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Illinois fourth-year wing Adalia McKenzie has been hearing from her head coach for two years that she’s an All-Big Ten talent and McKenzie showed it in a 83-74 win over No. 19 Florida State.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 7, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head coach Shauna Green is seeing another version of Adalia McKenzie that she’s been hoping, praying, prodding and believing was in the fourth-year forward.

On Thursday, McKenzie showed that new, confident and efficient player to the world and an announced crowd of 3,741 inside State Farm Center in a 83-74 upset win over No. 19 Florida State to open the 2024-25 season.

“I saw it all summer. I saw it all preseason. She’s on another level right now,” Green said following her team’s third victory over a ranked opponent since she took over the Illini job in March 2022.

By IlliniGuys Staff November 7, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 7, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The end-of-summer meetings in college athletics always have a newfound dynamic now with the transfer portal looming over every conversation.

In June there was a women’s basketball media availability after Illinois head coach Shauna Green had conducted an end-of-season meeting with veteran forward Brynn Shoup-Hill. The meeting could’ve ended with both coach and player wanting to part ways. After the 6-foot-3 forward wasn’t a rotational piece in the Illini lineup from Jan. 20 to the end of the 2023-24 season, not many would’ve likely blamed either party for wanting to find a fresh start for Shoup-Hill’s final season of college basketball. However, the opposite happened.

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys […]

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 7, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, IL. — Shauna Green, Illinois women's basketball head coach, recently received a contract extension, pending approval by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees at its Nov. 14 meeting. The new six-year agreement is set to keep her through at least the 2029-30 season. With more options possible.

Based on his post-game media conference, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema sees things that bother him about the pass protection issues that presented themselves on Saturday in loss to Minnesota.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

November 6, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In what was likely a sarcastic but possibly enlightening comment immediately the 25-17 loss to Minnesota, Illinois head coach Bret Bielema believes his team’s final offensive play is a microcosm of the problem that has popped up recently. 

“I think it was a fitting ending for us that our final play ended on a sack fumble on a three-man rush,” Bielema said. “I think that showed exactly what wasn’t in the deck of cards for us.” 

So, let’s first look at this final offensive play because frankly, it’s really not all that complicated to understand.

Brad Sturdy, IlliniGuys Insider & Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio

November 6, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy USA Today)

Tier 3 - They have a shot an NCAA bid, but they have more questions than answers right now. 

USC-The Muss bus is now in LA, and they have a completely overhauled roster. They have added 11 transfers and two freshmen, with 8 of the transfer being grad students. Muss loves him some wings with size and length.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema was reprimanded, and Illinois was fined $5,000 by the Big Ten Conference for a violation the league’s sportsmanship Policy with “his criticism of officiating” following 25-17 loss to Minnesota.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 5, 2024

ROSEMONT, Ill. — The University of Illinois athletics department has been issued a $5,000 fine by the Big Ten Conference for what conference officials are categorizing is a violation of the league’s sportsmanship policy following Illini head football coach Bret Bielema’s comments directed at league officiating after the Illini’s 25-17 loss to Minnesota last weekend. 

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst November 5, […]

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

November 5, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

The Ilini cruised to a 112-67 win over EIU in the opener as freshman Will Riley had 31 and lone returnee Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn added 21 to fuel the Illini. Tomislav Ivisic added a double-double with 14 points and 14 rebounds, Ben Humrichous had a quiet 14 points and 5 rebounds, and Kasparas Jakucionis had a strong 11 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds line. 

But the story of the night was Riley, who went on a heater and scored 26 points in the second half in just 11 minutes, finishing with a freshman debut record 31 points on 10-13 shooting, including 5-6 from 3, and grabbing 7 rebounds. 

These 3 Things

A Perfect Distribution -

Illinois center Tomislav Ivisic shows his full skills and survives second-half injury scare in a dominating season-opening win over Eastern Illinois. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The college basketball debut of 21-year-old Tomislav Ivisic had just about everything on Monday night.

The 7-foot-1 center, who announced his eligibility had been cleared last week at the end of October, showed why he was a prized European signee when assistant coach Orlando Antigua returned to Champaign-Urbana for the second time in his coaching career. Ivisic finished the first half with 10 points, despite missing all three of his attempts beyond the three-point arc, nine rebounds and two assists in just 13 minutes of action. 

By IlliniGuys Staff November 4, 2024 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - […]

Kedric Prince IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 4, 2024

Champaign, IL. — Just minutes after Tywan Cox decommitted from USF and committed to Illinois, three-star offensive lineman JJ Hirdes also had a change of heart, flipping his commitment from Western Michigan to the Illini.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 4, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Despite suffering a loss to the Minnesota Gophers on Saturday 17-25, the Illinois Fighting Illini received encouraging news today as Tywan Cox, a defensive back from Miami Northwestern, announced his commitment to Illinois. Cox, initially pledged to the University of South Florida (USF), flipped his commitment following an official visit to Champaign.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

November 4, 2024

CHAMPAIGN, IL. — Coming off one of the best seasons in recent Illinois history with an Elite Eight appearance, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood has overhauled his roster, leaving only two returning players: junior Ty Rodgers and Dravyn Gibbs-Lawhorn.

IlliniGuys learned that Rodgers has been heavily weighing his options. The 6-foot-6 junior combo player from Saginaw, Mich., who attended Thornton Township (IL), has officially announced his decision to sit out the upcoming season.