Latest Illinois Fighting Illini News
Ex-College Football Coach Sends Alarming Message for ‘Whining’ Lincoln Riley After Illinois Blunder
3 weeks ago
College Football Athlete With 213-Yards in 3 Seasons Makes Transfer Portal Announcement, Fans React
3 weeks ago
Who Are the Announcers for Illinois vs USC Week 5 College Football Game?
3 weeks ago
Lincoln Riley’s USC on High Alert as Bret Bielema Goes to Great Lengths to Recover From Week 4 Debacle
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Bret Bielema Hit With Concerning Luke Altmyer Reality Check as Lincoln Riley Learns Surprising Week 5 Verdict
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More Illinois Fighting Illini News
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After last week's loss, 10-63, to the Indiana Hoosiers, Bret Bielema's OLB makes a major locker room admission.
Lincoln Riley Calls Out Bret Bielema’s Illinois for Not Playing to Standards Ahead of Week 5 Clash
Lincoln Riley humble in public, cheeky BTS, praising Bret for every aspect they failed in, while he thrives exactly where Illini fell apart.
Illinois Injury Report: Bret Bielema Drops Concerning Update on Key Week 4 Absence
Bret Bielema had a troubling update about an important player who went down with an injury, who now stares at an uncertain future.
Curt Cignetti Clears Stance on Fernando Mendoza’s Future After Strong Bret Bielema Message
Indiana Hoosiers' star QB, Fernando Mendoza, gets honest feedback from the HC, Curt Cignetti, as the week 4 game looms large.
Joel Klatt Predicts Massive Week 4 Upset That All but Confirms 1/12 College Football Playoffs
Joel Klatt sheds light on one of the week 4 face off that brings a lot of thrill over the 2025 playoff spot.
Bret Bielema Gets Clear Verdict on Illinois’ Future After $2M Luke Altmyer Revelation
Illinois HC Bret Bielema gets hopes of he Illini can crash the Big Ten and CFP race after QB Luke Altmyer rejected a $2M SEC offer.
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Coach Bret Bielema addressed Illinois extended its winning streak but injuries to key players can lead to the team facing challenges.
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Illinois Fighting Illini's QB1 Luke Altmyer garners the praise of rival coaches as his recent heroics signal fresh perils for opponents
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Bret Bielema gives update on some of his players who started great but are facing a bit of health crisis as week 3 lingers.
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Deep dive into Larry Gies: Illinois alum, billionaire CEO, and philanthropist behind the $100M gift renaming Memorial Stadium.
Bret Bielema Puts Luke Altmyer on Strong Notice Over Mistake That Nearly Cost Illinois Big
Illinois' week 2 win against Duke had a separate narrative in the initial stage of the game that was rectified by in the second half.
Luke Altmyer Sends Powerful Message on Partner in Crime Whose Last-Minute Move Saved Illinois
Illinois Fighting Illini QB Luke Altmyer sends a powerful message for his fellow WR after he shatters a century old record
David Pollack Has Epic Meltdown Over $8M QB’s Turnover Troubles in College Football Week 2
Former Georgia All American and CFB analyst David Pollack blasts an ACC dark horse for their rookie mistakes after turnover troubles
College Football Rankings for Week 3: Clemson & ASU Take a Hit; New G5 School Enters
Week 3 college football rankings shake up as Clemson and ASU slide while a new Group of 5 powerhouse breaks into the top spots.
Pressure Mounts on Bret Bielema as Luke Altmyer’s Worst Nightmare Threatens Illinois
Despite being ranked No. 11, concerns loom large over Bret Bielema's Fighting Illini and Luke Altmyer against Duke's Blue Devils.
Luke Altmyer Breaks Silence on Hank Beatty’s Historic Feat After Illinois WR’s Surprise Take
Luke Altmyer is joining in the chatter around Hank Beatty's historic feat from last night, as the WR added his own thoughts.
Luke Altmyer’s Illinois Woes Set to Take Massive Turn After Bret Bielema’s Bold Claim
Luke Altmyer's return as a proven QB1 encountered a problem ahead of the season opener. Bret Bielema assures he'll have the required help.
Bret Bielema Confirms Major Last-Minute Shakeup in Illinois Camp After Big Update on Luke Altmyer’s Backup
Behind Illinois' starting quarterback, the focus shifts to depth, while experience and potential shape the battle for the backup role.
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Luke Altmyer’s Illinois Feat Prompts Assistant Coach’s Honest Take Amid Key Injury Update
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Luke Altmyer will enter 2025 hoping to improve the way he did in the past, as Bret Bielema bats for his star QB1.
Bret Bielema Names Illinois QB Ready to Step In Should Luke Altmyer Get Benched
Illinois enters 2025 with Altmyer under center and a strong quarterback as the backup, ensuring stability for the season ahead.
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Bret Bielema prepares Illinois' safety net as a backup for Luke Altmyer's starting job as starting QB's room for improvement still lingers.
CBS Names Non-Powerhouse Big 10 QB to Surprise College Football Fraternity
CBS sports analyst identifies a very crucial aspect of a big ten QB that can shake up the CFB teams during the 2025 season.
