If your why is right, you can’t go wrong. Formerly: @IlliniOn247, @247Sports, @TheDrive935
Champaign, IL
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#Illini Matthew Mayer said he’s been sick the past few days with “caffeine poisoning”. Said he drank five Monster energy drinks while playing video games on Sunday (after OSU) and this is his first day back at practice.
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#Illini Underwood: "If anyone in here expected anything different... The best player in the game played 8 minutes. You saw a little bit of what he could do when he was in the game. Controlling the game with pick n rolls & passes. But today, he didn't get to play."
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This level of competence & swagger in Illinois football.. Pretty rare in my lifetime. Huge credit to Bret Bielema.
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Jim Boeheim last month on B1G's lack of tourney success: "All of their wins were in their league. If you can’t play in the [NCAA] tournament, then you’re not good.”
Jim Boeheim in November: Loses to Colgate, St. John's, Bryant & then Illinois by 29.
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Not every day you see a triple-double in the NCAA Tournament.
Marcus Domask: 12 pts, 11 rebs, 10 asts
Transfer portal grand slam
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Coleman Hawkins after Arkansas: “When there’s promises for guys, when there’s little things like a freshman point guard coming in & bailing on you when times get tough…”
Skyy Clark committing to Louisville five minutes after Illinois lost is nasty business.. that’s not a coincidence
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UCONN fan behind me: "Dude, we don't want Illinois. We don't want Illinois at all."
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Oregon joins Penn State (circa 2020) as the two places I’ve been to with a top-10 team in the country & curtains in the upper deck.
Rather sparse crowd in Eugene. Rose Bowl being yesterday doesn’t help.
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Update the stat... Brad Underwood is now 12-5 in his last 17 games against top-10 teams
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#Illini Underwood on having high-profile recruits watch that scene & B1G championship: "If they didn't enjoy that, then they can go somewhere else & we can kick their ass"
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For the first time in 19 years, the #Illini will once again taste the sweetness of the Sweet 16.
Brad Underwood has checked a number of “first time since 2005” boxes in recent years. This was a big one that is no longer blank.
3-seed Illinois vs. 2-seed Iowa State in Boston.
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That's where it ends for the Illini squad. 22 wins & a Round of 32 exit. Solid but not what they set out for.
Love how Kylan Boswell played in March. Exciting future for Tomislav Ivisic & Morez Johnson Jr. if you can get them back
Team needs to get older, more athletic, tougher
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A coach recently told me: “If you’ve got a 5-star, lock it up!” Well... #Committed #RespectHerDecision #NoInterviews #BragginRightsEve
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#Illini Ayo Dosunmu: I think we're so confident because the kind of coach we have is so great... When he yells at you, we don't take it as punishment. We take it as he wants to win a championship.
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#Illini Underwood on Trent Frazier coming back for B1G title ceremony: Who gets on a 13-hour flight for something that might take 15 minutes? Shows how much it means to him.
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Terrence Shannon Jr. greets Brad Underwood & Chris Beard here at his draft party in Chicago
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My 12-year sports media career has been the ride of a lifetime, and I've been lucky enough to spend 9 of those years at a special place in Illini Inquirer.
But it's time to do something different.
My column: 247sports.com/college/illino…
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#Illini AD Josh Whitman has decided to raise Terrence Shannon Jr.'s jersey into the SFC rafters, he told reporters today.
"We're happy to make an exception in this case to recognize one of the great players that this program has ever seen."
READ: 247sports.com/college/illino…
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Ayo did it again. Illinois wins again on the road. Unbelievable.
Illini currently have sole possession of 1st place in the B1G at 7-2. Have reeled off six in a row. Wins at Wisconsin, Purdue & Michigan.
Who else in college basketball is closing games like Ayo Dosunmu right now?
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“I’m pretty sure that’ll make national news…”
Cooley & Epps are 2-23 vs. high-major teams over at Georgetown. No one with that record is making national news.
Ed Cooley discussing Jayden Epps’ development:
“It’s almost like he’s a new player. It’s something I saw in his freshman year when he played for… that other bullshit school.” 😳👀
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5-star wing Will Riley announces his commitment to the #Illini. A raise-the-bar get for Brad Underwood & Co.
6-foot-8 with great skill & shot-making ability. @DraftExpress projects him as a 1st round pick in 2025.
Orlando Antigua effect here.
