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The Champaign Room

Since October 2023, I have been writing for The Champaign Room, SB Nation's home for Illinois Fighting Illini News, as a Beat Reporter/Writer. I have been on the Volleyball beat since starting, and have also covered Men's and Women's basketball as well as Football.

Game Recaps

Game recaps are published promptly at the immediate end of the game, not just recapping the competition but offering a complete view of the match, even if the reader did not watch. Quotes from the head coach, players and occasionally opposing head coaches are also included post-publishing.

(Volleyball, Men's & Women's Basketball, Baseball)

Click here for all TCR Game Recaps
The Champaign Room •

Illinois stumbles, falls flat at home against USC

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — So that’s what playing without KJ is like.
After cruising to a blowout victory earlier in the week without their star point guard, Illinois had a wide-scale collapse, falling to USC 82-72 on Saturday morning and ending a five-game winning streak.
The 13th-ranked Illini (12-4, 4-2 Big Ten) had no answers for the Trojans (10-6, 2-3 Big Ten) across all 94 feet of hardwood. The hosts led for just 4:37 in this game, leaving a sold-out State Farm Center crowd speechless. It’s the tea...
The Champaign Room •

Jakucionis-less No. 13 Illinois blows out Penn State

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Boogeyman down.
After 1,043 days — and four games — without a win on the hardwood against Penn State, the Illini took down the Nittany Lions, and it was not close.
The well-oiled Illinois engine was firing on all cylinders on Wednesday night. With the Illini’s three-level attack on full display and the defense also keeping a high-scoring Penn State offense at bay, the Illini cruised to a 91-52 victory.
Illinois (12-3, 4-1 Big Ten) outdid Penn State (12-4, 2-3 Big Ten) in every...
The Champaign Room •

Illinois wins Citrus Bowl thriller, eclipses 10 wins for first time since 2001

ORLANDO, Fla. — Late in the fourth quarter of the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, South Carolina had the opportunity to retake a lead and on fourth-and-four from the Illinois seven-yard line. In the most critical moment for the defense, the Illini forced an incompletion in the endzone to hand the ball back to Luke Altmyer and the offense with 3:08 left on the clock.
Cue the music
On third and two on his own 15-yard line, running back Josh McCray took the handoff from Luke Altmyer and ran like his life d...
The Champaign Room •

Kylan Boswell records first career triple-double in blowout victory

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In a blowout 117-64 victory over a winless Chicago State team on Sunday, Illinois guard Kylan Boswell recorded the first triple-double of his career and the seventh in program history.
“Unique,” is how Brad Underwood described the achievement. “It means you’re doing a lot of things really well. He plays much bigger than his size because of his strength. [He’s] a very good athlete.”
With 18 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, Boswell also set career-best numbers in rebounds and...
The Champaign Room •

Jakucionis, Illinois fall short against No. 1 Tennessee at the buzzer

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — When the lights were brightest and the eyes of millions were on him in a nationally televised game against the No. 1 team in the nation, Kasparas Jakucionis let it be known that he’s the best player on the court at any given moment.
But despite the heroics from the Lithuanian, Illinois fell short at the buzzer, falling to the boys from Rocky Top 66-64.
Illinois (7-3, 1-1 Big Ten) was always within arms reach, at times an arm ahead, but fell after late-game heroics from Tenness...
The Champaign Room •

Illinois stumbles again in Evanston, loses to Northwestern in OT

EVANSTON, Ill. — Never an easy one at Welsh-Ryan Arena, huh? Despite moments of heroics from Kasparas Jakucionis, one man’s hot hand was not enough to stop the Wildcats from erasing a 10-point second-half deficit to claim a third straight home victory against the Illini.
With Northwestern riding yet another impressive performance from Glenview native Nick Martinelli, No. 19 Illinois fell to its in-state rivals 70-66 thanks to a defensive collapse down the stretch and running into a Wildcat-sized...
The Champaign Room •

Illinois tops Northwestern, secures first 9-win season since ‘07

CHICAGO — Baseball legend Yogi Berra once said about the game of baseball, “It ain’t over ‘til it’s over.” Saturday’s battle for the Land of Lincoln Trophy at Wrigley Field was a reminder of that.
A 38-28 result in the freezing cold gave Bret Bielema his first nine-win season at Illinois and the seventh in program history. The game was highlighted by the Illinois offense hitting quick and hard.
At the end of 60 minutes, Illinois had more points and way less of the ball. American football was...
The Champaign Room •