Luke Altmyer Reminded of Tough Illinois Reality That Could Jeopardize Bret Bielema’s CFP Ambitions
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Illinois Football News: Bret Bielema Drops Massive Injury Update in Sad Fall Camp Announcement
As the fall camp kicked off at Champaign, Illini coach Bret Bielema provides the latest injury report to the media.
About Illinois Fighting Illini
Illinois Fighting Illini 2021: News, Schedule, Roster, Scores, Injury Report
The Illinois Fighting Illini compete in NCAA Men’s Basketball as a part of the Big Ten Conference. Some notable opponents from the conference include Iowa, Michigan, and Wisconsin. They were founded in 1906.
The name Illini emerged when the University's student newspaper changed its name from 'The Student' to 'The Illini' in 1874. Over 40 years later in the 1910s, the word 'Fighting' was used initially as an adjective for the team, but later it became part of the name. It was officially adopted as the nickname by the University in the 1920s.
The current logo of the Fighting Illini is a bold letter I, which is orange with a blue border. When the university first introduced a logo in 1947, it was the face of a Native American. It was completely dropped in 2004 when the bold letter I was launched.
History
| Founded | 1906 |
| Conference | Big 10 Conference |
| Athletic Director | Josh Whitman |
| Head Coach | Brad Underwood |
| Arena | State Farm Center |
| Championships (0) | - |
| Conference Tournament Titles (2) | 2003, 2005 |
| Conference Regular Season Titles (17) | 1915, 1917, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1942, 1943, 1949, 1951, 1952, 1963, 1984, 1998, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2005 |
| Website | https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball |
Who is the coach of the Fighting Illini?
The current coach of the Fighting Illini is Brad Underwood. He was appointed in 2017 after he won three consecutive Southland Conference Tournaments.
Underwood signed a six-year deal worth $18 million, before getting an extension for up to 2026. After two underwhelming seasons, Underwood led the Fighting Illini to an impressive 21-10 record last season.
Who is the Athletic Director of the Fighting Illini?
The current athletic director of the Fighting Illini is Josh Whitman. He was appointed in 2016.
Whitman is an alumnus of the college and is also a former NFL player who became a lawyer after retirement. He was in charge of hiring Underwood as the head coach.
Achievements and Championships
The early 2000s and the 1980s were the most successful periods for the Fighting Illini. From 2001 to 2005, they won four out of the five regular-season championships.
In 2005, they reached the National Final with a brilliant record of 37-2. But they lost by 5 points in the Final to UNC. That remains as their best finish in the NCAA tournament.
The Fighting Illini haven't won the NCAA Division 1 title yet.
Greatest NBA Players
It has been almost eight years since a former Fighting Illini was drafted in the NBA. But earlier, Illinois had many young prospects making it into the big league.
Some of the greatest NBA players from Illinois include Deron Williams, Don Ohl, Nick Anderson, and Jerry Sloan. Williams was part of the team that finished as the runner-up in 2005. Sloan was inducted into the Hall of Fame as a coach in 2009.
Currently, Kendrick Nunn and Meyers Leonard are the only former Fighting Illini playing in the NBA.
Mascot and Uniform
The Fighting Illini had Chief Illiniwek as their mascot until it was retired by the University back in 2007 due to a lot of criticism around the stereotypes promoted by it.
In September 2020, the belted kingfisher was voted as the new mascot for the University. Spencer Hulsey, an alumnus of the University of Illinois, is the one who came up with the idea for the kingfisher.
The team colors of the Illinois Fighting Illini are navy blue and orange.
Current Roster
The Illinois Fighting Illini roster for the 2020-21 season has 17 players.
| Position | JerseyNumber | Name | Height | Weight |
| G | 1 | Trent Frazier | 6-2 | 175 |
| F | 2 | Connor Serven | 6-9 | 215 |
| G/F | 3 | Jacob Grandison | 6-6 | 205 |
| F | 4 | Zach Griffith | 6-6 | 220 |
| G | 5 | Andre Curbelo | 6-1 | 175 |
| G | 10 | Edgar Padilla Jr. | 6-1 | 165 |
| G | 11 | Ayo Dosunmu | 6-5 | 200 |
| C | 12 | Brandon Lieb | 7-0 | 210 |
| F | 13 | Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk | 6-8 | 235 |
| F | 15 | Giorgi Bezhanishvili | 6-9 | 245 |
| G | 20 | Da'Monte Williams | 6-3 | 215 |
| C | 21 | Kofi Cockburn | 7-0 | 285 |
| G | 22 | Austin Hutcherson | 6-6 | 180 |
| G | 32 | Tyler Underwood | 6-2 | 180 |
| F | 33 | Coleman Hawkins | 6-10 | 215 |
| C | 34 | Jermaine Hamlin | 6-10 | 235 |
| G | 44 | Adam Miller | 6-3 | 180 |
Schedule
The Fighting Illini began their 2020-21 season with a huge 122-60 win against North Carolina A&T on November 25. They have a 27-game regular season that ends with an away game against Iowa on March 5, 2021. Currently, their record is 3-0.
The full schedule is available on the college website.
How to contact Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball?
Illinois Fighting Illini on Twitter: @IlliniMBB
Illinois Fighting Illini on Instagram: @illinimbb
