12 he would score 4 points, set up Zvonimir Ivisic for 4 more, and lead Illinois on an 8-2 run to end the half in a 34 all tie. He even showed off his quickness on the defensive end, pressuring the ball and denying entry passes to the wing, fighting through screens.

"My hat's off to Mihailo [Petrovic]. We don't win the game without him. He changed the whole outlook of the game at the end of the first half.”

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

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

January 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Troy Stolt/Naperville Sun)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois men’s basketball received a commitment from one of the top-scoring guards in high school basketball late Friday evening, as Neuqua Valley standout Mason Martin pledged to the Illini and will keep one of the best shooting guards in the state at home.

Martin, a 6-foot-5, 180-pound shooting guard, became the second commitment for head coach Brad Underwood in the 2027 recruiting class. Peoria native Quinton Kitt pledged to Illinois on Thanksgiving.

We caught up with Martin to discuss what went into his decision to commit early in the process and why he chose Illinois.

Illinois plans on going with a double point guard look as long as Gretchen Dolan’s knee injury continues to be an issue in this 2025-26 season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 19, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The second consecutive game without Illinois’ second-leading scorer allowed Shauna Green to turn to a double point guard lineup she’s been familiar with in his Illini tenure.

With Gretchen Dolan’s knee injury continuing to be a problem forcing the third-year guard to be in a sweatsuit Sunday, Illinois went with a third starting lineup in this 2025-26 season with Aaliyah Guyton making her first start for the Illini since arriving this offseason. The Peoria, Ill., native and star transfer from Iowa had been progressing through an injury-plagued start to the season as Destiny Jackson’s backup but in a home game against an under .500 Northwestern squad, Green elected to play together the back-to-back No. 1 overall players in the state of the Illinois out of high school.

Guyton responded to this role change with 13 points, three assists and three rebounds and was a plus-6 in 30 minutes of action.

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

January 18, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

The Illini found a way to grind out a win over a tough Minnesota Gophers squad on Saturday behind a big effort from Zvonimir Ivisic, who had 18 points and 9 rebounds off the bench. Keaton Wagler had 17 points and 5 assists, while David Mirkovic (12 points) and Tomislav Ivisic (10 points) scored all 22 of their points after the break to lead Illinois to a 77-67 win and move them solidly into the top tier of the Big Ten at 6-1 and 15-3 overall.

It wasn’t easy though. Minnesota led by as many as 6 points late in the first half before largely unused guard Mihailo Petrovic gave Illinois a spark that would let Illinois tie it at 38 at the half. From there, Illinois would lead by as many as 12 points and cruise to the win down the stretch.

Here’s a quick look back.

These 3 Things

Bench Win -

By IlliniGuys Staff January 18, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

A knee injury forced Illinois second-leading scorer Gretchen Dolan out of action earlier this week but Illini second-year head coach Shauna Green classified the injury as “day to day”.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 18, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Day to day.

These are the words Illinois head coach Shauna Green choose to use to describe the knee injury to her second-leading scorer. Gretchen Dolan is listed as out for today’s home contest against Northwestern (2 p.m., Big Ten Network-Plus) and this loss will certainly impact the playing rotation of the No. 25 Illini (14-4, 4-3 in Big Ten) in this contest against a struggling Wildcats team and future games as Illinois nears the midpoint of the league schedule.

“It’s her knee but we’ll see how it goes,” Green said after a loss to No. 8 Michigan on Thursday night. “Day to day.”

Illinois used bench play and a stifling defensive effort […]

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

January 17, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

The Illini are coming off of a four-game road win streak, including wins at Iowa and Northwestern, and they are coming home to play Minnesota in an 11AM tip game. What could go wrong? As we know, much has gone wrong in these situations in the past. Minnesota presents a formidable challenge and the Illini will need to bring their ‘A’ game to get the win on Saturday.

Here's a look at the particulars...

Setting the Stage
#13 Illinois (14-3, 5-1 B1G) vs. Minnesota (10-7, 3-3 B1G)
Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026 // 11 a.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: BTN – Jack Kizer (Play-by-Play) & Jess Settles (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas

Notable
No. 13 Illinois, riding a season-best six-game win streak, hosts Minnesota on Saturday at State Farm Center. Illinois is in search of the program's first seven-game win streak since March 2024, a stretch that began with the regular-season finale at Iowa and included the 2024 Big Ten Tournament Championship and run to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight.

*At 14-3 overall, Illinois is off to its best start since 2012-13. A win over Minnesota would give the Illini its best 18-game record since also starting 15-3 in 2011-12.

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

January 16, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

The Fighting Illini are known for their international connections and bringing in the top players around the country, but they have focused on a strong 2027 class in the state of Illinois to add another big-time player into the fold in 2027 guard Mason Martin. 

Martin joins wing Quinton Kitt in what will be a foundational class for the Illini in 2027. Martin led all circuits in 3-point shooting on the move last summer and is known for his deep range and quick release.

Illinois defensive back Xavier Scott, who was a first-team All Big Ten selection in 2024, has elected to return to the Illini after suffering a devestating ankle injury three games into the 2025 season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

January 15, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The sight of Xavier Scott’s season-ending injury just three games into the 2025 campaign will not be his memory in an Illinois uniform.

Scott has announced his decision to, for the second time in his Illini tenure, pass on the National Football League Draft in exchange of returning to Illinois for one more season - which will be his fifth year of college football.

The 2025 season seemed destined to be Scott’s final one in college football as he was returning to the Illini after being a 2024 All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection by the media and a 2024 Phil Steele All-America honorable mention honoree. However, a severe ankle injury in the fourth quarter of the third game of the 2025 season, a 38-0 victory over eventual Mid-American Conference champion Western Michigan, left open the possibility of Scott returning for another season.

By IlliniGuys Staff January 15, 2026 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

January 15, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Winning in the Big Ten is hard. Winning on the road is even harder. The Illini got the 79-68 win over Northwestern on Wednesday night, but it wasn't easy. Illinois trailed in the in the first half before a late first half run gave them control. Their lead would balloon to 15 points before a suspicious hook and hold call and a technical foul turned that 15-point lead into a five-point lead. But Illini wunderkind Keaton Wagler stepped up and scored 20 of his 22 points in the second half and Tomi Ivisic showed why he was expected to contend for All-Big Ten honors in preseason polls with 21 points and seven rebounds, including three huge three-pointers in the second half. Throw in another stellar performance on both ends from Kylan Boswell, and the Illini moved to 4-0 on the road in Big Ten play. This is the first 4-0 road start for Illinois since the 2004-05 season. Overall, the Illini now sit 5-1 in league play and 14-3 overall.

These 3 Things

Another Game, More Superlatives for Wagler

No. 25 Illinois at No. 8 Michigan Thurs., January […]

In just his second season at Illinois, veteran guard Kylan Boswell has figured out different ways to involve himself in Illinois road victories.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 15, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

EVANSTON, Ill. — There has comes a point in every game over the last two months where the equation for a victory must include one element - Kylan Boswell.

“All caps. Problem solver. Mine,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said in description of his veteran guard. “To have a player that strong, that athletic and that committed, that dedicated fighting guys where he gives up size and then when a little guard got going, we just switch (Boswell) on him. He solves a lot of problems for us.”