Illinois feasts on No. 19 Arkansas in Thanksgiving thrashing

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Are you thankful for Illinois basketball? Surely there’s space for Brad Underwood’s squad in your pre-dinner speech.
In Thursday’s Thanksgiving 90-77 win over No. 19 Arkansas (5-2), soon-to-be full Illini fans caught a glimpse of the pretty upper bound of Illinois basketball.
Underwood has been clear in emphasizing that he’s got an Illinois (6-1) team that can shoot thirty, forty or even fifty three-pointers a game with the understanding that even hitting a fourth or a third o...

Notebooks

Put together quickly after press conferences and media availability, notebooks are used to view a team's current situation, with quotes from head coaches and select athletes. I've done notebooks for Illinois Volleyball and Men's Basketball.

(Volleyball, Men's & Women's Basketball)

Click here for all TCR Notebooks
The Champaign Room •

‘That’s competing’: Underwood, White on what separates hard workers from competitors

What makes an ‘Every Day Guy’?
Brad Underwood says that the phrase is reserved for guys who play hard, something that he has demanded and seen to this point in the season, but also says that playing hard and competing to win are two different things.
“I think competing to win is the play Tre White made at the end of the game,” Underwood said during availability to the media on Tuesday. “Diving on the floor for a loose ball. First one on the floor. It’s going to offensive rebound even though you’...
The Champaign Room •

‘I don’t like it very much’: Underwood not a fan of JUCO eligibility ruling

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — How would your sporting career have gone different if you could play out a few specific years differently?
Let’s day dream a little and have an Uncle Rico moment:
“If coach would have put me in fourth quarter, we’d have been state champions, no doubt. No doubt in my mind. You’d better believe things would’ve been different. I’d have gone pro. In a heartbeat, I’d be making millions of dollars, living in a big ol’ mansion somewhere.”
Snap! Back to reality now.
Earlier this week,...
The Champaign Room •

Inside Luke Altmyer’s decision to come back to Illinois

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In front of the loudest 15,544 that Champaign had to offer on Dec. 14, Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer had the smile and swagger of a star — like a singer who might perform at State Farm Center in its vacant summer months.
It was just another media timeout. Maybe a blindfolded student would find a cardboard cutout of some Portillo’s fries or launch a half-court heave to shave a few dollars off of their tuition.
At the time, Illinois men’s basketball held an 8-3 lead over No....
The Champaign Room •

‘Pure pandemonium’: Bielema, Lunney balancing portal and bowl prep

With a bowl game just under two weeks away and the transfer portal heating up with each passing day, Illinois offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr. and his staff have been hard at work to pick up from the portal.
“You got a lot going on, you gotta think about this, you gotta think about that, you gotta be spot on,” Lunney said. “It’s an interesting time in our business, but it’s a fun time in the same breath.”
South Carolina is no small task, either. The Gamecocks’ No. 15 ranking suggests they...
The Champaign Room •

‘Those are what lottery picks look like’: Jakucionis, Riley shoot up NBA draft boards

It’s been said for a few years now, but gone are the days when players are expected to stay at one school for four years. What has Brad Underwood done to keep up with the times? Find NBA-hopeful, NBA-ready prospects and push them into lottery conversations.
He’s done just that with two of his most prized offseason acquisitions in Lithuanian guard Kasparas Jakucionis and Canadian forward Will Riley, who are the Illini’s first and third-best scorers respectively this season.
Here’s a look at this...
The Champaign Room •

‘Game by game, day by day’: How Underwood, Illini are approaching 18-team Big Ten

CHAMPAIGN, Ill — Remember when the Big Ten had ten teams? Well if you needed a refresher, it was 1949. The shot clock was still a novel development in the sport of basketball, and the NCAA Tournament had just eight teams.
Fast-forward to 2024, and the 18-team conference has grown to almost double its namesake’s head count. It also isn’t just a Midwestern conference now—it spans from coast to coast. We’ve already seen in football how expansion has affected conference play.
“You’re gonna see disc...
The Champaign Room •

‘Your play adjusts to the way they’re calling it’: Recapping Saturday’s officiating circus