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With more business to finish... Star #Illini guard Ayo Dosunmu (@AyoDos_11) announces he's returning to Champaign for Year 3.
"My dream is to play in the NBA, but first I need that national championship."
247sports.com/college/illino…
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BREAKING: Top-50 guard Adam Miller (@AceWolf44) has committed to the #Illini. Brad Underwood & Co. land an extremely gifted scorer with length & a supreme outside stroke.
Illinois current sits with the top-ranked 2020 haul in the Big Ten.
247sports.com/college/illino…
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Unbelievable win. Ayo keeps writing his story. Wasn't lying about unfinished business.
Illinois just beat No. 9 at their place. Best road win in the B1G thus far. First top-10 win on the road for the program since 2012.
Special stuff.
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For just the third time in the last 30 years, the Illini are headed to the Elite Eight. What a ride!
Gutsy performance to outlast 2-seed Iowa State. It was tense. It was a stomach-turning.
Terrence Shannon (29 pts) shut the door late & continues his ridiculous postseason run.
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We made an offseason addition as well & it’s a game changer.
Long wingspan, active hands, Momma’s boy but tough. Class of 2040.
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#Illini add incoming freshman PG Blake Fagbemi from 4A state-title winner Benet Academy
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Underwood to Illini fans: “We’ve got six more of those to play. We need all of your support.”
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Illini dominate No. 9 Oregon 109-77. Statement win for Brad Underwood's squad.
First time the Illini have scored 100 against a top-10 team since... Dec. 22, 1990.
Illinois beat Shaquille O'Neal & No. 10 LSU 102-96
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BREAKING: Top-100 point guard Andre Curbelo has committed to the #Illini. Big-time get for Brad Underwood, Orlando Antigua & the Illinois staff.
247sports.com/college/illino…
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#Illini hosting Warren guard @_JaxsonDavis tonight. One of the top freshmen in the state, who just put up 36 points in the Proviso West Holiday Tournament title game.
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Column: #Illini athletics should make a rafters exception for Terrence Shannon Jr., following Thursday's not guilty verdict.
Shannon was not a consensus All-American with his ongoing case, but his jersey should still go in its rightful place.
READ: 247sports.com/college/illino…
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Asked Terrence Shannon Jr. if he’s looking forward to seeing Hunter Dickinson again.
“Yeah, I plan on beating him again.”
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Ayo...
Gave No. 2 Michigan 23
Gave No. 13 Maryland 20
Gave No. 9 Michigan St 24
Think he likes the big stage? Dude's special.
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Evansville forward Ben Humrichous has committed to the #Illini. Big get. Really skilled and versatile offensively.
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Brad Underwood swung for the fences & got his guy. Orlando Antigua back to Champaign.
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Purdue's 15-game winning streak in B1G home games snapped. First win in Mackey for Illinois since 2008. Hottest team in the Big Ten.
Ayo was every bit of a PRO tonight. Kofi dominated. Trent en fuego. Giorgi big threes. Near flawless 2nd half.
Ceiling is the roof.
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What a game! What an early-season win for the #Illini over No. 11 FAU. That Owls squad has been where Illinois wants to go & the Illini showed something tonight about its ceiling.
Domask & Shannon were incredible. Don’t overlook Harmon either.
That’s a bona fide Quad 1 W.
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#Illini Ayo Dosunmu: It's bigger than this one game. One game doesn't define you. All the greats had to go through adversity... I'm just going to keep my head high and try to soak it all in.
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COMMIT: #Illini land 4-star 2025 guard Keaton Wagler following his official visit in Champaign last weekend.
6-foot-6 sharpshooter who also has game off the bounce & a winning pedigree.
READ: 247sports.com/college/illino…
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Breaking: Top in-state prospect Ayo Dosunmu (@AyoDos_11) has committed to the #Illini. HUGE get for Underwood & Co. in so many ways.
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Ty Rodgers is a massive get for the #Illini. The epitome of an ‘Underwood guy’. Two-way impact player who is tough as nails, plays with a high motor and he has versatile offensive skill set.
To pull him out of Michigan… Wow. Big credit to Tim Anderson. Making moves right away.
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#Illini signee Andre Curbelo (@papicurbelo11) has a message for Kofi Cockburn (@kxng_alpha) as he mulls over his NBA Draft decision.
