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By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys InsiderAnalyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

February 27, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

It is the next ‘biggest game of the year’ for the Illini as they host the #3 Michigan Wolverines in a showdown of the top 2 teams in the Big Ten standings on Friday night. The Wolverines and Illini both stubbed their toes last weekend and are looking to solidify their NCAA and Big Ten Tournament seeds. The Wolverines will clinch the Big Ten title outright with a win, and Illinois can put themselves in a great position for a 2 seed in the NCAA tournament and a 2 seed and triple bye in the Big Ten tournament.

Here’s a look at the matchup.

Setting the Stage
#10 Illinois (22-6, 13-4 B1G) vs. #3 Michigan (26-2, 16-1 B1G)
Friday, Feb. 27, 2026 // 7 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: FOX – Jason Benetti (Play-by-Play) & Bill Raftery (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas

Notable
*No. 10 Illinois opens a two-game homestand on Friday night with a Top-10 matchup against No. 3 Michigan. Illinois carries a nine-game winning streak vs. Michigan (began Dec. 11, 2019), including four straight at home.

*In facing No. 3 Michigan, Illinois is looking for its highest-ranked win since beating No. 2 Texas on Dec. 6, 2022, its highest-ranked Big Ten win since a 76-53 rout at No. 2 Michigan on March 2, 2021, and its highest-ranked home win since upsetting No. 1 Indiana on Feb. 7, 2013 on a Tyler Griffey layup at the buzzer.

*Illinois has defeated two Top-5 teams entering the game against No. 3 Michigan, with wins at No. 4 Purdue and at No. 5 Nebraska. The school record for Top-5 wins in a season is three, set by the 1951-52 Illini squad.

*Friday will mark the first game in 20 years at State Farm Center with both teams ranked in the Top 10, since No. 6 Illinois beat No. 7 Michigan State on Jan. 5, 2006, behind Dee Brown's career-high 34 points.

Illinois couldn’t finish off a six-point, fourth-quarter lead for […]

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

February 26, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

As I write this, Aaron Henry has packed his bags for South Bend and Illinois is changing its defensive scheme under new defensive coordinator Bobby Hauck. One thing that's clear is that Illinois is looking at a rather bare cupboard in terms of linebackers. James Kreutz returns for his senior year and will be a starter and Joe Barna will be back as well, but after them you have to go all the way down to Grant Beerman and his 15 snaps to find the next most experienced linebacker. Let's try to make some sense of this!

Newcomers
Illinois added two linebackers in the portal and I think we'll see some productivity right away from both of them. The first new linebacker on board was Robert Edmonson of Colorado State, who will be a junior this year. Edmonson started the season deep on the depth chart for Colorado State but ended up with 335 snaps in Colorado's new 3-3-5 defensive scheme.

Illini at #9 Iowa Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026 - […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

February 25, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Prep Girls Hoops)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – As Illinois women’s basketball continues to build under head coach Shauna Green, assistant coach DeAntoine Beasley has remained a steady presence since the staff’s arrival in 2022. Known as “Cat,” Beasley’s long standing relationships in the game are helping the Illini connect with prospects early, including one of the nation’s most promising young players with Illinois ties.

Beasley, who played collegiately at Tennessee Tech, has maintained a close bond with former teammate Rusty Strange. That connection has helped bring Rusty’s daughter, Austin Strange, onto Illinois’ radar as she develops into one of the top young players in the country.

Austin Strange, a member of the class of 2030, already stands a legitimate 6-foot-3 wing with guard-like skills. The Strange family recently visited Illinois and came away thoroughly impressed with what they saw in Champaign.

Former Illinois pass rusher Gabe Jacas will go through NFL scouting combine individual drills on Thursday afternoon including running the 40-yard-dash on NFL Network.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer/Analyst

February 25, 2026

INDIANAPOLIS — In his four seasons at Illinois, Gabe Jacas was lined up in a variety of ways.

If a National Football League personnel scout or executive wants to see the former Illini pass rusher line up as a stand-up edge rusher, there’s the 2022-23 and 2025 campaigns. You want to see the 260-pounder line up with his hand in the ground as a defensive lineman? Go ahead and pop in clips from the 2024 season.

The versatility of the jobs he took on is something Jacas hopes has already shown up before his arrival this week in Indianapolis for the NFL Scouting Combine where he’s likely to interview and talk with team executives throughout the next few days.

