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Illini Women’s Hoops Trying to Crash 2024 NCAA Tournament With Key Final Month Stretch

Illini Women’s Hoops Trying to Crash 2024 NCAA Tournament With Key Final Month Stretch

The 86-66 win over No. 14 Indiana is just one part of a regular season finale stretch for an Illinois women’s basketball team trying to salvage an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 20, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — While suddenly in the role of a late arriving guest to a party they weren’t ever invited to in the first place, the next three weeks for the Illinois women’s basketball could see them crashing the 2024 NCAA Tournament. 

Following the season-defining 86-66 victory over No. 14 Indiana where Shauna Green’s program led for the final 30 minutes and without a doubt showcased its best version of itself, Illinois now has an opportunity no other team in Division I currently outside of the postseason bubble has in its regular season finish.

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Shannon Jr. Named Big Ten Player of the Week

Shannon Jr. Named Big Ten Player of the Week

IlliniGuys Staff February 19, 2024 Terrence Shannon Jr., hailing […]

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Crimson & Creamed: Illini Dominate No. 14 Indiana 86-66

Crimson & Creamed: Illini Dominate No. 14 Indiana 86-66

In what is obviously Illinois’ most impressive win of the 2023-24 season, Illinois recorded a blowout victory over a Top 15 program in State Farm Center on President’s Day. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 19, 2024

CHAMPAIGN — Maybe it’s a situation where the Illinois women’s basketball program enjoys playing highly ranked opponents in its own building on holidays. 

Last season it was taking down then-No. 10 Iowa by four points on New Year’s Day. This season, Illinois made No. 14 Indiana its upset victim and by doing so, the Illini’s postseason resume-validating victory of the 2023-24 season came on national television on President’s Day.

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The Farrell Files Illinois - A Possible 2 Sport Athlete?

The Farrell Files Illinois - A Possible 2 Sport Athlete?

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert

February 19, 2024

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at a possible two sport athlete for the Illini and perhaps a new recruiting strategy?

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Four-Star Basketball Recruit Steven Reynolds III Receives Offer from Illinois

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Four-Star Basketball Recruit Steven Reynolds III Receives Offer from Illinois

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 18, 2024

Steven Reynolds III is making noise as the 6-foot-5, 170-pound guard from Washington High School continues to impress DI coaches. The latest development in his promising career came on February 4th, when Reynolds visited the Illinois campus to witness a game against Nebraska and finally received an offer from the Illini.

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Sturdy's Rewind: Turtle Roadkill

Sturdy's Rewind: Turtle Roadkill

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

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'Had to make winning plays’: Inside Marcus Domask’s Transition Defensive Play Saved Illini in Maryland

'Had to make winning plays’: Inside Marcus Domask’s Transition Defensive Play Saved Illini in Maryland

Illinois wing Marcus Domask was all there was between Maryland guard Jamir Young and the basket with three minutes to go but the 23-year-old Illini got a big defensive stop. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 18, 2024

The play Brad Underwood believes was the difference between his first ever win at Maryland and another road defeat will not be recorded in the record books and the men’s basketball head coach at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign couldn’t care less. 

With about three minutes remaining in a game where No. 14 Illinois led by one, Maryland lead guard Jamir Young had one Illini player to beat on a fast break layup to the rim. Following a costly mental error by Coleman Hawkins to blindly toss the basketball behind his head and toward Maryland’s end of the floor while flying out of bounds, Marcus Domask had to react in the other way he knew how to stop another two points for the home team. 

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#14 Illini Break College Park Curse With 85-80 Win

#14 Illini Break College Park Curse With 85-80 Win

By IlliniGuys Staff February 17, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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Sturdy's Illini Basketball Preview - Fear the Turtle

Sturdy's Illini Basketball Preview - Fear the Turtle

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

February 17, 2024

After the Illini beat a team that they have owned on Tuesday, they now head to College Park on Saturday to take on the team that has been their nemesis over the past few seasons. The Illini are 1-7 in College Park all time and Brad Underwood is just 2-7 against Maryland while the coach at Illinois. On Saturday afternoon they can get rid of a few of those demons with a solid performance. 

