Gooooood morning! The air always smells sweeter the morning after a win…an eighth consecutive win, to boot! Here’s what David and Drej had to say after the game. David says that ‘Jake from State Farm Center’ is the second best shooter he’s played with behind Fletcher McGee (which is a player I probably never would have thought about again otherwise).
In Brad’s post-game presser he covered topics Andrej's defensive development, Jake's crucial leadership, the team's adaptability after Kylan's injury, and their success against zone defense.
ILLINI COACHES’ CORNER
Seeing old Bruce Weber on BTN these days always gets me wondering, “What are our other former coaches up to?” Every question deserves an answer, so lets peek in with a few familiar faces from benches past.
Bill Self, University of Kansas Jayhawks
Bill Self is away from the Kansas bench this week after being hospitalized Monday for an undisclosed illness. He has since been released and is expected back at practice soon.
The Jayhawks (14-5, 4-2 in the Big 12) have climbed back to No. 19 after falling out of the rankings entirely following an 11-5 start. The turnaround came January 13 when Kansas demolished #2 Iowa State 84-63 at Allen Fieldhouse.
Self became Kansas’s all-time winningest coach in November, surpassing Phog Allen. He also eclipsed 800 career wins this season. Now in his 23rd year at Kansas (!!!), Self is navigating road struggles (the Colorado win was KU’s first true road conference victory) while trying to regain elite form.
The Sunflower Showdown at Kansas State looms Saturday. Whether Self will be on the bench remains to be seen.
Jon Groce, University of Akron Zips
The former Illinois head coach has Akron sitting at 15-4 overall and 6-1 in the Mid-American Conference, good for second place in the MAC standings. The Zips are riding a 5-game winning streak and averaging 93.6 points per game, good for 3rd in the nation.
Groce, who won the 2025 Hugh Durham National Coach of the Year award last season, became the third all-time winningest coach in Akron history earlier this month. The Zips have now won 26 straight at home in The JAR, and they’re ranked in the top 10 nationally for three-pointers made per game.
Senior guard Tavari Johnson is leading the offense at 20.4 PPG, while senior forward Amani Lyles provides the interior presence. The only blemish in conference play is a 3-point loss to undefeated Miami of Ohio (who is now ranked #25 in the nation).
Akron is positioned for another deep MAC Tournament run in March.
Chester Frazier, Virginia Tech Hokies
The former Illinois guard and Brad Underwood assistant is now an Associate Head Coach at VaTech (where he was also in the same position from 2019-2021), and the Hokies are 14-5 overall with a 3-3 ACC record, sitting 7th in the conference.
Virginia Tech’s resume includes a 70-65 upset of then-#21 Virginia on New Year’s Eve and a recent 81-72 win over Notre Dame. The Hokies are squarely on the NCAA Tournament bubble.
Frazier was named to Silver Waves Media’s “Most Impactful High Major Assistant Coaches” list on January 12 in recognition of his defensive expertise and player development work.
Stephen Gentry, University of Gonzaga Bulldogs
Stephen Gentry, former Brad Underwood assistant coach, has #8 Gonzaga’s offense humming. Gentry moved to offensive coordinator last year and the results speak for themselves: 19-1 overall, ranked 14th nationally in scoring (90.2 PPG), and 4th in field goal percentage (52.2%).
The Bulldogs are on a 12-game winning streak following their only loss of the season—a 101-61 blowout against Michigan back in November when Michigan was steamrolling everyone. Since then, Gentry’s offense has been unstoppable, with signature wins over Kentucky (94-59) and UCLA (82-72).
Gentry has built one of the nation’s most efficient offenses. The Bulldogs are shooting 36.8% from three as a team and dominating opponents with balanced scoring and smart execution. They’re playing Pepperdine tonight at home, looking to extend the win streak to 13.
THIS DAY IN ILLINI HISTORY
In 1989, the number two ranked Flyin’ Illini survived a double-overtime barnburner with Georgia Tech at Assembly Hall, escaping with a double-overtime victory despite the Yellow Jackets drilling 21 three-pointers…still the opponent record at Illinois 37 years later.
Illinois countered with ball security. The Flyin’ Illini turned it over just three times in 50 minutes, tied for the fewest turnovers in a single game in program history. Lou Henson’s squad stayed composed through Georgia Tech’s insane shooting performance, treating possessions like gold and executing down the stretch.
The 103-92 win pushed Illinois to 15-1 overall and 5-0 in Big Ten play. Nick Anderson, Kenny Battle, Kendall Gill, and Marcus Liberty kept the offense rolling while limiting mistakes against a team that couldn’t miss from deep.
Illinois would finish 31-5 and reach the Final Four. That January night thirty-seven years ago showcased the hallmarks of peak basketball—high-powered offense, defensive resilience, and the discipline to win tight games when opponents had their best stuff. (somebody let me know if you find the missing pixels from this video)
In 2003, with Illinois sitting at 14-3 and ranked #18 in the nation, Bill Self’s squad delivered a statement win over the Purdue Boilermakers in the Assembly Hall. This wasn’t quite the level of the 2004-05 team yet, but the foundation was being set…Deron and Dee honing their craft, and role players executing within the system.Illinois would finish 25-7 that season, reach the Sweet 16, and set the stage for the magical 2004-05 championship run.
The 13-point victory over the Boilermakers came at a crucial juncture in that season, and for us, it comes with perfect timing to warm the cockles of our hearts heading into a big weekend matchup against Purdue.