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Chattanooga sixth-year guard David Jean-Baptiste finally gets a taste of the NCAA Tournament on Friday against Illinois in the first round matchup. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 17, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Michael Shroyer/USA Today Sports)

PITTSBURGH -- There’s a more than practical argument to be made that this Illinois-Chattanooga first round matchup wouldn’t be happening without a miracle shot by David Jean-Baptiste. 

If Jean-Baptiste hadn’t hit nothing but the bottom of the net on a 30-foot contested heave at the buzzer in the Southern Conference Tournament final on March 8, Illinois would have certainly had a different opponent in their opening game of the 2022 NCAA Tournament. 

The 81st converted three-point shot by Jean-Baptiste prompted a massive mood and momentum switch in Harrah's Cherokee Center to give Chattanooga a shocking 64-63 win over a upset-minded Furman squad and gave college basketball fans its first magical moment in the month of March. 

“I think I've had close to 2,000 texts," Jean-Baptiste said. "My phone's crashed twice. I'll always be tied to that moment. And no words can describe it. It's crazy."

For Jean-Baptiste, it was the exact moment he stayed around the Chattanooga program to experience.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 17, 2022

James Brown, a 6-foot-9, 210-pound center from St. Rita High School in Chicago, is already a five-star prospect and considered one of the nation's top 30 recruits in his class.

Illinois’ All-American center Kofi Cockburn knows he can write himself into a different level of Illini history over the next few weeks. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 16, 2022

PITTSBURGH -- While the immediacy of NCAA Tournament results don’t typically allow for long-term thinking, Kofi Cockburn has given himself several months to think about this 2022 postseason run. 

When the All-American center returned to Illinois for his third season of college basketball, at least part of the reason was to give it another go in the month of March to reverse the legacy produced by an admittedly disappointing performance last year in a 71-58 loss to Loyola (Chicago) in the second round. 

“Absolutely I envisioned it,” Cockburn said Sunday. “I knew how good we were. I still don’t think we’ve come close to hitting that peak at being as good as we can get. We’re still learning and still getting better. I definitely envisioned this. These guys are really tough guys. They’re winners.” 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 16, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Following the win at Michigan State last month, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood came to his entire coaching staff with an edict. 

After the earlier-than-anticipated exit from last year’s NCAA Tournament, Underwood wanted his assistant coaches and off-the-floor analysts to come to him with a list of three or four items that would cause Illinois problems in postseason play. The Ubben Practice Facility lab of assistant coaches consisting of Chester Frazier, Geoff Alexander and Tim Anderson came up with three items for a deep dive look: defending centers in pick-and-pop offense, ball screen coverages and transition defensive communication.

It should come as no surprise that the Illini coaches are focused on the defensive end of the floor as, according to KenPom.com,  they’re 32nd in the nation in overall defensive efficiency, 27th in defending two-point field goals but 100th in defending the three-point arc.  

Steve Sturm, IlliniGuys Football Analyst

March 15, 2022

Ryan Walters just loves to mix things up mid-season. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

March 14, 2022

Antwon Hayden, an outside linebacker at 6-foot-3, 220 pounds in the Class of 2023 from East St. Louis, Illinois, updates his recruiting with IlliniGuys.

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The Fighting Illini assistant coach Tim Anderson knew how big it would be to land Ty Rodgers from Thornton High School in Chicago.

Former Illinois defensive back Kerby Joseph arrived at Illini Pro Day Friday as a star after being a relative unknown through his first two years in Champaign. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 12, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- It’s safe to assume Kerby Joseph arrived Friday morning at the Smith Family Football Center with a different reputation than when he arrived in Bret Bielema’s office 13 months ago. 

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Zain Bando, IlliniGuys Student Correspondent

March 10, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, IL – Kofi Cockburn was loose and relaxed at Wednesday’s night’s Zoom presser.