Inside Illini Basketball

What will it take for Kofi Cockburn to make an NBA roster? Has the Big Ten/ACC Challenge gotten stale? Who are new names on Illinois' recruiting board? Beat writer Scott Richey tackles all of this in this week's Inside Illini…

Coleman Hawkins as an actor. Emoni Bates still in the transfer portal. Never-ending recruiting. It's summer, but there's still plenty to talk about. Beat writer Scott Richey covers it all in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.

The way Ty Rodgers played for gold medal-winning Team USA in the FIBA U18 Americas Championship didn't change how beat writer Scott Richey viewed the Illinois freshman. It just reinforced how impactful Rodgers might be in 2022-23. That and more…

Beat writer Scott Richey is back in the podcast booth with plenty to discuss from the increasingly new-look Illinois roster to Ty Rodgers' USA Basketball opportunity to the transfer portal and recruiting. That and more in this week's Inside Illini…

Kofi Cockburn had a good week at the NBA Draft Combine. A good enough week to better his draft chances? That's to be determined. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that, the ever-changing Big Ten and more in this week's Inside…

Brad Underwood makes his second appearance on the podcast as Inside Illini Basketball reaches 200 episodes. The discussion with the Illini coach hits on the team's impressive freshman class and all the changes in college basketball since his last appearance…

Now that Terrence Shannon Jr. is on board could May be a slower month for Illinois basketball? Beat writer Scott Richey says probably not in this week's Inside Illini Basketball. There's still scholarships to fill, a roster to complete and…

Award-winning News-Gazette Editor Jeff D'Alessio, who back in the day covered the Illini under Lon Kruger, weighs in on the current, crazed state of college basketball - from the changing look of press row to rosters gone wild

It's a simple statement of fact. Illinois without Kofi Cockburn is going to look much different in 2022-23. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that, recruiting, the transfer portal and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Some breaking news to start off this week's Inside Illini Basketball, with beat writer Scott Richey discussing the commitment of 2024 guard ZZ Clark less than a week after his older brother, Skyy, signed with the Illini. Recruiting, as they…

Illinois added to its roster last week with the commitment of four/five-star guard Skyy Clark. That doesn't mean Brad Underwood and Co. are done remaking the team for 2022-23. Count on the rest of April being just as important in…

Little will be settled about college basketball in the next month or three — Illinois included. That doesn't mean there's nothing to talk about. Far from it. Beat writer Scott Richey dives into the latest offseason happenings in this week's…

Has an Illinois basketball player entered the transfer portal? Not yet. Will one or more? Perhaps. Are the Illini coaches already perusing the portal for new options? You bet. Beat writer Scott Richey breaks it down in this week's Inside…

Beat writer Scott Richey reflects on the end of the Illinois basketball season (and another second round loss in the NCAA tournament) before looking forward to an uncertain 2022-23 (some change is assuredly coming) in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

This year's NCAA tournament is one of redemption for Illinois. Last year's loss to Loyola Chicago still stings. The path to a tourney run begins in Pittsburgh and isn't entirely unfavorable. Beat writer Scott Richey breaks it down in the…

Illinois' sometimes terrific, sometimes turbulent 2021-22 regular season ended Sunday with a shared Big Ten title and court storming. Brad Underwood told the State Farm Center crowd the plan was to bring more trophies back to Champaign. Beat writer Scott…

Illinois enters the final week of the regular season still in Big Ten title contention with two games to play. The madness that is March just gets a head start. Beat writer Scott Richey breaks it down in this week's…

Plenty is on the line in the final two weeks of the regular season from a Big Ten title to individual awards and honors. So these next four games are rather important for Illinois. Beat writer Scott Richey breaks it…

Illinois sits alone in first place in the Big Ten with three weeks left in the 2021-22 season. Can the Illini play consistently enough to win a regular season title? Will RJ Melendez build off his breakout game against Northwestern?…

Illinois has stacked Quad I wins the last two weeks, which has facilitated both a rise up the AP Top 25 and the development of a better NCAA tournament résumé. Beat writer Scott Richey breaks that down — and much…

It was, in the end, a successful January for Illinois, with the month ending with some positive momentum, a top 10 win and a move up the AP Top 25. But there's more to be done. Beat writer Scott Richey…

How Illinois follows up its 0-2 week (and slide down the AP Top 25) will be important this week with an opportunity to pad its NCAA tournament résumé. Beat writer Scott Richey breaks it all down in his return to…

Jim Rossow and Colin Likas from The News-Gazette are filling in for Scott Richey this week on Inside Illini Basketball. Colin breaks down the Illini Purdue game and looks ahead for Illini Basketball.

Illinois is back in the Associated Press Top 25 and has one of the leading candidates for national player of the year in Kofi Cockburn. So after some early stumbles, the Illini are starting to make a bit more noise…

Illinois hasn't played since its pre-Christmas Braggin' Rights blowout thanks to a COVID-19 pause. Beat writer Scott Richey breaks down what it all means in this week's Inside Illini Basketball as Big Ten play resumes this week.