Basketball

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 16, 2024

In an exclusive interview with IlliniGuys, Rodney Hawkins, the father of the versatile Illinois center 6-foot-10 forward Coleman Hawkins, sheds light on his son's basketball journey. Standing at 6-foot-8, Rodney, who played high school basketball at Chicago Vocational (CVS) and Division I basketball at San Diego State, shares insights into his own career and the hands-off approach he adopted in guiding Coleman's path.

"I took the hands-off approach for Coleman. I want it to be his journey; I had my career and let him experience things himself. I don't like to be a know-it-all on the game. I'm letting him develop his own mind," Rodney explains, reflecting on the importance of letting Coleman navigate his basketball journey independently.

Illinois shoots an impressive 54.4 percent from the field to obtain the program’s first back-to-back victories over Penn State since 2009. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 15, 2024

Illinois picked up its most impressive victory of the 2023-24 season with a dominating performance at Penn State.

The Illini led for most of the final three quarters of its 86-71 win over a Nittany Lions squad that came into their home arena - the Bryce Jordan Center - at No. 26 in the latest NET rankings produced daily by the NCAA. 

Terrence Shannon Jr.’s 31-point effort even made Michigan head coach Juwan Howard smile despite the fact he dominated the Wolverines in a 29-point blowout. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 13, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Even after a 29-point blowout loss, Michigan head coach Juwan Howard made it clear he wasn’t going to leave State Farm Center without showing appreciation to Terrence Shannon Jr.

Following a 97-68 home win for an Illinois team severely in need of a confidence-building performance, Howard put Shannon in a bear hug during the post-game handshake and whispered several things in the right ear of the 23-year-old guard that made the Illini’s leading scorer smile. 

By IlliniGuys Staff February 13, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Mike Cagley, Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio Co-Host […]

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio Co-Host and Illini Uber-Insider

February 13, 2024

After a rough finish on Saturday the Illini are back in action against Michigan on Tuesday at the State Farm Center. The Illini want to get the bad taste out of their mouth from the final 7 minutes in East Lansing against a struggling Michigan squad. The Wolverines have lost 11 of 13 and since beating Iowa in Iowa City on December 10th they have lost their last 5 road games with the last 3 being by 19+. 

It’s a game Illinois should win, and a must win. 

Setting the Stage

#14 Illinois (17-6, 8-4 B1G) vs. Michigan (8-16, 3-10 B1G) 

Feb. 13, 2024 // 6 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center 

Stream: Peacock – Noah Eagle (Play-by-Play), Stephen Bardo (Analyst) 

Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas 

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood had some unpleasant and yet very choice words to describe his team’s mentality following one of the worst defensive efforts in several years last weekend.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 13, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Brad Underwood has broken out the emergency four-letter word about his basketball team - soft. 

It took one of the least consistent defensive efforts in several years for the emergency “soft” glass to be broken with just under a month remaining before postseason bids are handed out by the Illini seventh-year head coach. However, there Underwood sat inside the State Farm Center media room Monday afternoon calling his squad one of the most incredulous things his 60-year-old mind could think of following an 88-80 loss at Michigan State on Saturday afternoon. 

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio Co-Host & Illini Uber-Insider

February 12, 2024

For 33 minutes it looked like Illinois was set to grab a massive road win at Michigan State. The Illini led 72-64 after a Marcus Domask 3 pointer and then after a Luke Goode blocked shot (it really happened), they got out in transition and Domask hit Harmon for a wide open wing 3 to go up by 11 with 6:47 to play. Ty Rodgers would foul on the rebound and Tyson Walker would make 2 free throws to begin the meltdown. 

Illinois would then go to Terrence Shannon for a 3 and then a mid-range jumper which were both misses, while Michigan State would get misses from Walker and Akins to keep it 72-66 with 5:05 to play. 

In a season marred by high expectations and several deflating injuries, Illinois still has an opportunity to make a postseason bid in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2006-07.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 12, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — With her team being one game under .500 through 23 games in a season filled with expectations, Shauna Green is attempting to see the long-term play of her program rebuild. 

As we enter the second week of February in her second year at Illinois, Green is trying to balance the frustration of getting this veteran team over the hump of defeating quality basketball teams while also feeling encouraged by the small portions of games that define the characteristics she’s trying to build. 

Power Forward Jason Jakstys Shines on the Court

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 11, 2024

Jason Jakstys is making a significant impact on the high school basketball scene as a 6-foot-10, 205-pound Power Forward for Yorkville High School (HS). As a three-star prospect, has a newfound talent for putting the ball on the floor and applying pressure on opposing defenses.

IlliniGuys recently caught up with Jakstys, who has committed to the University of Illinois, to discuss his ongoing high school season and his thoughts on joining the Illini in Champaign this summer.

Illinois’ trio of stars (Makira Cook, Genesis Bryant and […]

Illinois Women's Basketball Program Eyes Top Talents in 2025 Class at Today's Maryland Game.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 11, 2024

The Illinois women's basketball program is setting its sights on securing a formidable backcourt for the future, with two of the nation's top prep players in the class of 2025 on their radar and in attendance for today's Maryland game. 

ESPN HoopGurlz Super 60 ranks Divine Bourrage, a 6-foot-0 guard from Davenport North (HS) in Davenport, IA, at the 9th spot nationally, while Destiny Jackson, a 5-foot-6 guard from Whitney Young (HS) in Illinois, has climbed to the 29th position.

Michigan State outscored No. 10 Illinois 23-8 from the […]

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio Co-Host and Illini Uber-Insider

February 10, 2024

The Fighting Illini are on the road on Saturday in a road tilt that will likely determine whether they are a legit player for the Big Ten title. Illinois is ranked in the top 10 in the opening poll of February for the first time since Feb. 6, 2006, and the Illini sit one game behind Purdue in the loss column in 2nd place alone and will need a strong finish to catch the Boilers. It starts on Saturday at Michigan State against a desperate Spartan squad that needs this win if they want to continue their 25-year streak of NCAA tournament appearances. 

The Spartans have just 2 Quad 1 wins at the moment, and one will likely slide to a Quad 2, and have only at Purdue remaining as a Quad 1. Should they lose this game, they would have almost no margin for error down the stretch. 

Here are our keys and a pick:

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 10, 2024

Lincoln Williams, a 6-foot-5, 180-pound shooting guard from the class of 2026, who recently received a scholarship offer from Illinois, making this his first Power 5 offer.