Basketball

By Larry Smith – IlliniGuys Staff

November 7, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy EIU Athletics)

Illinois…you’ve come a long way, baby!

Remember that day five years ago this month?  The Illini made the unprecedented trip south to Charleston to play Eastern Illinois in an exhibition with the proceeds going to hurricane relief.  It was Brad Underwood’s first time coaching his new program in a game-like setting and an experience he may still have nightmares about.  The Panthers schooled Illinois in front of a sold-out Lantz Arena crowd to the tune of 80-67.

Luckily it was only an exhibition, but it showed Underwood just how far he needed to go to resurrect the once-proud Illini program to national status.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 5, 2022

The Illinois men's basketball program will have one of the biggest basketball recruits on campus in some time.

Brad Sturdy, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular November 4, 2022 […]

Illini basketball coach Brad Underwood talks about his 23rd […]

Illini sophomore forward RJ Melendez talks about Monday's season […]

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 3, 2022

Friday's exhibition game against Quincy University was a success

Mike Cagley, co-host of the IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular October […]

By IlliniGuys Staff

October 29, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The 2022-23 basketball season tipped off as expected for the Ilinois men's basketball team.  It was a lopsided win, but more importantly it was a night that allowed the Illini coaching staff to get a look at players and situations in a game setting.

IlliniGuys Inside/Analyst Brad Sturdy breaks down the win and offers his postgame analysis:

By IlliniGuys.com Staff October 28, 2022 (Cover photo courtesy […]

The injury to Luke Goode has Illinois head coach Brad Underwood trying to figure out who on this 2022-23 roster can replicate the sophomore’s leadership and shooting. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

(Cover photo courtesy Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- After just a couple practices without the presence of Luke Goode, Illinois’ head coach can already notice a big difference and he doesn’t like it. 

Goode, a 6-foot-7 wing player who was expected to have a significant role in the Illinois rotation during this upcoming 2022-23 season, will have surgery to correct a bone fracture in his left foot suffered in the closed scrimmage last weekend against Kansas at Lindenwood University. 

IlliniGuy Mike Cagley joins Sturdy to breakdown the Illini […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

October 25, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Phenom Hoop Report)

Cameron Ward, a 6-foot-6, 180-pound small forward from Upper Marlboro, Maryland, was offered late this summer by Illinois assistant coach Chester Frazier.

The former AAU teammate of committed 4-star Illini recruit Amani Hansberry, Ward said in July, "Amani is one of the best players in the county, he's everything you could ask for in a player. His off-the-court presence is as great as on-court; I think that’s what separates him from others."

CHAMPAIGN, IL - Like Goode will miss a significant portion of the upcoming 2022-23 season after suffering a bone fracture in his left foot in the dark scrimmage against Kansas this past weekend.

By IlliniGuys Staff

October 23, 2022

Two things are going down right now:

The leaves from the trees
The countdown clock to the 23rd ranked Illini basketball team's first - and only - exhibition game Friday night.

Just five days and counting until Quincy comes to State Farm Center to match up with the 6th edition of Brad Underwood's Illini.  In typical Underwood fashion, he scheduled his secret scrimmage against defending NCAA champion Kansas and former Illini coach Bill Self.

IlliniGuys.com Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy has his sources tied to both programs and offered the following summation last night on the IlliniGuys message boards:

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

October 21, 2022

St. Rita's All-State forward Morez Johnson was on campus for an official visit last weekend.

The Class of 2024 Illinois commit now stands 6-foot-9, weighs 230 pounds, and is getting stronger each day. Illinois invited him to practice last year and that is all it took. He wanted to commit on the spot, but waited until he got home to deliver the news to head coach Brad Underwood that he was going to be an Illini.