Inside Illini Basketball

Are the Illini Final Four material? We turn to the dean of all Big Ten reporters — Hall of Famer Loren Tate – for his take on Brad Underwood's surging team, his favorite all-time Big Ten gyms and whether Illinois basketball — and football for that matter – are built for long-term success in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

The resumption of Big Ten play won't be easy for Illinois, with a two-game road trip to the Pacific Northwest that begins with a top 10 team in Oregon. Momentum is on Illinois' side, at least, after an electric win against Missouri and zero letdown against Chicago State. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses it all in this week's Inside Illini Basketball

Brad Underwood will be in his element the next couple weeks. Winter break means extra time on the practice court for Illinois to go all in on getting better. Which Kasparas Jakucionis, Kylan Boswell and Co. will do after celebrating both the holiday season and a Braggin' Rights victory. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

There's no doubting Illinois' talent this season. It's arguably the tops in the Big Ten from a pure basketball standpoint. Getting the most from that talent — particularly late in games — is still a work in progress. Good thing it's only mid-December, and there's two-thirds of the season yet to play. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Illinois has home court advantage this week in a pair of games that would be a serious résumé boost should Kasparas Jakucionis and Co. come away with a couple wins. That's especially true with No. 1 Tennessee in Champaign on Saturday. There's no bigger win to be had. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Illinois will enter Big Ten play this week at Northwestern (and then early next week against Wisconsin) on solid ground as the No. 10 team in the country in the initial NET rankings of the season. A big win against Arkansas — both in margin and level of competition — didn't hurt. A couple conference wins would go a long way in boosting that ranking, too. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and...

It's still early in the 2024-25 season, but this Illinois team is sliding comfortably into roles on the court. That includes Kylan Boswell as a defensive stopper on the perimeter now finding his footing on the offensive end and Morez Johnson Jr. as a rebounding and defense focused big man. Those two and the rest of their teammates will have some high-level games to fine tune those roles in the nex...

Illinois made its 2024-25 debut in the Associated Press Top 25 on Monday at No. 25. Just in time for its biggest game of the season to date. This week's trip to Birmingham, Ala., to face now No. 8 Alabama will shine a bright light on exactly where this Illinois team stands in mid-November. A litmus test, if you will, for where the program needs to be headed with a couple early Big Ten games loomin...

There was only one real surprise for Illinois in the first week of the 2024-25 college basketball season, and it had nothing to do with the results on the court. While Ty Rodgers did make the decision to redshirt, Illinois still went 2-0, still blew the doors off teams they should dominate. Just in a different style than a year ago, as Will Riley, Ben Humrichous and Co. went "bombs away" from thre...

The 2024-25 college basketball season is here! That's a legitimate reason to get excited. Especially if you're an Illinois fan. There's no lacking for talent on this year's roster. How it all comes together — and if the results match up to the expectations and hype — will at least start to become clear this week. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's episode of Inside Ill...

Illinois did not play well in its charity exhibition game against No. 24 Mississippi. Too many turnovers. Not enough defense. Plenty to work on before the 2024-25 college basketball seasons starts ... next week. Even so, it's too early to push the panic button. An almost entirely new team with several freshmen playing key roles was bound to have some struggles (and they did against the Rebels). Be...

The 2024-25 Illinois basketball season is just two weeks away, but there's still plenty we don't know about this team. Like who starts or who's in the rotation or who will be the go-to player in tense moments. That's what happens when you turn over essentially the entire roster. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses all that — plus any potential court storming opportunities in the wake of Illinois fo...

The 2024-25 preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll dropped Monday, and Illinois didn't make the cut but was nominally the No. 26 team in the country. A surprising turn of events? Maybe so. The national perception apparently hasn't changed enough in Champaign for Brad Underwood and Co.to get the benefit of the doubt given past successes with new-look teams. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that a...

Big Ten media day was last week. Illinois' on-campus media day is this week. It's talking season in college basketball where everybody is enamored with roster depth and what could be in 2024-25. Illinois might have an actual claim on a deep, talented roster with lofty expectations. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.

Illinois held its first official practice on Monday. Big Ten media days are also this week in Rosemont. The spin up to the 2024-25 college basketball season is truly here. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses it all — including his "controversial" preseason Big Ten ballots — in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.

Illinois heads into the start of official practices for the 2024-25 season with Brad Underwood having to make a change on his coaching staff with Tim Anderson taking an indefinite leave and Kwa Jones getting elevated to assistant coach. There's also positive momentum on the recruiting trail this month in the Class of 2025. Never a dull day in college basketball. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses...

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees will vote on several raises for Illinois basketball staffers and an extension for assistant coach Geoff Alexander this week. The investment in basketball in Champaign continues. So does building for the future. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses recruiting (as always) along with the biggest question currently facing Brad Underwood heading into the 2024-...

Illinois is still three weeks away from the official start of the 2024-25 season. Three weeks dedicated to small group and full team workouts at Ubben Basketball Complex that will make defense a priority. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Anticipation for the 2024-25 Illinois basketball season continues to grow. Season tickets wouldn't have sold out if that wasn't the case, and odds are single-game tickets will go like wildfire when they're available in late October. After 29 wins and an Elite Eight run last season, fans are counting on this new-look team to provide the same kind of success and entertainment. Beat writer Scott Rich...

Illinois loaded up this offseason. A top 10 group of newcomers — half freshmen, half transfers. The talent level of Brad Underwood's latest team really isn't in question. How it all comes together in 2024-25? That's still to be determined. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

August remains the only slow, mostly non-newsworthy month on the college basketball schedule. So Illinois beat writer Scott Richey fielded his annual slate of true or false questions about the season to come on this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.

With the 2024 Paris Olympics in the books, the world looks ahead to Los Angeles in 2028. Where there's at least a chance for some Illinois representation on the basketball court ... outside of Team USA. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that, the coming season and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Kasparas Jakucionis proved during a week-plus in Finland for the FIBA U18 EuroBasket that he is, in fact, among Europe's best young guards. Which is obviously good news for Illinois heading into the 2024-25 season. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that, recruiting and more.

Summer workouts are about to conclude in Champaign, but there's still plenty happening in the Illinois basketball-sphere. Like Kasparas Jakucionis playing for Lithuania in the FIBA U18 EuroBasket. And recruiting. Always recruiting. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Did Illinois have the best summer ever? The argument can be made the way Brad Underwood retooled his roster ahead of the 2024-25 season with a depth of talent he might not have had at his disposal thus far in his tenure as coach. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.