Obviously the 3-point shooting is easiest to pick at from a stats page, but our defense is what's killing us. (Maybe the 110 points we gave up highlights that.)

We can't protect the rim, particularly after the other team has a chance to adjust to us. Morez Johnson in my opinion was our best defender all season. He's a monster on the defensive glass and he occupies space in the lane. I think he was more effective defending at the 5 position than the 4 position though. The "big" lineup we were playing couldn't stay in front of quicker lineups. If we do get Morez back at any point he will help us tremendously (frankly even with one working wrist.)

The "small" lineup we're playing now can't defend the rim at all. Tomi is out of shape, underweight now, and can't move well with his ankle. So he's getting torched now when he was pretty solid early in the season. The other guys can't keep the second man off the glass.

Boswell is a good defender but he used to be elite. I think he's been bothered by some leg issues and he's lost half a step.

KJ can be a decent defender, but he reaches too much and doesn't play solid fundamentals. I also think the issues on offense get to him.

Tre White had been a good defender. Whatever happened to him midway through the year really hurt our defense. He was the unsung second stopper that made our defense elite in the early part of the season. Now he's out of sync and that is hurting us. Maybe he can recover a bit and that would help us some.

Will Riley is learning but he doesn't seem to move well enough on defense to really stop anyone. He's still thin so he's not a very physical player. He does have length but he could learn more. I think that's what is keeping him out of the starting lineup.

DGL plays hard but he's undersized and that can be exploited.

The biggest issue is not any individual guy but the lack of cohesion as a group (especially with all the lineup fluctuations.) We're full of holes that teams figure out as the game goes along. By the end of the game, teams are scoring at will against us. It's also clear that we get demoralized when we don't score and we let our defensive intensity suffer. That's why we're so boom-or-bust. The mental game on defense is particularly weak. It's common with an inexperienced team. Typically coaches don't play talented freshmen (despite fan protests) because of defensive issues.

This is something that could improve somewhat with practice. Also, if Tomi's ankle starts to feel better (typically ankles do heal up) then he could move a bit better and he could be the anchor for the rest of the team. So there is some potential but with a demoralized team it's going to be hard. Need to find a lot of pride fast. The beatings will continue until morale improves.

I'm not going to 100% flush this season yet if Morez can really be back for the Big Ten Tournament. I'm 90% there but the Iowa game is winnable and if any of these things improve then we could get at least a little traction. Iowa's defense is incredibly bad so that may be the thing to help us get our mojo back on both ends.

We are ranked #338 out of 364 teams. That is terrible!! We are ranked #1 in rebounding. Which is awesome!!

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois women's basketball has re-entered the national rankings, coming in at No. 25 in the Week 16 Associated Press Top-25 Poll. On an eight-game winning streak, the Fighting Illini hold a 21-5 record overall and an 11-4 mark in Big Ten play.

Holding the longest active winning streak in the Big Ten, the Orange and Blue are ranked in the Associated Press Top-25 Poll for the fifth time this season, the most weeks in the AP rankings since the 1999-2000 campaign when Illinois was included in 13 polls.

The Illini have been ranked in 10 combined AP polls under head coach Shauna Green. In 2022-23, the Orange and Blue appeared in four Top-25 polls, followed by the preseason rankings in 2023-24, the Week 2-5 polls in 2024-25, and this week's poll.

After receiving votes in each of the previous two AP polls, the Illini have now entered the rankings as one of six Big Ten teams in the Week 16 list.

Illinois has now appeared in 73 AP polls all-time across 11 different seasons.

Green joins Naismith Hall of Famer Theresa Grentz as the only coaches in program history to lead their teams to AP Top-25 ranking appearances in three straight seasons. The last time Illinois was ranked in three straight seasons was a five-season span from 1996-97 through 2000-01.