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — There was a lot to be upset about on Saturday’s 25-17 loss to Minnesota, but one group of interest for Illinois head coach Bret Bielema was the zebras.
An early missed holding on linebacker Seth Coleman had Bielema on the hashes. An expired play clock and an assessed (then given back) timeout had him halfway to the numbers. A no-call on his offense’s final drive had his entire sideline and the better part of 58 thousand screaming.
The game was frustrating enough as it was for B...
The Champaign Room •

‘I’m looking for the next Terrence’: Underwood wants more from team as offseason nears end

With just over a dozen days until his team starts its 2024-25 season, Illinois men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood has just one preseason exhibition remaining to assess where his team stands before game time. In Sunday’s exhibition game against Ole Miss, he has an opportunity to find the answer to some questions he still has.
“We’re not gonna go into a real in-depth scout at all with Ole Miss,” Underwood said during availability to the media on Thursday. “It’s more gonna be personnel-base...
The Champaign Room •

‘It’s definitely worth it’: Illinois using crowd noise to prepare for No. 1 Oregon

If you were on campus on Tuesday morning, you likely overheard some of the crowd noise that the football team is using to prepare for a loud environment when they travel to play Oregon this Saturday.
The trip to Eugene is the program’s first conference road game with one of the four new former Pac-12 teams, with the team slated to host USC and visit Washington next year.
“I ain’t never been out there that far to the west, but it’s gonna be pretty exciting,” said defensive back Xavier Scott on Tu...
The Champaign Room •

How Illinois is studying the NBA for its pro-ready offense

In basketball, like any other field, you have to learn from the best if you wish to be the best. During Illinois men’s basketball’s on-campus media day last week, The Champaign Room spoke with members of Illinois’ coaching staff to talk NBA offenses, and how Illinois has been following trends at the highest level of basketball.
A few months ago while assessing his offseason additions, Illinois men’s basketball head coach Brad Underwood was excited at the combination of size and shooting that the...
The Champaign Room •

‘Tim was awesome’: Underwood praises Anderson after departure from program

At Big Ten Media Days in Rosemont, Illinois, Brad Underwood spoke on former assistant coach Tim Anderson for the first time since it was announced he would step away from the program indefinitely in September.
When asked by a member of the media about how his staff will fill the void that Anderson left, Underwood highlighted the rest of his staff.
“We got Orlando [Antigua] back, and Geoff [Alexander] has been killing it on the recruiting trail,” Underwood said, but acknowledged that Anderson, wh...
The Champaign Room •

‘It’s an absolute gauntlet’: Green loving the new Big Ten

Illini Nation is now entering year three of the Shauna Green experience. With two postseason appearances and one postseason trophy under her belt, Green now looks to build upon the legacy she’s built at Illinois and build towards even greater. TCR’s Zeno Jo was in Rosemont, Illinois for Big Ten Media Days, and spoke with Green and a handful of her Big Ten head coaching colleagues.
This isn’t your parents’ Big Ten conference. This also isn’t the women’s sports landscape that they grew up in, eit...
The Champaign Room •

‘Routine for him’: Illinois’ receivers showed up when it mattered most

Goooood afternoon, Illini fans. If you’re reading this on Sunday, it’s the one-year anniversary of the Illini’s loss to Kansas in Lawrence. It’s also the one-day anniversary (not sure if that’s a thing) of the win over No. 19 Kansas in Champaign. There were plenty of positives to take away from the game, including but not limited, to our receiving game.
“Holy cow, did you see that catch?”
That’s a question you could’ve asked a handful of times during Illinois’ 23-17 upset win over the Kansas Jay...
The Champaign Room •

Three questions following Illinois’ big win over EIU

What a win, huh Illini fans? TCR’s own Brandt Dolce had a fantastic column this week about Illinois football answering every question in the team’s win over EIU, but here’s a shot at playing devil’s advocate.
Illinois’ dominant 45-0 win over Eastern Illinois answered a lot of questions for fans who were in the dark following a long offseason, but it also left them with a few questions. It can’t all be good, right?
But first, what did we learn? Altmyer is the surefire QB1. An efficient outing sa...
The Champaign Room •

