The Illini open their 2024-25 season at the State Farm Center on Monday against the Panthers
Illinois coach Brad Underwood took the words right out of our mouths in his final preseason press conference ahead of Monday's tipoff to the 2024-25 NCAA basketball season. Fans, most of whom were shut out of catching even a glimpse ofin an exhibition loss to Ole Miss last week , finally get to feast their eyes on a young but preposterously gifted squad – one that some experts believe could be Illinois' most talented ever.
Eastern Illinois is coming off a 14-18 season , and the Panthers aren't expected to have much for their big-bro neighbors up the road a piece along I-57 . At any rate, it's time to break the seal on the season and find out what's inside.Illinois is 105-14 in season openers and has won eight straight openers – including last year's, against the Panthers .
Panthers assistant Rich McBride is a former Illini who started his last two seasons in Champaign and was named team co-MVP as a senior in 2006-07.– is another former Illini who was a stretch 4 before it was cool. Michael still owns the Illinois records for 3-point shooting in a season and a career , and has been the Panthers' AD since 2014, after leaving his position as senior associate athletic director at the U of I.
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