Basketball

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.

By IlliniGuys Staff November 25, 2022 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 25, 2022

Washington, Ill. -- Typically as an eighth-grade student, the last thing most athletes are worried about is getting a DI basketball offer.

IlliniGuys Staff Cover photo courtesy of Joe Clark, IlliniGuys […]

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 22, 2022

The state of Illinois high school athletics prides themselves in producing some of the nation's best basketball. The state is so rich that they are able to attract teams from other states. One in Bloomington, Illinois, in December is the biggest in the United States.

In a 29-point blowout of Oakland, Illinois started a women’s basketball season with a perfect 5-0 record. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 21, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois’ first-year head coach wanted quickly to point out that all blowout wins aren’t evaluated the same way.  

Brad Sturdy, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

November 20, 2022

The Illini played a high-level game on Sunday against a veteran Virginia squad and although they showed glimpses,

IlliniGuys Staff November 20, 2022 Las Vegas, NV - […]