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By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 4th, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Champaign, IL – Anyone questioning what Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn means to this year's Illini basketball squad, consider that he's one of only two players who have spent a regular season under head coach Brad Underwood.

In other words, he's knows what's expected and knows what it takes to succeed in Underwood's system.

During last weekend’s exhibition game at Ole Miss, Illinois appeared somewhat disorganized on offense, missing several defensive assignments and, at times, forcing the action when they fell behind looking for the 15-point basket when there's no such thing.

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuys Illini Insider & Co-Host of the IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

November 3, 2024

Each year I like to look at the Big Ten and make a preseason prediction and determine the ‘best’ teams.

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

October 31, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, IL. – Sophomore forward Carey Booth may be new to the Illini, but the Big Ten is nothing new to the Booth family.

His dad Calvin Booth was a 6-foot-11 center at Penn State in the late 1990s, a stint that included being  named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year as a junior and second-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior before a decade-long career in the NBA.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 2, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After he shook the hand of Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck, Bret Bielema made sure to get some final words with head referee Larry Smith and a few other members of Smith’s officiating crew on Saturday.

Following the 25-17 home loss to Minnesota, Bielema left the Memorial Stadium turf fuming about non-calls, calls and what the Illinois fourth-year head coach considered a subpar performance from a Big Ten Conference officiating crew.

The injury list continues to grow for the Illini following a 25-17 loss to Minnesota on Saturday.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 2, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Dylan Rosiek has played his final down of football in the 2024 season. 

The Illinois fourth-year linebacker suffered a fracture of his leg in the first quarter of the 25-17 loss to Minnesota on Saturday. The surgery and rehabilitation will require Rosiek to miss several months and will likely make him questionable for the beginning of the upcoming spring practice session that typically begins in Champaign in late March and early April. 

The 25-17 loss to Minnesota Saturday means Bret Bielema’s […]

By IlliniGuys Staff November 2, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 2, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, IL. — Illinois is hosting a strong group of recruits this weekend, including a mix of three- and four-star prospects, the largest number of high-profile visitors seen on campus under head coach Bret Bielema in a long time.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 2, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Fighting Illini football team prepares to face the Minnesota Golden Gophers on Saturday, hoping to bounce back from last week's 38-9 loss to Oregon.

On Friday night via a retweet on X, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema stated three key injured players who didn’t finish the loss at Oregon last weekend will play today vs. Minnesota. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 2, 2024

Minnesota at No. 24 Illinois

Date/Time/Place: Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024: 11 a.m. CST, Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Ill. 

Surface: Field Turf

Capacity: 60,670

Records: Minnesota 5-3, 3-2 in Big Ten; Illinois 6-2, 3-2 in Big Ten

Betting Line: Minnesota by 2.

Series notes: Minnesota leads the overall series 40-33-3 but Illinois leads 20-17-1 in Champaign. Illinois head coach Bret Bielema is 10-0 all-time against Minnesota and 3-0 as the Illini head coach. 

TV: FS1; Tim Brando (play-by-play), Devin Gardner (analyst), Josh Sims (reporter)

Radio (Illinois): Brian Barnhart (play-by-play), Kevin Mitchell (analyst), Michael Martin (sideline), and Steve Kelly (pre/half/post).  The broadcast can be heard live on TuneIn online radio, SiriusXM, the SiriusXM App, and at FightingIllini.com/live.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head coach Bret Bielema elected to use social media to announce the availability of his starters who left the Oregon game and didn’t return this past weekend. 

By IlliniGuys Staff November 1, 2024 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – […]

The Illini were soundly beaten by an outstanding Oregon […]

Ked's Recruiting Roundup

November 1, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois women’s basketball program has been riding a wave of positive momentum. With recruiting success reaching new heights and head coach Shauna Green recently signing a contract extension, the team is building excitement ahead of the upcoming season.

Hours before the Illini took the court for the first time this season in an exhibition game vs. Lewis University, more good news emerged on the recruiting front as Manuella Alves-Fernandez announced her commitment. The 6-foot-3, four-star recruit from Kissimmee, Florida (IMG Academy) is ranked #61 in the nation by ESPNW.

llinois guard Makira Cook suffered a concussion in the exhibition opener of the 2023-24 season and forced her into a very frustrating start for the All-American player.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 1, 2024

Three Keys For Illini Exhibition Game vs. Lewis University (6pm, BTN+)
1. Player Rotation: Despite the season-ending injury to transfer center Lety Vasconcelos, Illinois head coach Shauna Green still has a possible rotation of 10 players that she’s attempted to sort out before the challenging season opener against No. 19 Florida State inside State Farm Center on Nov. 7. A matchup against a Division II conference champion, which is also predicted in the Great Lakes Valley Conference preseason poll to repeat as league champions in 2025, will allow Green to see certain chemistry with lineup combinations against an opponent that doesn’t know exactly their halfcourt sets and what they’re trying to do defensively in certain matchups.

“I think we got some good indications while we were in Italy and Greece at different lineups but yeah, Friday will be a good time to test some of that out,” Green said Wednesday. “We have more depth at the guard spots and I’m not used to taking Makira or Genesis off the floor and feel good about who is out there.”

2. College Debut (sort of…) For Berry Wallace: