MADISON — Things looked good for the Illini women’s basketball team after 8 minutes of play in yesterday’s 69-57 loss at Wisconsin. Illinois led 17-12, and Janae Terry had already scored ten points. Then the bottom fell out. The Illini didn’t score another field goal for 12 minutes, and the Badgers outscored them 24-5 during…
CHAMPAIGN — Since the COVID-compromised 2020-21 college basketball schedule was released last autumn, January 29 had been circled on everyone’s calendar. The Illinois-Iowa game was important to Illini and Hawkeye fans, of course. But the entire country was waiting and watching. That #19 Illinois prevailed 80-75 over #7 Iowa means a bevy of non-Midwestern hoops…
CHAMPAIGN — The Fighting Illini women’s basketball team dropped their seventh straight game Monday. The Nebraska Cornhuskers scored 11 of the game’s final 18 points to win 57-53. Coach Nancy Fahey’s team had given up an average of 81 points in its first six Big Ten games. She was gratified by the improvement on defense….
EVANSTON – Another slow start cost the Illini women another Big Ten loss Thursday night, as they fell to Northwestern at Evanston, 73-54. Illinois managed just 5 points in the first quarter, but committed six turnovers in that same 10-minute stretch. Sophomore Kennedi Myles said her team anticipated difficulties with the Wildcats’ full-court pressure. “One thing we worked…
CHAMPAIGN – Kofi Cockburn is the national leader in men’s college basketball double-doubles, and he notched his eleventh of the season Tuesday night in a 79-65 Illini basketball win over Penn State at the State Farm Center. Cockburn scored 21 points and grabbed 12 rebounds, game-highs for both categories. He said teamwork was the key…
CHAMPAIGN – The No. 14 Illini men’s basketball team dropped its second straight home game at the State Farm Center Saturday, with an 87-81 loss to the 21st-ranked Buckeyes of Ohio State. Two-time Illinois Mr. Basketball (as a player for Belleville West), E.J. Liddell, again haunted his home state school, dropping a career-high 26 points…
CHAMPAIGN — The Maryland Terrapins now have two Big Ten wins, both on the road at nationally-ranked opponents. That’s after they upset #12 Illinois 66-63 Sunday night at State Farm Center in Champaign. Their previous conference win was at #8 Wisconsin. Daryll Morsell returned from a two-game injury break to score 19 points on 8-16…
CHAMPAIGN — The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team beat Purdue 66-58 Saturday in Champaign. Freshman Andre Curbelo came off the bench to spark an Illini team that tripped out of the gate in both halves. The freshman scored only eight points and dished out six assists, but his presence on the floor changed the dynamic…
CHAMPAIGN — Two days after hiring Bret Bielema as new head football coach, the University of Illinois introduced him at a virtual news conference Monday afternoon. Listen to Bret Bielema’s introductory news conference here. Bielema says one of his top priorities will be keeping the top high school football players in the state from going…
PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Most of the time, if you shoot 54 percent from the field, score 88 points, and have five players score in double figures, you’ll win the game. But that wasn’t the case for #13 Illinois on Sunday, as they fell 91-88 at #19 Rutgers in Big Ten conference play. Illinois coach Brad…
CHAMPAIGN — The University of Illinois is turning to former Arkansas and Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema to lead its football program. Athletic director Josh Whitman announced Bielema’s hiring Saturday morning. He replaces Lovie Smith, who was fired Sunday after compiling a 17-39 record in five seasons. Bielema enjoyed his greatest success as coach at Wisconsin…
CHAMPAIGN — It didn’t take long for the Illinois men’s basketball team to bounce back from a tough loss at Missouri on Saturday in the annual Braggin’ Rights game. Kofi Cockburn scored 33 points and grabbed 13 rebounds as the 13th ranked Illini dominated Minnesota in their Big Ten Conference opener. Cockburn credited teammate Trent…
CHAMPAIGN — University of Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman announced Sunday that he has fired football coach Lovie Smith, a day after the Illini lost decisively to in-state rival Northwestern. Hear athletic director Josh Whitman’s Sunday afternoon news conference here. Smith compiled a 17-39 overall record in five seasons at the helm of the Illini…
COLUMBIA, Mo. — The Fighting Illini men’s basketball team suffered its third-straight loss in the annual Braggin’ Rights game, this time on Missouri’s home court in Columbia. The score was 81-78. Ayo Dosunmu scored a career-high 36 points, but was unable to convert a running three-pointer in the closing seconds. He said he made a…
LINCOLN, Neb. — Everything was clicking offensively for the Illinois women’s basketball team in its Big Ten opener at Nebraska Thursday night. Five Illinois players had scored in double figures, and the Illini led 67-63 with just more than three minutes to play. Nebraska then went on a 12-0 run to take a 75-67 lead,…