Illinois is as combustible as it is irresistible. The perfect team for March Madness
1 year, 9 months ago

Illinois is as combustible as it is irresistible. The perfect team for March Madness

New York Times  

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It’s 9 a.m. on an endlessly gray day and Brad Underwood has been up since 7. Underwood’s team at Illinois can be mouthwateringly good. “Sometimes our approach has been that we think we’re better than we are,” the Illinois coach says. Underwood’s team came in having dropped four of its last seven and recently playing four games in eight days. If Illinois had lost, it would be looking at Sunday’s game at Purdue as a potential sixth loss in nine games and a possible No.

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History of this topic

Illinois Roster Overhaul: Freshmen and Transfers Aim to Ignite Offense
2 months ago

Illinois Roster Overhaul: Freshmen and Transfers Aim to Ignite Offense

Associated Press  

Illinois is looking to transform its roster with the departures of four starters, including Terrance Shannon Jr. and Coleman Hawkins. The team has brought in talented transfers and freshmen to help fill the gaps left by the departures. The Illini have five straight 20-victory seasons, but they need to find a way to mesh the newcomers into the team's system. …

Illinois and Indiana are both 4-0 and sitting atop the Big Ten standings
2 months, 4 weeks ago

Illinois and Indiana are both 4-0 and sitting atop the Big Ten standings

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! No, this is not a typo or somebody’s idea of a joke: Illinois and Indiana, two perennial also-rans in the mighty Big Ten, are both 4-0 and sitting atop the conference standings. Indiana beat FIU 31-7 in the opener, routed FCS squad Western Illinois in Week …

Illinois beats Indiana State 4-1, gets first win in the NCAA Tournament since 2015
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Illinois beats Indiana State 4-1, gets first win in the NCAA Tournament since 2015

Associated Press  

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Jack Crowder pitched eight innings, giving up just one run on three hits with five strikeouts as Illinois beat Indiana State 4-1 on Friday in the Lexington Regional. The Fighting Illini collected its first NCAA Tournament win since 2015 and will move on to face Kentucky, seeded second nationally, in the winner’s bracket on Saturday. Randal Diaz …

Illinois’ Final Four hopes evaporate in second-half collapse against defending champ UConn
8 months, 3 weeks ago

Illinois’ Final Four hopes evaporate in second-half collapse against defending champ UConn

Associated Press  

BOSTON — In the first half, it looked like it might be possible. For 20 minutes, Illinois played defending champion UConn better — and closer — than any of Huskies’ previous three NCAA Tournament opponents. Then, it happened — UConn scored the first 25 points of the second half over a 7 minute, 41-second span, part of a 30-0 run …

Illinois finally gets past opening weekend of March Madness with 89-63 rout of Duquesne
9 months ago

Illinois finally gets past opening weekend of March Madness with 89-63 rout of Duquesne

Associated Press  

— Illinois fans had been waiting since 2005 for their team to get back to the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16. Coach Brad Underwood made a point to salute the ones who accompanied the team to Omaha for the first weekend of the tournament, making his way to the front of the cheering section after the third-seeded Illini’s 89-63 victory over …

Illinois sees Duquesne in the way of its first Sweet 16 in nearly 2 decades of March Madness
9 months ago

Illinois sees Duquesne in the way of its first Sweet 16 in nearly 2 decades of March Madness

Associated Press  

— Brad Underwood smirked and almost imperceptibly shook his head when the question was asked: What would it mean for Illinois to finally make it back to the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in nearly two decades? Not getting too far ahead.” Perhaps because Underwood knows the third-seeded Fighting Illini first must face perhaps the …

Illinois Fighting Illini take on Morehead State Eagles in first round of NCAA Tournament
9 months ago

Illinois Fighting Illini take on Morehead State Eagles in first round of NCAA Tournament

Associated Press  

Morehead State Eagles vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Omaha, Nebraska; Thursday, 3:10 p.m. EDT FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK LINE: Fighting Illini -11.5; over/under is 146.5 BOTTOM LINE: No. Morehead State scores 75.5 points and has outscored opponents by 12.7 points per game. Morehead State averages 75.5 points per game, 1.7 more than the 73.8 Illinois allows. LAST 10 GAMES: Fighting Illini: 8-2, averaging …

College basketball power rankings: Illinois’ high ceiling, UConn’s push for No. 1 and more
2 years ago

College basketball power rankings: Illinois’ high ceiling, UConn’s push for No. 1 and more

New York Times  

You could make an argument that Connecticut deserves to be No. There was some of it in the win over a good UCLA team, and it was present even in good losses to Virginia and at Maryland, but Tuesday night’s 85-78 overtime win over Texas was the first time maybe all year that Mayer played well individually, and as a …

No. 20 Illinois beats No. 24 Iowa for share of Big Ten title
2 years, 9 months ago

No. 20 Illinois beats No. 24 Iowa for share of Big Ten title

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! 20 Illinois locked up a share of the Big Ten regular-season title when Kofi Cockburn had 21 points and 14 rebounds to lead a 74-72 win over No. They didn’t let the opportunity go to waste, claiming at least a share of the Big Ten …

No. 24 Illinois holds off No. 10 Michigan State, 56-55
2 years, 10 months ago

No. 24 Illinois holds off No. 10 Michigan State, 56-55

Associated Press  

The AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll is back every week throughout the season! Asked how his team responded with Cockburn, Illinois coach Brad Underwood laughed and said, “Obviously better than our last game,” referring to the lopsided loss 81-65 loss at Maryland on Friday. The Illini led by as many as 15 points early in the second half …

Is Loyola Chicago’s basketball team now? After a win over Illinois, yes
3 years, 9 months ago

Is Loyola Chicago’s basketball team now? After a win over Illinois, yes

New York Times  

After 40 minutes of old-school Jesuit education, Illinois’ men’s basketball team left Indiana with bruised egos and unfulfilled dreams. “The eight seed was the hand we were dealt, but we feel like we’re one of the best teams in the country and we’ve shown that the last two games,” Loyola’s center Cameron Krutwig said. Color analyst Bill Raftery compared Krutwig’s …

No. 3 Illinois beats No. 9 Ohio State to take Big Ten title
3 years, 9 months ago

No. 3 Illinois beats No. 9 Ohio State to take Big Ten title

Associated Press  

3 Illinois accomplished one major goal. “If you’ve followed us, you know that.” After missing their first nine shots and falling into an early 27-10 deficit, Ohio State got within 40-35 at the half and as close as 47-45 early in the second half. “It’s time to dig deeper, to focus in a little more, but winning this Big Ten …

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