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

January 14, 2023

The Illini will host Maryland on Sunday at 1PM on a bitterly cold afternoon. The Illini have won 5 of their last 6 and are 3-1 since losing Star Guard Terrence Shannon. Maryland comes in off of a home win against Michigan. The Terps have been good defensively, but have struggled on offense this season, shooting just 27.7% from 3 thus far. The Illini are on a roll offensively and will have a tough battle against the stingy MAryland defense. 

Here are our keys and a pick.

Setting the Stage

#10 Illinois (12-3, 3-1 B1G) vs. Maryland (10-6, 2-3 B1G) 

Jan. 14, 2024 // 1 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center 

TV: BTN – Kevin Kugler (Play-by-Play), Robbie Hummel (Analyst) 

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

Notables

Illinois welcomes Maryland to State Farm Center on Sunday afternoon (1 p.m. CT, BTN) for the second game of back-to-back Big Ten home contests, following Thursday night’s thrilling 71-68 victory over Michigan State.  The Illini are No. 10 in the latest AP ranking, marking the team’s seventh consecutive week inside the top 25. 

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular & Big Sports Radio […]

In the tradition of Ayo Dosunmu, Kofi Cockburn, Jacob Grandison and Giorgi Bezhanishvili, it’s possible Thursday night was another Illini formal introduction to Michigan State by a heralded addition. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 13, 2023

CHAMPAIGN — Whether it’s in State Farm Center or East Lansing, the coming out introduction party game for an Illinois player typically comes in a game against Michigan State. Welcome Ty Rodgers, make yourself at home.

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 13, 2024

Illinois women's basketball recruit Hayven Smith, the class of 2024, is just 64 points shy of reaching a milestone of the 1,000-point club. Just last month Smith was on campus to watch her future teammates take on the Missouri Tigers. Tuesday night against Stagg, she finished with 16 points and was under the weather. 

Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Director of Recruiting

January 13, 2024

In the modern day, the world of recruiting never stops. Illinois already received a commitment today from tight end Jake Furtney from St. Charles, Illinois. A few minutes ago, another recruit came through:  Grambling State transfer offensive lineman Melvin Priestly will suit up for Illinois this fall. 

U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless heard verbal argument for […]

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

January 12, 2024

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

In this edition of the Farrell Files Illinois, I’ll look at the changes on the defensive side of the football and why they happened.

January 12, 2024   IlliniGuys' Brad Sturdy was in […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys.com Director of Recruiting

January 12, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy player's page on X)

Early Friday afternoon, Illinois prep Jake Furtney, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound tight end from Saint Charles, announced on X

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

January 12, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

Slobberknocker. Rockfight. Grinder. There are numerous adjectives that are used to describe Thursday nights’ game between Illinois and Michigan State, but for Illinois the key was a 71-68 win no matter how you describe it. The Illini led by as many as 10 points, but could never put the Spartans away and had to hold on for the 3-point win. 

Marcus Domask, Ty Rodgers and Coleman Hawkins all had 15 points to lead a balanced attack for the Illini, who move to 12-3 and 3-1 in league play with a favorable stretch of games coming up. 

These 3 Things

Balance Prevails -

By Larry Smith - IlliniGuys Co-Founder & Host/Executive Producer, […]

By IlliniGuys Staff January 11, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By IlliniGuys Staff January 11, 2024 (Cover photo courtesy […]

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema announced Thursday evening the immediate termination of two assistant coaches - linebackers coach Andy Buh and defensive backs coach Antonio Fenelus.

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 11, 2023

CHAMPAIGN — The University of Illinois football coaching staff will have at least two new assistants before the start of 2024 season.

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema announced Thursday evening the immediate termination of linebackers coach Andy Buh and defensive backs coach Antonio Fenelus.

Two of the best defensive teams in the Big Ten Conference coming off disappointing losses will meet in State Farm Center. 

Matt Stevens, IlliniGuys Staff Writer

January 11, 2023

CHAMPAIGN — Brad Underwood made sure his squad’s film review for the Michigan State Spartans included watching Tom Izzo’s post-game rant from Sunday night.

After an 88-74 loss at Northwestern, the Spartans 29-year head coach ripped into his team’s lack of defensive execution, inability to control the rebounding advantage or play with physicality, a laziness when it came to taking care of the basketball and for good measure, took some parting shots at the analytical community on his way out of Evanston, Illinois.