‘We’re gonna ball in them’: Illini react to Red Grange throwback uniforms

On Wednesday, Illinois football announced that it would honor the legacy of Red Grange and his six-touchdown day for Memorial Stadium’s rededication game on Oct. 19, when the Illini host the Michigan Wolverines.
October’s game will mark exactly 100 years since ‘The Galloping Ghost’ ran for five touchdowns and threw for another against the Wolverines. The game was Memorial Stadium’s “Dedication Game,” which honored those who served the nation in World War I.
In the first game ever played at Memo...
The Champaign Room •

Brad Underwood is building an NBA factory in Champaign

Call it an overreaction. Bradley Cole Underwood might go down as the founding father of a great basketball empire in Champaign. A tenure that started slow and with results arguably worse than his predecessor has outgrown and built upon it.
Just under two months ago, Brad Underwood, as he’s more commonly known, was speaking to the media to discuss the signing of Croatian big man Tomislav Ivisic. In the same breath that he touched on the skillset of his new 7-foot-1 Eastern European giant, he ment...
The Champaign Room •

‘Elite’: Brad Underwood’s analysis of his newest portal pickups

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — On Tuesday, Illinois basketball head coach Brad Underwood spoke to the media for the first time since the program signed Ben Humichrous and Tomislav Ivisic.

In introducing the pair of 6-foot-9-plus players, Underwood dug deep into the skills that both athletes bring to the table and what Illini fans can expect from them when they take the court this fall.

He also discussed the recruiting philosophy behind his six-man class that he’s brought in from the transfer portal and Eur
The Champaign Room •

Does Illinois have a culture conundrum on its hands?

Last Tuesday, when head coach Brad Underwood and new associate coach Orlando Antigua were made available to the media, much of the talk would be about the latter’s return to Champaign and the process behind it. As they spoke further, talk shifted towards roster construction and — you guessed it — the transfer portal.

It’s not particularly surprising, as Antigua is a phenomenal developer of talent. Over the years, he’s coached NBA-level talents like Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns and DeMarcus
The Champaign Room •

How Brad Underwood pulled Orlando Antigua back to Champaign

On Tuesday, Orlando Antigua spoke to the media for the first time since being announced as the team’s associate head coach, bringing him back to Champaign for the first time since 2021. Head coach Brad Underwood was also available to the media.

When he left, it was for his then-former employers at Kentucky and to reunite with his then-former boss John Calipari. Antigua chose not to follow Cal to his new job at Arkansas, and despite rumors of him wanting to stay in Lexington to work with new hir
The Champaign Room •

The Shauna Green Experience: Three words, two years, one trophy

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In only year two, Shauna Green has hoisted a trophy and secured a spot in the rafters of State Farm Center. Using three key words, here’s more about what Green and her staff are building at Illinois, her place in the program’s history, and the heights it could reach.

Just over two years after the retirement of former head coach Nancy Fahey, Shauna Green did something that nine Illinois head coaches b
The Champaign Room •

Shauna Green has Illinois playing its best basketball... ever?

Two months ago, Illinois’ season was looking like one of years past.

Years past of course referring to the Dark Ages of Illinois Women’s Basketball. When recording double-digit wins was a milestone and a record above .500 was a once-in-a-blue-moon-type rarity.

To open the month of February, Illinois dropped a game on the road to Purdue. Illinois played some of the worst basketball it had all season long, and checked all of the boxes of a bad Illinois loss. They had a slow start on both ends of
The Champaign Room •

‘Whole again’: Underwood, Illinois finally at full strength

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Halfway through his team’s Big Ten season, Brad Underwood is happy with where the Fighting Illini are for more reasons than just their impressive road victory over Ohio State.

“I like where we’re at because we’re whole again. We’re finally back in a position where we have our roster,” Underwood said on Saturday.

On top of Terrence Shannon Jr.’s suspension, Illinois has been without Coleman Hawkins, Amani Hansberry and Niccolo Moretti due to injury this season. “We played a lo
The Champaign Room •

Underwood, Harmon on what Shannon’s return means to Illinois

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — After a well-rounded, team victory over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights, Illinois hits the road to take on a team it’s faced victory against in a big way.

Head coach Brad Underwood was available to the media on Tuesday to look ahead at the in-state matchup, reflect on Terrence Shannon Jr.’s return from suspension, and touch on recruiting.