"Come back so we can put on a show together."
247sports.com/college/illino…
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"Get on this bandwagon now," @TheAndyKatz says. He ranks the #Illini at No. 21 in his latest preseason rankings.
247sports.com/college/illino…
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When it’s rockin’ like it was tonight, no other place I’d rather watch a basketball game.
Cheers to another memorable one. Until next season, SFC ✌🏻
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Statement win for the Illini over No. 8 UCLA. Gutsy as hell after being down 15. Flashed their talent & defensive tenacity.
Handful of NBA people in the building tonight and Shannon looked like every bit of a 1st round talent. Difference maker.
What a fun (and very good) team.
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88-80 Illini over No. 18 Purdue. Damn big win. That's their 8th Quad 1 victory, second straight ranked win heading into postseason play.
Exercised some demons against Purdue, against themselves in big home spots & the clutch.
Incredible shot by Kasparas Jakucionis.
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Will Riley makes it back-to-back #Illini picks at 20 & 21. Now just the third time in program history that Illinois has had multiple 1st round picks in the same draft.
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BREAKING: Jamall Walker has reached an agreement to stay on as an #Illini assistant. HUGE news for Underwood & Co. scout.com/college/illinois/s…
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#Illini Kofi on 'One More Year' chants when he was cutting the net: "I almost said it too.. It just felt right."
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#Illini are making a late push for 5-star PG Cayden Boozer, who Orlando Antigua was previously recruiting at Kentucky.
Brad Underwood & Co. had a Zoom with him this week & extended an offer.
"They're a good school that produces NBA talent."
READ: 247sports.com/college/illino…
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#Illini Underwood: What a joke & how disappointed I am that Trent's not on that award finalist list. Obviously, they don't talk to college coaches. They don't look at the right numbers... He's the best defender in the country.
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#Illini signee @luke_goode21 getting that @SportsCenter love. As SVP likes to say... No. 1 in the hood, G
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#Illini Ayo told teammates before the game: "Yo, I'm gonna go get a triple-double today."
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Ayo: "I just wanted to be different. Not many 5-star recruits have decided to stay home.. I want to change the culture."
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BREAKING: Top-40 center Kofi Cockburn (@kxng_alpha) has committed to the #Illini. Absolutely huge get at a critical time in the rebuild.
EYBL’s leading rebounder in 2018. Physical monster in the paint. Orlando Antigua did work on this one.
247sports.com/college/illino…
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COLUMN: The Big Ten should do the right thing & crown the #Illini as co-champs.
247sports.com/college/illino…
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#Illini Underwood's first words: Sencire Harris. It's amazing you go into the game with a mindset about the game. For some reason, I didn't play him in the 1st half. Needed to get our press goin' in the 2nd half... He was great.
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#Illini Underwood: I want everybody in that locker room back. We'll have conversations. I feel like if we get all our guys back, we'll be one of the best teams in the country.
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How bout that for a response? Quad 3 loss to a near 30-point Quad 1 win at Assembly Hall.
Illini embarrass the Hoosiers. No handshakes after the game. Kasparas Jakucionis & Kylan Boswell combine for 41 points, 10 rebs & 7 assists. Wow.
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Good ol fashion ass kickin. Illini destroy NW 96-66 without Terrence Shannon Jr. Super impressive.
First time Illinois has scored 90+ in three straight games since the 1993-94 season.
First time that kind of streak has included at least one high-major opponent since 1987-88.
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Coleman Hawkins says that he thinks this was his last season with the #Illini, despite having a COVID year option.
Said he’s ready to take the next step and that’s to go to the next level.
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Hear there's a guy interested in repping Nicco Moretti on some NIL if the Illini win this game...
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Top 4 freshmen scorers in B1G play...
Romeo Langford (21.3 PPG)
Ayo Dosunmu (16.5 PPG)
Ignas Brazdeikis (14.5 PPG)
Giorgi Bezhanishvili (13.3 PPG)
5-star, 5-star, High 4-star, No. 370 in the 247Composite
🤷🏼♂️
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Adam Miller to #Illini fans: “I want everyone to know that comin’ & I’m going to change the culture.”
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#Illini Ayo: We have an opportunity to put the country on notice. Take what we want. Take what we need. We believe we're the best team in the country.
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Appreciate @JWerner247 & @mrwagner25 covering for me while we enjoy the new addition
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