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Larry Smith - Executive Producer & Co-Host IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

Cover photo Duke Athletics

March 22, 2023 (originally posted March 8, 2022)

It's hard to believe it's been 21 years since a random conversation forever changed the way I view college basketball. 
It was a time when the NCAA tournament made regular stops at Kansas City's Kemper Arena before the newer, sleeker T-Mobile Center was built.  And that's why I was in the building.  Not to cover a game, but to watch my alma mater Eastern Illinois play in its second (and last) NCAA tournament.  The Panthers were a huge underdog against the 2nd seeded Arizona Wildcats, but had a pair of guards - future pros Kyle Hill and Henry Domercant - who made every game interesting if not entertaining.

EIU vs. Arizona was the second game of the day, so I found a random vacant seat a few rows up from the floor to watch the 7-10 game, Wake Forest vs. Butler.  The Bulldogs had the better resume, but - as was often the case - the "big school" Demon Deacons were the 7-seed and the favorite.  But they were in the process of being knocked out in the first round by Butler and a young coach named Thad Matta.

The gentleman in the next seat recognized me and struck up a conversation.  He was also an informed spectator; a referee who was in town to work one of the evening games.  He was a seasoned official who often worked Pac-10 and Mountain West games.

Illinois coaches are pushing Luke Altmyer, their projected starting quarterback for the 2024 starting quarterback, to find more urgency this spring in his play and approach to the position. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 18, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athlletics)

CHAMPAIGN — If the Illinois football coaches could set a password code for Luke Altmyer to enter the Smith Family Football Complex, urgent would absolutely be that word. 

As the Illini begin the first of its 15 spring practices that includes the Orange-Blue Game on April 20 inside Memorial Stadium, the coaching staff is desperately trying to find ways to get their projected starting quarterback to do everything quicker, faster and with more assertion. 

Days before his Illini program looks to end a 19-year drought of not reaching a NCAA Tournament Regional Semifinal, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood says that is not the postseason goal.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 18, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

MINNEAPOLIS — It’s not as if Illinois head coach Brad Underwood needs to be reminded his program hasn’t won two straight NCAA Tournament games in nearly two decades. 

No, the reminder might actually be from the seventh-year head coach himself to the public that a Sweet 16 appearance is not the goal of the Illini program - not as long as Underwood is in charge. 

“It’s not about checking a box. I came here to win a national championship,” Underwood said Sunday after winning the 2024 Big Ten Tournament and minutes learning his upcoming NCAA Tournament draw. 

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

March 18, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

Illinois got 34 points from Terrence Shannon and 26 points from Marcus Domask as they held off Wisconsin 93-87 to win the Big Ten Championship. The Illini head into NCAA tournament play at 26-8, the most wins since the Dee Brown era in 2005-06. 

Wisconsin did not make it easy, however. A seesaw affair heading into halftime saw the Illini lead it 41-40 before the Badgers made their first 7 shots on the second half to take a 10 point lead at 61-51. With Wisconsin's lead growing to double digits with 14-and-a-half minutes to play, Illinois used a 10-2 run in a two-minute span to cut its deficit down to two. Guerrier made his second 3-pointer of the day during that stretch, while Dain Dainja made an and-1 layup to close out the momentum-shifting run.

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois […]

Illinois senior forward Coleman Hawkins able to reflect winning the Big Ten Tournament title in his first and fourth year with the Illini program.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 17, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

MINNEAPOLIS — In what is normally saved for a Southeastern Conference cliche line, Coleman Hawkins had a simple four-word description for being able to bookend the first and possibly final year of college basketball with a league tournament title.

“It just means more,” Hawkins said. “It means more when you stick around and do something for four years and you're familiar with everybody on the staff and all the changes that have happened. You've seen so many changes, it just means more. So I'm super proud of everybody.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5UTe0luFo4    

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sPUHc-kSdbw

Illinois gets a 3-seed in 2024 NCAA Tournament minutes […]

By IlliniGuys Staff March 17, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

After a 31-point outing inside the Kohl Center in his home state earlier this month, Illinois guard Marcus Domask’s roadblock to a Big Ten Tournament title is the Wisconsin Badgers. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 17, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

MINNEAPOLIS — Marcus Domask will get one more shot today at the home state school he grew up rooting for. 

In the 2024 Big Ten Tournament championship game at Target Center, the large Domask clan of family and friends from Waupun, Wis., will get to wear orange and blue and cheer against Badgers Nation for likely the final time as No. 13 Illinois tips against Wisconsin at 2:30 p.m. CST. 

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

March 17, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

It’s Championship Sunday before we get to the Selection Sunday show tonight as the Illini take on Wisconsin at 2:30PM on CBS in front of a national audience. Illinois is looking for their 3rd Big Ten Championship in the past 4 years against a Wisconsin team that has won 3 games in 3 days and took care of Purdue on Saturday. It should be a good one. 

The Illini beat Wisconsin in Madison just two weeks ago 91-83 in a game that saw Marcus Domask go for 31 points, 8 rebounds and 3 assists in his homecoming. He gets one more shot to take down the Badgers.

Setting the Stage

Big Ten Championship 

#5 Wisconsin (22-12)  v #2 Illinois (25-8)

Sunday, March 17 | 2:30 PM (CT) | 

CBS | Minneapolis, Minn. | Target Center (18,798)

Notable

*Averaging 77.7 points per game in the Big Ten Tournament, Wisconsin has scored 70+ in 9 straight games and in 26 total games this season.

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

March 17, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

The Illini bounced Nebraska with a big second half on Saturday in the Big Ten Tournament behind a 40 point Big Ten record performance from Terrence Shannon as they moved into the championship game against Wisconsin on Sunday afternoon. 

Shannon was the story, his 40 points the most in his career, but Illinois turned it up a notch defensively after halftime, turning a 55-40 deficit into a dominating win. Marcus Domask accepted the role as playmaker with 16 points, 8 assists and 7 rebounds, while Quincy Guerrier (13) and Luke Goode (12) stepped up to help the offense. The relentless motor of Ty Rodgers brought down 13 rebounds as he began to look like a sane version of Dennis Rodman. 

This Illini team played as well as they could in the 2nd half and just took away Nebraska's will. 

These 3 Things

How a 30-second timeout where Illinois head coach Brad Underwood stayed silent turned a possible defeat into a 98-87 victory in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. 

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

March 16, 2024

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

MINNEAPOLIS — With 18 minutes and 37 seconds left, Brad Underwood took a critical 30-second timeout expecting to be the main character of a much-needed, desperation momentum shift. 

Turns out, the Illinois head coach was not even a supporting actor but just a silent spectator. 

“I didn’t say anything,” Underwood said to IlliniGuys.com in the post-game locker room.. “I was prepared to. But I didn’t have to say anything.”

For the first 20 minutes, Illinois didn’t provide much defensive resistance to an inspired Nebraska squad looking to provide an upset to get the Cornhuskers in the championship game of the Big Ten Tournament for the first time in program history. Less than two and a half minutes into the second half, the No. 13 Illini looked disjointed, confused and mentally beaten following a quick 4-0 Nebraska run that push the deficit to 55-40 - Illinois’ biggest hole of its 98-87 come-from-behind victory. 

Illinois outscores Nebraska 58-36 in the second half to […]