Stephen Bardo

Houston sophomore guard Mercy Miller has been named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team, the school announced Tuesday. To receive Academic All-District honors, honorees must have a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 and be a sophomore athletically and academically.

The 4 All Americans who have helped put Illinois back on the map Keaton Wagler looks to advance Illinois back into the Elite 8.

North Carolina was 24-6 on March 5th and getting ready to get Caleb Wilson back that weekend against Duke. Wilson suffered a season-ending injury that afternoon in practice. The Tar Heels never won a game the rest of the year. 19 days later, Hubert Davis lost his job.

Sweet 16 NIL payments: Duke $12.0mm Arkansas $11.5mm Michigan $10.5mm St. John's $10.5mm Arizona $9.75mm Alabama $9.5mm Tennessee $9.5mm UConn $9.5mm Illinois $9.0mm Purdue $8.75mm Michigan State $8.5mm Houston $8.5mm Iowa State $8.25mm Texas $7.5mm Nebraska $6.75mm Iowa $6.25mm

University of Houston coach Kelvin Sampson on Illinois and its No. 1 rated (in the nation) offense: "The (Keaton) Wagler kid, I'm sure he's going to be a lottery pick. I was watching tape yesterday of his 46 point game at Purdue. He's awesome. He's 6-7 point. He's just a guard, but he can play the point. And everybody around him. Brad (Underwood)'s done a really job with his roster of putting the right guys in the right spots. They're all difficult to guard. . . "There's certain teams that you scout them for the first time, I haven't seen Illinois play much this year at all, but scouting 'em and just watching 'em for the first time I found myself being a fan. Just enjoyed watching them. "Then I go, 'Whoa, how do you guard it?' It's an unbelievable challenge to try to get ready for them. But they're really fun to watch. They've got super smart players. . . "I think the most important thing that they do, that separates them, is the offensive rebounding. We're a good offensive rebounding team. But Illinois is a better offensive rebounding team than we are. . . That's one of the reasons their efficiency is so high. They have the ability to beat you with the first shot and they can beat you with their second and third. And that's why they're the ultimate challenge."

What a basketball life for Rod Strickland. A star at Truman HS in The Bronx. An All-American at DePaul. Nearly two decades in the NBA as a player. And now as a coach, leads LIU to the NCAA Tournament. America!

March 5, 1989: It appeared as if Jay Edwards hit the game-tying shot for Indiana to send the game to OT, but Illinois’ Nick Anderson drained a 35-foot three at the buzzer to beat the Hoosiers at Assembly Hall. Keith Jackson & @DickieV on the call.

• Happy 55th Birthday to @IlliniMBB alum Tim Geers. He lettered in 1990 and '91 for Coach Lou Henson. @DLSMeteors

THIS is The University of Illinois! If you know AJ and his parents, Geri and Ron Redd, then you know! Salute Young King!

• Happy 46th Birthday on Wednesday (Feb. 25) to @IlliniMBB legend Frank Williams. The former Big Ten Player of the Year was inducted into @IlliniAthletics Hall of Fame in 2024. @PeoriaManual

@GourdieReport My only full season in the Orange Crush. If only, we could beat Michigan a 3rd time. TVs were casualties on campus after that game. @KendallG13 @stephenbardo @KennyBattle33 & thre rest gave us their all. #FlyinIlliniForever

Happy 53rd Birthday on Friday (Feb. 20) to assistant @IlliniMBB coach Orlando Antigua. A 22-year veteran of the coaching profession, @CoachOantigua is in year two of his second stint at Illinois. @StRaymondRavens

Throw your fours up

This was one of the best starting 5s in CBB history

Putting Nikola Jokic's INSANE season in context * Shaq's career-high scoring average: 29.7 PPG (in 1999-2000) Nikola Jokic's scoring average this season: 29.9 PPG * Karl Malone career-high rebounding average: 12.0 RPG (in 1987-88) Nikola Jokic's rebounding average this season: 12.4 PPG * Jason Kidd's career-high assist average: 10.8 APG (in 1998-99) Nikola Jokic's assist average this season: 11.1 APG * Kareem Abdul-Jabbar career-high FG%: 60.4% in 1979-80 Nikola Jokic's FG% this season: 60.4% * Larry Bird career-high three-point percentage: 42.7% Nikola Jokic's three-point percentage this season: 44.0%

Former #Illini basketball players and EARLY stats at other schools this season Illinois has former players dating back to 2022-2023 season Tre White of Kansas: 10 PPG on 62% & 3 rebounds Morez Johnson of Michigan: 17 PPG on 70% & 5.5 rebounds Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn of UNLV: 19 PPG on 44% & 3 assists Carey Booth of Colorado State: 13 PPG on 64.7% shooting & 9 rebounds Amani Hansberry of Virginia Tech: 19 PPG on 48% & 9.3 rebounds Sencire Harris of Cincinnati: 7.7 PPG on 45.5% shooting & 2 steals Skyy Clark of UCLA: 9 PPG on 40% shooting & 2 assists Brandon Lieb of Illinois State: 5 PPG on 71% & 2 blocks Jaden Epps of Mississippi State: 5 PPG on 28% & 1 block

• Happy 27th Birthday on Sunday (Nov. 16) to @IlliniMBB fan favorite Giorgi Bezhanishvili. He now plays for the @windycitybulls , the NBA G League affiliate of the @chicagobulls .

Keaton has all the skills plus he’s got the intangibles.

A month ago at #Illini media day, Brad Underwood said about freshman Keaton Wagler: “We had two one-and-dones last year, and not to put too much pressure on him, but he’s in that category. He’s an elite competitor who reminds me a lot of Ayo (Dosunmu).” Many called it classic Underwood hype. Now Wagler’s averaging 20.0 PPG, 6.5 RPG, and 88% FT. Still think it was overhype? 👀 #Illini #B1G

National Championships Odds. CC: @FDSportsbook. Purdue +950 Houston +950 Duke +1100 Florida +1400 Kentucky +1400 UConn +1400 Louisville +2000 Texas Tech +2000 Michigan +2000 Illinois +2000 St. John’s +2000 BYU +2000 Kansas +2200 UCLA +2500 Arkansas +2700 Tennessee +3000 Alabama +3000 Arizona +3500 Iowa State +3500 Gonzaga +3500 UNC +4000 Auburn +4000 Michigan St +5000 NC State +5000 Creighton +5000