Illini Film Review: The Mismatch of Illinois’ defense vs. Cole Freeman
The regular season finale version of the film review showcases how sophomore walk-on quarterback Cole Freeman had no chance for success outside of the pocket.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
November 30, 2022
Ryan Walters had a very specific plan for the sophomore walk-on quarterback his Illinois defense was facing in the regular season finale.
Illini Women’s Basketball Dominate Pitt 92-71 in ACC/Big Ten Challenge
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.
Sturdy's Takeaways: Illini Dominate the Orange
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.
“Sometimes it’s just not very pretty and it can’t be”: Underwood Finds His Ugly Winning Example With This 2022-23 Version of Illini Basketball
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.
The Farrell Report - the Out of Control Before the Storm
Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert
November 30, 2022
(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
Good luck following the transfer portal as it’s already out of control and the FBS window hasn’t even opened.
Hawkins Records 1st Career Triple-Double As #16 Illinois Routs Syracuse
By IlliniGuys Staff November 29, 2022 (Cover photo courtesy […]
Coleman Hawkins Continues Earning Underwood’s Trust
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.
Illinois Waiting for a Decision from St. Rita's Center James Brown
Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting
November 29, 2022
Thanksgiving week was supposed to be a big week for St. Rita's basketball team.
The Trench Report: Northwestern
By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst
November 28, 2022
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
While Illinois' last regular season game devolved into a JV contest against Northwestern for the second year in a row, I'm still smarting enough from the Wildcats' previous six wins that I'm willing to sit through several more games like that before I'll be satisfied after watching all too many Northwestern celebrations recently. Regardless, there were still quite a few fun plays to break down before the Mildcats lost their steam and Illinois subbed in the reserves.
I'm going to start this week's report with back to back plays that highlight the present and the future of the Illini running game. The first play is the play in which Chase Brown got a little dinged up and the second is a similar play to the other side of the field with Reggie Love carrying the ball.
The Farrell Report - Indecision Rules
Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys National Football Recruiting Expert
November 28, 2022
(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)
The regular season is in the books with a surprise 8-4 record but also some disappointment at losing the Big Ten West when it was theirs to have.
Heat Checks and Hail Marys - Strong Weekend for Illini Football & Basketball
Mike Cagley, Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular Cover photo courtesy […]
Bielema’s Tuesday Tirade Motivates Illinois’ “pissed off” Win in Evanston
Before the death of his father-in-law, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema verbally laid into his players Tuesday causing a mental reshift and leading into a 41-3 win at Northwestern.
Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer
November 26, 2022
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Bret Bielema said he felt his Illinois football team would play “extremely pissed off this week” and it turns out the Illini head coach was the cause for some of that anger.
Illini Ride Defense To Season-Ending 41-3 Romp Over Northwestern
By IlliniGuys Staff
November 26, 2022
(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)
EVANSTON, Ill. - Sydney Brown forced three turnovers and scored two defensive touchdowns as Illinois forced six turnovers in all to snap a three-game slide with a 41-3 demolition of rival Northwestern Saturday afternoon.
The win kept the Illini (8-4, 5-4 in Big Ten) in play for the conference's West Division title and a shot at a Big Ten Championship game berth next Saturday in Indianapolis for the moment, but a short time later Purdue rallied from a 7-3 deficit to post a 31-10 win at Indiana to clinch the West and head to Indy to face East Division champion and 3rd ranked Michigan. The eight wins represents Illinois' most successful season since 2007, when they won 9 games en route to a Rose Bowl appearance.
Late cold snap knocks Illini from unbeaten ranks
By IlliniGuys Staff November 26, 2022 (Cover photo courtesy […]
In A Month To Forget, November Could Still Be One To Remember For Illini
By Larry Smith - IlliniGuys Staff
November 26, 2022
(Cover photo courtesy David Craan/Illinois Athletics)
Remember that moment when Illinois found itself among the College Football Playoff rankings for the first time ever? The pride within the program. The euphoria among fans. The giddy speculation by the media.
It was a glorious time in the annals of Illini football. It was a moment that happened...just 25 days ago.
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