“I think my work in college shows (NFL) teams that I can add value as a edge rusher or kick inside as an interior player, basically whatever they add from me is something I’ve done,” Jacas said. “The ability to play all across the line does nothing but add to my value. It doesn’t really matter where you line up but you have to be able to play with extension, have active hands and feet. The skills with being able to use my hands to disrupt the pass game in many ways is a big weapon of mine.”

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema has formulated a professional model system that separates his on-field coordinators and assistant coaches from recruiting and player acquisition responsibilities.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Football Writer

February 25, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN — One of the first things that Bret Bielema did after he accepted the head coach position at the University of Illinois was determine which members of Lovie Smith’s coaching staff he would retain.

At the time, this assistant coach retention philosophy was spotlighted by Corey Patterson being announced as the program’s running backs coach for the 2021 season. During his time in Champaign under Smith’s tenure with the Illini, Patterson was seen as key to Illinois' recruiting efforts in the St. Louis area as he brought over two of the highest rated Illini recruits in the modern era, Isaiah Williams and Shammond Cooper, who played under Patterson at Trinity Catholic High School while Patterson was establishing itself as one of the top high school programs in the state of Missouri.

Patterson went from being a corporate accountant in 2016 to being considered one of the most valuable assistant coaches at a power conference college football program in a five-year span.

The decision by Bielema to retain Patterson was more so based in the idea of retention of a Illinois roster, especially Williams - seen as the program’s best offensive athlete at the time, that Bielema had just acquired and understood had the pieces for a foundation that would in 2022 turn into an eight-win campaign highlighted by a New Year’s Day bowl berth less than 24 months after Bielema arrived in Champaign-Urbana.

By Steve Sturm - IlliniGuys Football Analyst

February 24, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

Illinois added three new faces in the late signing period, so I'm catching up on writing about them. Leslie Mosley Jr. is the most interesting of the three in my opinion because he has a high ceiling and an odd history that explains his lack of offers. Illinois signed the 5'10, 160 pound Mosley over some mediocre offers from FCS schools despite his 52 catches for 1,001 yards and 10 touchdowns at Class 1A state champion Cardinal Newman. Mosley will join Cardinal Newman alumni Xavier Scott, Xanai Scott and Dylan Frechette at Illinois this fall so he'll have plenty of friendly faces.

What does he bring to the Orange and Blue?
As a senior, Mosley was an elite playmaker

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

February 23, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois men’s basketball program recently hosted several recruits on campus for a home game against Indiana at State Farm Center. Among the visitors, few names generated more buzz than Warren Township High School four-star guard Jaxon Davis.

The 6-foot-0, 165-pound standout from Gurnee, Illinois, is widely regarded as one of the state’s premier prospects in the 2027 class. Illinois did not bring Davis to campus as a courtesy visit. The Illini staff, led by assistant coach Zach Hamer, is working diligently to secure his commitment in what is shaping up as a highly competitive recruitment.

In an era when many elite prospects leave their high school programs for national prep schools, Davis has chosen a different path. He has remained at Warren Township, a decision rooted in family, community, and continuity.

Illinois head coach Shauna Green is now 8-0 against […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 22, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

LOS ANGELES – Up 23 in the first half, No. 10 Illinois looked untouchable. By the end, it looked stunned.

Following the loss, members of the team were on the same page that the loss stemmed from mental lapses and issues with the team’s scout. The Illini stuck to their scouting report by leaving low-percentage shooters open and playing the numbers game. UCLA made them pay.

“It was so easy early, but there’s no let-up,” head coach Brad Underwood said. “You can’t do that. We let them find a rhythm, and we let really average shooters on their team start making shots and get comfortable, and then it stressed us.”

The bubbling stress culminated at the end of the first half with what Underwood called a freshman mistake from guard Keaton Wagler – a foul on a Trey Perry desperation heave from beyond the arc that was called a shooting foul, leading to three points from the free-throw line. IlliniGuys’ Zeno Jo asked Underwood about whether Illinois’ failures down the stretch simply boiled down to trusting the scout to a fault, which he responded to with a resounding yes.

