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By Kedric Prince -IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

December 18, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Krka/Drago Perko/kosarka.si)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — At IlliniGuys, the focus never drifts far from the recruiting trail, especially as Illinois continues to expand its reach beyond domestic borders. One name Illini fans should keep a close watch on is Zak Smrekar, a rising wing prospect from Slovenia who is getting a lot of attention.

Smrekar is a 6-foot-7, 195-pound wing who is expected to play college basketball next season. Illinois has consistently shown interest in European prospects who can shoot, read the floor, and make plays within a structured offense. Smrekar checks those boxes. He is a capable shooter and a natural scoring wing, particularly effective in catch-and-shoot situations where his quick release stands out.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst December 17, […]

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular December 16, 2025 The […]

December 15, 2025 Ked Prince, IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst […]

Despite having one of the youngest power conference rosters, Illinois’ defensive numbers through 11 games of the 2025-26 season are better than previous seasons.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 15, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Any basketball coach will likely youth doesn’t usually equate to instant success, yet Shauna Green’s Illinois team is doing everything they can to reverse that trend.

The Illini’s 81-69 win over North Texas represented the 11th straight game that Illinois has held an opponent under 70 points in a game and the current streak is 13 in a row that includes the two 2025 NCAA Tournament games from last March.

Knowing her emphasis on the defensive end of the floor and her reputation for taking defense seriously going back to her head coaching start nearly a decade ago at Dayton, Green doesn’t want to be surprised as her 2025-26 Illini squad has been about consistent defensive stops. However, given she’s in charge of by far her youngest team, with an average age of 19.83 years as of the start of the 2025-26 campaign and

Mike White, the Illini head coach credited with reviving […]

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

December 14, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini fell to Nebraska on Saturday 83-80 on a last second 3 pointer by Jamarques Lawrence. The Illini had trailed by as many as 13 points, and 10 points in the second half, but battled back to tie it in the final minutes before Lawrence's heroics. Kylan Boswell scored 20 points, while Keaton Wagler had 19 points and 10 assists and Andrej Stojakovic had 19 points and 10 rebounds to lead the way as Illinois fell to 8-3 and 1-1 in Big Ten play. Nebraska moved to 2-0 in conference play and a school record 11-0 overall.

Here’s a rewind.

These 3 Things

Defensive Lapses Continue -

Illinois women’s basketball head coach Shauna Green earns her […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office)   Illinois vs. North […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 12, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Brent Zinkmann/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois head coach Brad Underwood tried to set expectations months ago. At media day in October, he spoke confidently about freshman guard Keaton Wagler, even comparing him to former Illinois All-American Ayo Dosunmu. When he added that Wagler might be a one-and-done player, many on social media thought the praise was too aggressive for someone rated as the nation’s No. 67 shooting guard and the No. 2 overall player in Kansas, according to On3.

How could a three-star prospect become the center of such bold comparisons?

No. 13 Illinois loses for just the second time […]

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirms All-Big Ten defensive back Matthew Bailey will not be active for the Music City Bowl game after having surgery immediately following the regular season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

December 13, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Add Matthew Bailey to the list of the Illinois players who will not be participating in the upcoming Music City Bowl game.

Approximately an hour before the opening tip of the Illinois men’s basketball conference home opener versus Nebraska, Illinois head football coach Bret Bielema confirmed Saturday in his local media conference inside State Farm Center that Bailey will not be part of the Music City Bowl roster. Bielema detailed that Bailey elected to have surgery a few days after the regular season finale win over Northwestern to repair an upper body injury sustained in the middle of the 2025 campaign.

Since the Illini’s 42-25 loss at Washington, Bailey has been seen wearing a cast/club on his right hand but Bielema said the injury was “from something prior to this year” despite the fourth-year safety was never added to the conference-mandated availability report due to the injury.

“Last season we had seven postseason shoulder surgeries and this year there has been one already,” Bielema said Saturday referencing Bailey’s surgery last month was on his shoulder.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema confirms on ‘Illini Pella […]

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

December 13, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

When the schedule came out this looked like just another game. Now, the Illini & Huskers are both ranked. The Illini are 1-0 in the Big 10 after a road win at Ohio State and Nebraska dismantled Wisconsin this week in Lincoln. These are two teams that can really score and should be a fun one on a snowy Saturday afternoon in Champaign.

Setting the Stage
#13 Illinois (8-2, 1-0) vs. #23 Nebraska (10-0, 1-0)
Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025 // 3 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center Stream:
Peacock – Paul Burmeister (Play-by-Play) & Brendan Haywood (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Trent Meacham

Notable
* No. 13 Illinois closes out the early-December window of Big Ten play on Saturday afternoon, welcoming No. 23 Nebraska to State Farm Center for the Illini's first home game in nearly three weeks. The matchup pits the 8-2 Illini against the undefeated Cornhuskers (10-0). • Illinois is aiming for a 2-0 start to Big Ten play for the third time of head coach Brad Underwood's nine-year tenure, joining the 2022 and 2024 seasons.

*Illinois is 6-0 at State Farm Center on the season, having won each home game with an average scoring margin of +30.0. The Illini have won eight straight home games overall dating back to last season.

*Brad Underwood has led Illinois to 29 wins over top-25 opponents since 2019-20, with 20 of those wins coming in ranked-vs.-ranked matchups. Illinois' 29 top-25 victories are tied for ninth-most in the NCAA during that span. This season the Illini have ranked wins over No. 11 Texas Tech at home, and vs. No. 13 Tennessee in Nashville.

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood still isn’t optimistic the physical progress Ty Rodgers has made since suffering a major knee injury could result in his return to games this season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

December 13, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — There is clearly a good news, bad news correlation when evaluating a potential return to the Illinois lineup for Ty Rodgers.

The encouraging news for the folks who work inside the Ubben Basketball Complex is Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said he had a discussion Thursday with staff members and medical officials about what a 2025-26 season return for Rodgers would look like. The disheartening news is Underwood didn’t portray getting an optimistic viewpoint in that discussion.

In his local media session Friday, Underwood declined to put a timeline on when the fourth-year wing could or even would get medically cleared to return with the No. 13 Illinois having just 21 regular season games left in the 2025-26 slate.

“He's getting closer to being able to gain enough strength in the leg.