Here are the details:

Setting the Stage

#14 Illinois (18-6, 9-4 B1G) at Maryland (14-11, 6-8 B1G) 

Feb. 17, 2024 // 4:30 p.m. CT (5:30 p.m. ET) // College Park, Md. // XFINITY Center 

TV: FOX – Jason Benetti (Play-by-Play), Robbie Hummel (Analyst) 

Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas 

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Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Bryce Dixon Appears to have a Bright Future Ahead

Ked's Recruiting Roundup - Bryce Dixon Appears to have a Bright Future Ahead

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 17, 2024

Bryce Dixon, standing at an impressive 6-foot-4 and 185-pounds, recently sat down with IlliniGuys to share the thrill of an unexpected visit from former Illini standout, Deron Williams, who also hails from The Colony.

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Rodney Hawkins Reflects on Coleman's Basketball Journey with the Fighting Illini

Rodney Hawkins Reflects on Coleman's Basketball Journey with the Fighting Illini

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

February 16, 2024

In an exclusive interview with IlliniGuys, Rodney Hawkins, the father of the versatile Illinois center 6-foot-10 forward Coleman Hawkins, sheds light on his son's basketball journey. Standing at 6-foot-8, Rodney, who played high school basketball at Chicago Vocational (CVS) and Division I basketball at San Diego State, shares insights into his own career and the hands-off approach he adopted in guiding Coleman's path.

"I took the hands-off approach for Coleman. I want it to be his journey; I had my career and let him experience things himself. I don't like to be a know-it-all on the game. I'm letting him develop his own mind," Rodney explains, reflecting on the importance of letting Coleman navigate his basketball journey independently.

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Farrell Files Illinois - New 2025 Offer & Angelo McCullom Evaluation

Farrell Files Illinois - New 2025 Offer & Angelo McCullom Evaluation

Mike Farrell, IlliniGuys & Big Sports Radio National Football Recruiting Expert

February 16, 2024

(Mike Farrell also has his own website: https://mikefarrellsports.com/)

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at an interesting new offer in the 2025 class and break down 2024 signee DE Angelo McCullom in four key categories.

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Martin O’Donnell Resigning from Illini Radio Analyst Duties After Nine Years

Martin O’Donnell Resigning from Illini Radio Analyst Duties After Nine Years

Former Illini All-American Martin O’Donnell announces end to a […]

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‘I’m going to make you a coordinator and head coach’ - Bielema’s Promise to New Illini Assistant Coach Hires

‘I’m going to make you a coordinator and head coach’ - Bielema’s Promise to New Illini Assistant Coach Hires

New Illinois football assistant coaches Archie McDaniel and Justin Stepp have been given a promise by their new boss Bret Bielema that he intends for them to add their name to the list of people who have been promoted to coordinator or head coach roles.  

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 16, 2023

CHAMPAIGN — Similarly to the promise a coach makes with a prospect, a pledge has been made by the Illinois head football coach to his two newest assistant coach hires - I’ll get you better.

Throughout the short interview process of hiring wide receivers coach Justin Stepp and inside linebackers coach Archie McDaniel, Bret Bielema has vowed to these two men that he can get them to a future coordinator position or even possibly a head coach spot in their respective careers. 

“The one thing that I consistently got from everybody who I talked to was (Bielema) makes you better as an assistant coach in every aspect of coaching,” McDaniel said in his first public comments since being announced hired to Bielema’s Illini staff on Feb. 9. “That was extremely attractive to me and intrigued me more than anything. I consider myself a sponge. I’ve been doing this 18 years and constantly am looking for ways to grow professionally and personally.” 

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Unhappy Valley: Illini Knock Off Penn State 86-71

Unhappy Valley: Illini Knock Off Penn State 86-71

Illinois shoots an impressive 54.4 percent from the field to obtain the program’s first back-to-back victories over Penn State since 2009. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

February 15, 2024

Illinois picked up its most impressive victory of the 2023-24 season with a dominating performance at Penn State.

The Illini led for most of the final three quarters of its 86-71 win over a Nittany Lions squad that came into their home arena - the Bryce Jordan Center - at No. 26 in the latest NET rankings produced daily by the NCAA. 

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