Illinois moves to 0-3 in overtime games as they […]

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 21, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

LOS ANGELES – Beyond the memes, the devoted fans, and the hairstyle that has captivated a fanbase, forward Jake Davis has steadily grown to become one of the most important rotational pieces in an Illinois men’s basketball team that seems destined for postseason success.

By the numbers, Davis has improved his points, assists, and rebounds per game while more than doubling his minutes per game, all while shooting more efficiently than he did last year. While all of those numbers are up, they pale in comparison to Davis’s freshman season at Mercer, where he was the third option in the Bears’ offense.

Now in the role of a glue guy, Davis says “I think I’m very self-aware, you know what I mean?” Davis said. “Even on my high school team, I had a bunch of really good players around me. I realized that to win games, you take advantage of people’s strengths, and at this level, we have so many guys who are so good at different things.”

Head coach Brad Underwood called Davis and teammate Ben Humrichous two of the greatest glue guys in the nation following the team’s 101-65 win over USC earlier in the week. In the blowout, the pair combined for 23 points on 7-for-10 shooting from deep. Davis says that he defines a glue guy as someone who does the little things on and off the court to help the team improve.

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

February 21, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini have one more West Coast matchup on Saturday night when they take on UCLA in a matchup of NCAA tournament teams. Illinois still has an outside shot at a Big Ten title and a #1 seed, but this win would likely keep them entrenched on the 2-line and make the Michigan matchup next Friday the biggest game of the Big Ten season.

Here’s a look at the particulars.

Setting the Stage
#10 Illinois (22-5, 13-3 B1G) at UCLA (17-9, 9-6 B1G)
Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026 // 7 p.m. CT (5 p.m. PT) // Los Angeles, Calif. // Pauley Pavilion
TV: FOX – Tim Brando (Play-by-Play) & Jim Jackson (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas

Notable
* No. 10 Illinois closes a two-game road trip to Los Angeles on Saturday night, facing UCLA at Pauley Pavilion.

*Illinois is coming off two wins coinciding with the returns of Kylan Boswell and Andrej Stojakovic from injury. The Illini posted a 71-51 home win over Indiana on Sunday as Boswell returned from a seven-game absence (hand). Illinois limited the Hoosiers to a season-low 51 points (20 in the second half). David Mirkovic led all scorers with 25 points to go with seven rebounds and three assists. Wednesday night, Stojakovic returned after missing two games (ankle) and tallied a game-high 22 points – one of seven Illini to score in double figures – to help lead Illinois to a 101-65 road win at USC. The 36-point victory was Illinois' largest in a B1G road win in 80 years.

*Keaton Wagler, named Thursday to the Naismith Trophy Late-Season Team, is also the reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the sixth time this season. Wagler has netted 490 points, just five away from breaking the Illini freshman season scoring record of 494 total points set by Cory Bradford in 1998-99 and equaled by Kasparas Jakucionis last year.

*Illinois leads the nation in adjusted offensive efficiency (131.9), owning what currently stands as the highest offensive rating in the history of the kenpom era (since 1996-97).

*Illinois ranks fourth in the latest NET rankings and is tied for second in the nation with five Quad 1A wins. Illinois is 22-5 overall, the program's best record since going 25-5 during the regular season in 2005-06 Illinois' 13-3 Big Ten record is its best since the 2004-05 squad that went 15-1, swept Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, and advanced to the Final Four before finishing as the NCAA runner-up at 37-2. Illinois has won at least 13 Big Ten games five times in the last seven seasons, with head coach Brad Underwood accounting for five of the eight-winningest Big Ten seasons in school history with a school-record 16 wins in 2021, 15 in 2022, 14 in 2024, and 13 in both 2020 and 2026.

*Illinois is 7-1 on the road in Big Ten play, one away from the school record eight league road wins in 2020-21.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 21, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The buzz around Illinois’ 2025 women’s basketball recruiting class was unmistakable long before the players arrived on campus. Touted as one of the most decorated classes in recent memory, the five-player group carried both international flair and homegrown promise. As the season nears its close and postseason conversations intensify, one freshman in particular has validated the hype and perhaps exceeded it.

The unique makeup of the class includes two international standouts: Cearah Parchment and Manuella Alves-Fernandez. Parchment, from Whitby, Ontario, Canada, attended Fort Erie International Academy. Alves-Fernandez, a Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, native who prepped at IMG Academy, has been sidelined this season with a knee injury.