The Fighting Illini (14-4, 5-2 Big Ten) sit third in the Big Ten behind Wisconsin and Purdue, and sit just one spot above the Northwestern Wild
The Champaign Room •

Underwood comments on Shannon’s lawsuit ahead of MSU game

You’ll do hard to walk away from an Illinois basketball loss feeling good, but that’s exactly what happened last week when a comeback at No. 1 Purdue was stopped short in an 83-78 loss.

And they did it without Terrence Shannon Jr.

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood was available to the media on Wednesday and reflected on the Purdue loss and looked ahead at the Michigan State game.

“Some good, some bad, some ugly, some not-so-ugly,” was how Underwood summed up the loss to the best team in the
The Champaign Room •

Underwood: Edey and No. 1 Purdue ‘a different animal’

Illinois (11-2, 2-0 Big Ten) is back in the top ten of the AP Top 25 Poll for the first time since the star-laden 2020-21 season. They’re ranked ninth in the country and playing their best basketball of the season, without arguably their best player, and step into hostile territory with a matchup against the best team in the nation just a day away.

So, about last week...

Just a day after Terrence Shannon Jr. was suspended, Illinois blew out Fairleigh Dickinson at home, 104-71. Dain Dainja and
The Champaign Room •

Too little, too late for Illinois Volleyball?

Illinois Volleyball is in a tough spot. After notching nine wins in eleven matches, it seemed like a once-improbably push for postseason play was on the cards... until they met the Golden Gophers. More about Illinois’ once-prospective postseason hopes, the story behind Raina Terry’s return and the murmurs surrounding the RPI.

The story heading into Friday’s match against the Minnesota Golden Gophers was that Illinois had a bad start to the season. They were riddled with injuries and had a few b
The Champaign Room •

‘Everyone’s tough’: Challenges ahead in homestretch for Illinois Volleyball

It’s been an up-and-down year for Illinois Volleyball. Injuries and the nature of the Big Ten being the toughest volleyball conference in the nation have made the 2023 season tough for the Illini, but following a two-match road trip to the East Coast, they are .500 on the season.

“Everyone’s tough and you’re seeing that with results within our conference,” said head coach Chris Tamas. “The gap is dwindling between the top and the bottom.”

The team is on the longest winning streak of its season

Deep Dives

Through spending time combing through statistics to speaking with experts on topics, I've written several articles taking a deeper dive into subjects such as legal matters, opposing team previews and more.

(Men's Basketball)

The Champaign Room •

Inside Luke Altmyer’s decision to come back to Illinois

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In front of the loudest 15,544 that Champaign had to offer on Dec. 14, Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer had the smile and swagger of a star — like a singer who might perform at State Farm Center in its vacant summer months.
It was just another media timeout. Maybe a blindfolded student would find a cardboard cutout of some Portillo’s fries or launch a half-court heave to shave a few dollars off of their tuition.
At the time, Illinois men’s basketball held an 8-3 lead over No....
The Champaign Room •

A dive into TSJ’s draft stock, days before the NBA Draft

Just days away from the opening of the NBA Draft, it seems like Terrence Shannon Jr.’s draft stock only continues to rise. With the off-court outside noise quieting to a mute, the headlines surrounding his name are back to being about his play on the court. TCR spoke with SBNation basketball editor Ricky O’Donnell to get a grasp on his draft stock and talk about not TSJ the Illini, but TSJ the NBA prospect.
ESPN’s latest mock draft has Jeremy Woo projecting Terrence Shannon Jr. going 27th overal...
The Champaign Room •

Everything you need to know about the team standing between Illinois and a Final Four

If your head is still ringing from Thursday night, here’s the cure: You weren’t dreaming. Illinois is in the Elite Eight. After reaching the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2005, they’re headed to the regional finals for the first time since then.

Thursday’s game lived up to the billing. Illinois fought off Iowa State to continue dancing in what was touted as one of the most exciting matchups of the Sweet 16. The game had everything, a quick Illinois start, an Iowa State rally, Illini in
The Champaign Room •

Everything you need to know about the team standing between Illinois and an Elite 8

As is the case with most matchups from the second weekend onwards, Illinois’ next game will be a clash between two beasts. The best of the best. The best defense against the best offense.

Off the heels of victories over two mid-major conference champs, Illinois will take on the Big 12’s conference champion, the Iowa State Cyclones. It’s Illinois’ first time in the Sweet Sixteen since 2005, the year that Deron Williams, Dee Brown and Luther Head reached the national championship game.