Illinois has now registered a win over a ranked opponent for the third consecutive season, the longest streak since the 2005-06, 2006-07, and 2007-08 campaigns. The Orange and Blue have earned ranked wins over No. 19 Florida State (Nov. 7), No. 23 Iowa (Jan. 9), and No. 14 Maryland (Feb. 2) during their 2024-25 slate.

No. 25 Illinois heads to Los Angeles later this week for ranked road games against No. 3 UCLA (Thursday, 8:30 p.m. CT, Big Ten Network) and No. 4 USC (Sunday, 3 p.m. CT, FS1).

Given it is the football offseason, I will mention that I just noticed that Thomas Detry, an Illini golfer from 2012-16 is in the lead at the WM Phoenix Open with a 2 round score of -12. His best career finish in the US appears to be tied for 4th in last year's PGA.

The Phoenix Open is a very nice course that should generate low scores if you can hit it straight. The 16th hole is a party hole and the fans are increasingly getting "boisterous", which is probably partially alcohol fueled. (18,000 fans, at capcity, in high-rise stands around a par 3.) TV is increasingly liking this hole, so I wouldn't be surprised to see it replicated elsewhere.

Anyway, good luck to Thomas, who originally was from Belgium.

Final: Duke 110 Illinois 67.

Yikes.

We shot less than 8% on 3 point attempts!!! That is AWEFUL !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Looking pretty good. He has improved.

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Stay= KJ, TI, Morez, DGL, Riley, Coaches Antigua, Alexander. Should go= White, Boswell, Humrichous, Davis, Booth, Rodgers, Coaches Underwood, Tyler Underwood . Also keep Fletch. Dont know about Jatkus never seen him play.

Going to the game tonight at Madison Square Gardens? Feeling any better?

Only Morez Johnson on the availability report

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Nate McNeal rejoined the Illinois football staff as Executive Director of Player Evaluations and Acquisitions, head coach Bret Bielema announced. McNeal returns to Illinois after spending the 2024 season as the General Manager at Syracuse.

"I am excited to bring Nate back to our personnel staff," said Bielema. "Nate is a talented recruiter and evaluator who has built strong connections throughout the state of Illinois and nationwide that helped shape our current roster. He has an established trust and understanding within our building with coaches and staff. We look forward to his return to Champaign."

"I am excited to reunite with Nate," said General Manager Patrick Embleton. "Nate was here from the start with Coach Bielema and embodies everything we look for in our program: tough, smart, dependable. He will be a huge addition in the retention and recruitment of our players and will continue to uphold the value and standards of Illinois."

"Thank you to Coach Bielema, Patrick Embleton, Josh Whitman, and Roger Denny for the opportunity to return to Illinois," said McNeal. "It is a blessing to return to a place that I consider home and be back with the Illini famILLy. The future is bright for this program and I'm excited to be a part of it."

McNeal helped Syracuse to a 10-3 season in 2024 while leading the personnel staff for the Orange. Syracuse brought in the No. 24 transfer class in the nation according to 247Sports, a group that helped the Orange to a 52-35 win over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl to cap the program's first 10-win season since 2018.

McNeal previously served as the Fighting Illini's Director of Player Personnel (2022-23), Director of Recruiting (2021), and Director of High School Relations (2016-18) over the course of six seasons and two stints in Champaign.

A Chicago native and product of Thornwood High School, McNeal has deep ties to the state of Illinois. In addition to his six seasons at Illinois, McNeal spent three years on staff at his alma mater, Northern Illinois, from 2014-16 following a three-year playing career with the Huskies during one of the best eras in NIU history from 2011-13.

McNeal returned to Illinois for a second stint with the Fighting Illini in 2021 to reunite with Embleton during Bielema's first season as head coach. McNeal was instrumental in Illinois' improvements, as the Illini's two-year stretch of recruiting from 2022-23 was Illinois' best since 2008-09 according to 247Sports and Rivals. The 2023 class was Illinois' highest-ranked class since 2009 according to Rivals and highest-ranked since 2011 according to 247Sports, as Illinois had back-to-back top-50 recruiting classes for the first time since 2008-09 according to 247Sports. The Illini also signed back-to-back Illinois Gatorade Players of the Year (WR Hank Beatty, RB Kaden Feagin) for the first time in program history in 2022 and 2023.

