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By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

February 10, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Bret Bielema certainly came prepared for the home visit of the quarterback he was recruiting out of the transfer portal. 

The Illinois head coach, along with offensive line coach Bart Miller, arrived at the home of former Syracuse quarterback Tommy DeVito ready to go through the normal process with his parents, Tom Sr. and Alexandra and Tom, and sell everything that the Illini program could provide for the quarterback for his final year of eligibility. 

What Tommy DeVito, his parents and everybody in the Cedar Grove, N.J. home (a 25-minute drive from the home of MetLife Stadium, the location of the Illini coach’s last gig with the New York Giants) possibly didn’t expect was has been quickly learned around Champaign-Urbana as a classic Bret Bielema film session. 

“So, yeah, he just sits in this chair right next to me, pulls out this tablet and says ‘Okay, I want to show you something’,” DeVito said to IlliniGuys.com following his first media availability in Champaign since signing with Illinois. “I was immediately blown away.” 

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. 

The Big Ten Conference announced Wednesday afternoon that the […]

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

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.”

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

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

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 7, 2022

Class: Glenbard West 2022 Walk-on 

February 7, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy Ball Durham)

Gosh darnit, you gotta give ESPN credit.  Did you watch any of Saturday's coverage of the Duke-North Carolina game?  They're doing their best to give Mike Krzyzewski the sendoff you expected and that he so richly deserves.

Like him or not, the venerable Duke coach is an icon.  More wins than any other coach, five NCAA championships, a dozen Final Four appearances, and 15 ACC titles highlight an illustrious career the likes of which we may never see again.  He took over a proud Duke team at the tender age of 33 and made it his own and over the past four decades built it into the pre-eminent college basketball program in the nation.

Krzyzewski announced his retirement last offseason after the Blue Devils missed the NCAA tournament for just the second time since 1983 and the farewell tour has been pretty much as expected.  However, there has been one thing missing:

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst

February 6, 2022

(Cover photo courtesy The Crimson Quarry)

The Illini trailed by 2 at the break despite Indiana star Trayce Jackson-Davis sitting most of teh half with 2 fouls. But the Illini came out in the second half with soem lockdown defense and then finally hit some shots from deep and cruised to a 74-57 win in Bloomington. Trent Frazier led the way with 23 points and 4 assists, while Kofi Cockburn added 17 points and 8 rebounds for the Illini (17-5, 10-2). 

Indiana got 13 from Race Thompson and 12 from Xavier Johnson, but leading scorer Jackson-Davis had just 6 as they fell to 16-6 and 7-5 in league play. 

Here’s a look back. 

These 3 Things:

Second Half Domination - I asked Brad Underwood if it was a great halftime adjustment, but the reality is that it was really just execution.

Mike Cagley, IlliniGuys February 6, 2022 It was an […]

Illinois announced the return of five-year offensive line starter Alex Palczewski for another year of college football where he’ll bring stability to a critical position for Illini head coach Bret Bielema.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 5, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Less than three days after Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said he and his staff had a “trick up his sleeve” regarding the return of a veteran player, we now know that move involved bringing back five-year starter Alex Palczewski for a sixth season. 

Illinois relied on experience of veteran stars to carry them in a second half where they outscored Indiana 40-21 in the Illini’s largest winning margin in Bloomington since 1956. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 5, 2022

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois’ dominating performance in Bloomington’s Assembly Hall is a product of what Brad Underwood has been preaching for years. Old teams win a lot and win big in college basketball. 

IlliniGuys Staff February 5, 2022 BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Trent […]

Connor Cagley, IlliniGuys Basketball Writer February 5, 2022 Essentials […]