Basketball

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Hometown Star Comes Back for Official Visit

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Hometown Star Comes Back for Official Visit

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 15, 2022

This was a big-time recruiting weekend for the Fighting Illini men's basketball program.

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Destination March:  Illini In The Driver's Seat

Destination March: Illini In The Driver's Seat

By Larry Smith - IlliniGuys Staff

February 14, 2022

As you deliver your expensive cards, chocolates, and candy hearts (or as you scramble to pick up your expensive cards, chocolates, and candy hearts), don't forget to show a little love and maybe even blow a kiss or two toward your Fighting Illini basketball team and staff.  After all, they deserve your affection.  Despite suspension and concussions and injured shoulders and flu bugs and COVID spread, they enter mid-February right where you thought (hoped?) they'd be: in first place in the Big Ten.

However...many of us probably thought (assumed?) the Orange and Blue would be at best tied for first at this juncture, having caught a ballyhooed Michigan squad and their stud freshmen or found a way to equal Purdue and their roster of veteran stars.  But it's even BETTER than that!  The Illini - deep breath here - sit all by themselves atop the conference.  It would be a monumental task if everything had gone as planned since preseason practice began.  It's beyond impressive that they've done it while navigating more obstacles than Wile E. Coyote lays out for Roadrunner in any given sequence.

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Heat Checks and Hail Marys - The One That Didn't Get Away

Heat Checks and Hail Marys - The One That Didn't Get Away

Mike Cagley, IlliniGuy February 14, 2022 Welcome to the […]

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RJ Melendez’s Career Day Showcases Present & Future for Illini Freshman Wing

RJ Melendez’s Career Day Showcases Present & Future for Illini Freshman Wing

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 13, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- The development of Illinois freshman wing RJ Melendez went from mythical to real in 17 minutes and 18 seconds of game action.

On Super Bowl Sunday 2022, Melendez changed the narrative of his freshman season from a young, naive and lost player desperately trying to find a consistent role to the x-factor of why No. 13 Illinois won a Big Ten Conference game in the middle of February.

Melendez’s near season-high in minutes included 14 points, six rebounds, 6 of 6 from the foul line, a crowd-roaring dunk in the second half and a defensive effort that didn’t remind the sellout crowd he was a first-year player.

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Big Ten-leading Illini Overcome Cold-Shooting 2nd Half to Beat Wildcats, 73-66

Big Ten-leading Illini Overcome Cold-Shooting 2nd Half to Beat Wildcats, 73-66

IlliniGuys Staff February 13, 2022 (Cover photo courtesy Joe […]

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Illini Basketball Preview - Illini vs Northwestern

Illini Basketball Preview - Illini vs Northwestern

Connor Cagley, IlliniGuys Basketball Writer February 12, 2022 Essentials […]

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Illini Chasing History

Illini Chasing History

IlliniGuys Staff

February 12, 2022

Illinois enters the final seven games of the Big Ten season with a shot at history.  The program has never won 13 or more Big Ten games in three consecutive seasons.  But with 13 in 2019-20 and 16 in 2020-21, the Illini chase conference win #11 against Northwestern on Sunday (1pm, BTN).

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Getting To Know Illini Forward Kendall Bostic

Getting To Know Illini Forward Kendall Bostic

By Larry Smith - IlliniGuys Staff February 12, 2022 […]

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Morez Johnson Featured Update

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Morez Johnson Featured Update

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 10, 2022

You know...this job never amazes me

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Trent Frazier on Left Knee Injury at Purdue: “I’ll be fine”

Trent Frazier on Left Knee Injury at Purdue: “I’ll be fine”

Illinois senior guard Trent Frazier promises he’ll “be ready for Sunday” when the No. 13 Illini host Northwestern despite suffering a scary knee injury late in the loss at No. 3 Purdue

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 10, 2022

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Even after laying on the Mackey Arena playing floor in a fetal position while clutching at his left knee, Trent Frazier knew he had a leadership point to make. 

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Sturdy's 3 Takeaways (+1) - Purdue Edition

Sturdy's 3 Takeaways (+1) - Purdue Edition

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst

February 9, 2022

The Illini led Purdue by 2 at the break in Mackey Arena, but the Boilers would take advantage of some porous Illinois defense and some cold Illini shooting to take control and cruise to an 84-68 win and a tie at the top of the Big Ten standings. Jaden Ivey scored 26 and was dominant to lead the Boilers (21-3, 10-3). Illinois got 18 from Kofi Cockburn and 15 from Andre Curbelo as they fell to 17-6 and 10-3. 

Here’s what we saw:

These 3 Things +1

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Poison Ivey: Purdue’s Top Player Showcases His Lottery Pick Status in Blowout Win Over Illini

Poison Ivey: Purdue’s Top Player Showcases His Lottery Pick Status in Blowout Win Over Illini

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 9, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Yahoo Sports)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The final scoreboard at Mackey Arena did say otherwise but Purdue essentially left its home arena with a 1-0 victory. 

On Tuesday night, Purdue had one future lottery pick in the upcoming National Basketball Association draft in Jaden Ivey and Illinois didn’t. And the Illini didn’t have an individual or collective way to defensively contain arguably the best athlete in the Big Ten Conference on his way to a game-high 26 points in a 84-68 victory over Illinois. 

“That’s what they look like. For anybody who doesn’t know what a pro looks like, that’s what a professional basketball player looks like,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said. “It’s nice when you have them and you can capitalize on having them. In my opinion, he’s a different level athletically than anybody we’ve seen.”

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Big 2nd Half Lifts Purdue Past Illinois & Into First Place Tie

Big 2nd Half Lifts Purdue Past Illinois & Into First Place Tie

IlliniGuys Staff February 8, 2022 WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - […]

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Illini Basketball Preview - Illini at Purdue

Illini Basketball Preview - Illini at Purdue

Connor Cagley, IlliniGuys Basketball Writer February 8, 2022 Essentials […]

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Meet Paxton Warden

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Meet Paxton Warden

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 7, 2022

Class: Glenbard West 2022 Walk-on 

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