Between his first two stints in Champaign, McNeal spent the 2019 and 2020 seasons at Temple as Director of Player Personnel. He oversaw all recruiting efforts for the Owls.

McNeal got his start working in college football at Northern Illinois. He served two seasons on staff at NIU as a graduate assistant for football operations, video, and special teams before being promoted to director of player personnel from January-July 2016.

McNeal was a safety at Northern Illinois from 2011-13. He played in 16 games during his NIU career, including all 14 games as a redshirt senior in 2013. McNeal helped the Huskies win the 2012 MAC Championship Game and become the first MAC team to make a BCS bowl when they played in the Orange Bowl. During McNeal's senior year, he helped the Huskies to an undefeated regular season and berths in the 2013 MAC Championship Game and the 2013 Poinsettia Bowl.

McNeal graduated from Northern Illinois with a degree in communications in 2013 and completed a master's in sports management in 2015.

Sorry guys, I’m sick again.

I haven’t been out sick in years, and now I’ve had the flu twice. I was sick for nearly a month after returning from Florida.

Started to feel bad again yesterday and nearly passed out at Kohl Center.

No game story until later. I still have to drive home from Madison then I’ll need some rest.

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Turning a negative into a positive:

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Alex Panos was promoted to co-outside linebackers coach, head coach Bret Bielema announced. Panos will work alongside Trent Harris in leading the outside linebackers room for the Fighting Illini.

"I am excited for the opportunity to promote Alex from within our program after he has showed tremendous growth working with Coach Jamison, Coach Henry, and a number of our assistant coaches over the last three seasons," Bielema said. "Alex's ability to see the game is special. Having Alex and Trent lead our outside linebackers for the final four games last season made a huge impact on our defense. We are looking forward to continuing to have them lead the outside linebackers room."

"I am grateful to Coach Bielema, the staff, and the University of Illinois for this opportunity," said Panos. "It is exciting to continue our program's climb to new heights by building our outside linebackers into better players and people. The best is yet to come!"

Panos finished his third season on the Fighting Illini staff and first as an assistant defensive line coach in 2024. After helping co-defensive coordinator/defensive line coach Terrance Jamison reload the Illinois defensive line over the first nine games of 2024, Panos moved to the outside linebackers room for the final three regular season games and the Citrus Bowl. The move helped Illinois finish the season with four straight wins to tie the program's single-season wins record (10) and come in at #16 in the final AP Top 25 poll.

The season was capped by a 21-17 victory over #14 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl in one of the biggest bowl wins in program history, as the Illini held the Gamecocks to 14 points under their season scoring average and South Carolina's second-lowest scoring output of the season. Outside linebacker Gabe Jacas, who was named a Phil Steele All-American, had one of the best games of his career in the Citrus Bowl win with eight tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss.

Panos spent the 2023 season as a defensive graduate assistant after serving in a defensive quality control role for the Illini during the 2022 season. In his first three seasons in Champaign, Illinois won 23 games to tie the program's most wins in a three-year span in over 30 years (24 wins, 1988-90).

Panos played college football at St. Thomas (Minn.), where he was a defensive lineman. He was a member of the prestigious NFF Hampshire Honor Society as a senior in 2021 and graduated with a degree in communication and journalism.

Panos is a native of Hartland, Wisconsin, where he helped Arrowhead High School to three state title game appearances.

Panos' father, Joe, was an all-American at the University of Wisconsin, captain of the Badgers' 1993-94 Rose Bowl team, and is now an accomplished sports agent. Panos' brother, George, played college football at Wisconsin and is now a scout for the Houston Texans.

Final: Wisconsin 95 Illinois 74. Blowout.