If the Il
The Champaign Room •

Everything you need to know about the team standing between Illinois and a Sweet 16

It’d be harsh to blame you if you knew little to nothing about Morehead State before Illinois’ 16-point victory on Thursday. With the TSJ and Dain Dainja-inspired Illini escaping the Ohio Valley Conference champs, it’s time to look into another mid-major conference champ that you, in all likeliness, know little about.

The Illini will take on the Duquesne Dukes in the NCAA tournament's round of 32. TCR spoke with Tristan Freeman, a self-proclaimed basketball junkie from Pittsburgh (where Duquesn
The Champaign Room •

Everything you need to know about Illinois’ first-round opponent

It’s not your fault if you don’t know who the Morehead State Eagles are, so here’s a shot at getting you familiar with the Eagles.

They finished the season 26-8, the same record as Illinois, and clinched the Ohio Valley Conference’s lone bid by winning the tournament as the No. 3 seed.

Preston Spradlin has led his program to four straight 20-win seasons for the first time in school history. The Eagles’ 26 wins are also a program-record.

They’ve done all that without Mark Freeman, the reigning
The Champaign Room •

Where Terrence Shannon Jr.’s legal case stands — and what’s next

In black-and-white basketball terms, Terrence Shannon Jr.’s temporary restraining order suit was the final act of a long legal dispute that allowed him back on the court.

Away from the shining lights of the court, Shannon’s day in court is still yet to come.

The Champaign Room recently spoke with Mitch Gilfillan, an attorney based in Peoria and former basketball player at Lehigh, who has been knee-deep in uncovering key details of TSJ’s legal battle in Kansas on X.

Since his reinstatement to

Timely News

From recruiting updates to player accolades to injury updates and everything in between, I've also written on-the-dot articles which require fast and accurate fact-checking.

(Volleyball, Men's & Women's Basketball, Football)

Click here for all TCR Timely News
The Champaign Room •

Illinois rises to No. 13 in AP Poll after West Coast sweep

Looks like respect is being earned now.
Illinois (11-3, 3-1 Big Ten) jumped up nine spots in the latest AP Poll, coming in at No. 13 on Monday.
The rise comes after a good week for the program. In Eugene, they set history with a 32-point victory over the Ducks, who were then ranked ninth, which is the largest margin of victory by any team in a road game against an AP top-10 opponent. Ever.
The Ducks beat Maryland a few days after the loss, and fell six spots to No. 15 in this week’s poll.
Follow...
The Champaign Room •

Best reactions from Illinois’ Citrus Bowl victory over South Carolina

Where were you five days ago, Illini fans? Watching the team lift the Citrus Bowl, right? Now where were you 24 years ago, in 2001? That’s the last time the Illini had a 10-win season. Whether you’re still in the hydration phase of your post-hangover recovery routine or still hyper and in celebration mode, here’s a look at some of the best reactions from Tuesday’s Citrus Bowl victory.
“They hate us because they ain’t us,” said James Franco.
What did you see? For what it’s worth, Josh McCray said...
The Champaign Room •

Illinois picks up Wisconsin D-lineman from transfer portal

Even with their bowl game just days away, portal pandemonium continues for Illinois.
On Friday, with kickoff in Orlando just four days away, Illinois received a commitment from the transfer portal in Wisconsin interior defensive lineman James Thompson Jr.
Thompson entered the 2024 season expecting it to be his last. His COVID-affected freshman season in 2020 saw him take the field just once, but after that, he hit the ground running for the Badgers.
Across the next three seasons, the Cincinnati...
The Champaign Room •

REPORT: Illinois offensive lineman Zy Crisler enters transfer portal

Perhaps the biggest name to enter the portal yet for Illinois.
247 Sports has reported that senior offensive lineman Zy Crisler has entered the transfer portal.
He was also a two-time honorable mention All-Big Ten selection.
Crisler is the 12th Illini and third offensive lineman to enter the transfer portal since the end of the regular season. He leaves as offensive linemen Kevin Wigenton and Henry Whitenack did, as well as receiver Kenari Wilcher, quarterbacks Donovan Leary and Cal Swanson, t...
The Champaign Room •

