Basketball

By Larry Smith - IlliniGuys Staff

December 3, 2022

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - There is something to be said about firsts.

The first time you had a wreck on your bicycle.  The first time you walked into a new classroom.  The first time getting behind the wheel of a car.  That first kiss.  Just to name a few.

All cause moments of apprehension or fear.  The hope is to survive them with as few scars as possible.

Friday night at Maryland was the first time #16 Illinois walked onto the home court of another team after five games at State Farm Center and a pair of contests at a state-of-the-art arena in Las Vegas.

Brad Sturdy, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

December 3, 2022

Illini Can’t Close

The Illini fell 71-66 in College Park on Friday night in front of a raucous crowd.

Despite a second half rally, Illinois loses Big Ten Conference opener at No. 22 Maryland 71-66 as the Terrapins shoot 9 of 23 from three-point range. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 2, 2022

All of Jahmir Young’s four three-point shots were devastating to Illinois’ effort to win its Big Ten Conference opener but none of them were bigger than the game-sealing he swished with 14 seconds left.

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

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. 

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.

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.

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

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. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 29, 2022

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

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

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.

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.

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

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.