The twelve days of Illinois Christmas

Happy Holidays, Illinois fans! 2024 has given the Illini fan base a lot to celebrate. While Bing Crosby, The Muppets and even Gucci Mane have had their own amazing renditions of the classic Christmas song, here’s TCR’s 2024 Illinois athletics version of The Twelve Days of Christmas!
Way to put the ‘I’ in ‘win’! By our count (and correct us if we’re wrong), 12 Illinois programs reached the NCAA Tournament or a postseason berth in 2024.
That’s also not including berths into NCAA gymnastics region...
The Champaign Room •

Date set for Terrence Shannon Jr.’s honored jersey ceremony

It’s always great when you can welcome back an old friend and lift something into the rafters, right?
On Thursday, the Illinois men’s basketball program announced through its social media channels that program great Terrence Shannon Jr. would be in-house for his honored jersey ceremony on February 15.
It was announced just before the NBA Draft that Shannon would have his jersey lifted into the rafters, but a date has finally been set. The celebration, lifting and inevitable crowd roar will tak...
The Champaign Room •

Illinois wide receiver Kenari Wilcher enters the transfer portal

Illinois’ sophomore wide receiver Kenari Wilcher has entered the transfer portal, he announced on Thursday.
“To the amazing Illini fans, thank you for your unwavering support — it’s been an honor to play for you,” he said in an X post.
The Clewiston, Fla. native enters the portal with two years of eligibility remaining with the ability to redshirt for a season if he chooses to do so at a new school.
Wilcher played in ten games this season for the Illini, playing as a slot receiver on offense whi...
The Champaign Room •

Early takeaways from Illinois football’s 2025 schedule

On Wednesday, an Illinois press release revealed the football team’s full 2025 schedule. Before the release, only opponents and venues were known — now, dates have been decided, including the promotional schedule.
Here’s a look at how year five of the Bret Bielema reign will shape out:
Week 1 - Saturday, Aug 30: vs Western Illinois
Week 2 - Saturday, Sept 6: at Duke
Week 3 - Saturday, Sept 13: vs Western Michigan (FamILLy Weekend)
Week 4 - Saturday, Sept 20: at Indiana
Week 5 - Saturday, Sept 27...
The Champaign Room •

‘Full-speed ahead into his next chapter’: Pat Bryant to opt out of Illinois’ bowl game

After Pat Bryant declared for the draft earlier in the week, head coach Bret Bielema confirmed that his star wide receiver would not be playing in the team’s bowl game this winter.
After playing a big part in a 9-3 season — the program’s first since 2007 — in which he tied the Illinois’ single-season touchdown record and paced the Big Ten with ten receiving touchdowns, Bryant was named All-Big Ten Second Team.
He announced his intentions to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL, a reality tha...
The Champaign Room •

‘Not even worth wasting my time on’: Underwood on Ed Cooley’s comments

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Moments before the Fighting Illini tipped off at State Farm Center to play Maryland Eastern Shore, they made social media headlines for something happening halfway across the country in Washington, D.C.
Georgetown beat St. Francis 82-65, but the takeaway from the game for Illini fans was what head coach Ed Cooley said about Jayden Epps, who began his college career at Illinois. Take a listen:
“It’s almost like he’s a new player. It’s something I saw in his freshman year when he...
The Champaign Room •

Terrence Shannon Jr. lights up scoreboard in G League debut

I mean, are we surprised?
A day after he was assigned to the Minnesota Timberwolves’ G League affiliate, the Iowa Wolves, Terrence Shannon Jr. made his G League debut and went OFF.
In a 140-122 victory over the Motor City Cruise, the Detroit Pistons’ G League affiliate, the former Fighting Illini guard popped off, leading all scorers with 34 points while also grabbing six rebounds and dishing out six assists.
TSJ has played in just 15 minutes of action so far this season for the Timberwolves, m...
The Champaign Room •

Illinois returns to AP Top 25 Poll at No. 25

Illinois men’s basketball is ranked for the first time this season. After being the highest vote-receiving unranked team in the preseason poll and then in the poll heading into week two, they make their first appearance at no. 25.
It was still a narrow squeeze for Brad Underwood’s squad to get in, though. After just two teams dropped from the top 25, they narrowly beat out unranked Texas Tech by seven votes to claim the 25th spot.
The Illini are coming off of a 66-54 home win over the Oakland G...
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