Ben Fader

To say the last few weeks have been rough for Illinois (18-11, 10-8) would be an understatement. While it may be getting repetitive, the injuries and illnesses spreading through the locker room like wildfire have just been too tough to overcome for a young, inexperienced roster. With just three games remaining, the Illini needed a...

Ticket-selling apps have become increasingly popular in recent years as the world moves online. Tycoons like StubHub, SeatGeek and Ticketmaster control much of the industry, but those sites usually don’t, if ever, include student tickets. A student at the University of Iowa, junior Brady Stein, co-founded a new company to enhance the industry.  After watching...

A wintery matchup between two Midwest teams did not end very competitively. Wisconsin (21-5, 11-4) dominated the final minutes of the matchup and ended a nine-game losing streak to Illinois (17-10, 9-8). A depleted Illinois roster was outmatched in the 94-75 defeat but didn’t show up without a fight.  Bringing the energy This week, the...

It’s been an icy week in Champaign, but no amount of weather will prevent a matchup that has been building for weeks. Illinois (17-8, 9-6) will host No. 11 Michigan State (19-5, 10-3) for a Saturday night Big Ten contest with revenge on the line. A B1G rematch Illinois has struggled in the last two...

Illinois (17-8, 9-6) returned for its final week with consecutive home games this season. UCLA (18-7, 9-5) was the foe in its first visit to Champaign since joining the Big Ten. The hosts enjoyed an 83-78 win to end UCLA’s seven-game win streak. A blue Skyy in Champaign A junior guard walked onto the court...

No. 23 Illini (16-8, 8-6) rediscovered their identity on a cold, snowy night in Minnesota. They avoided falling to .500 in conference play with a 95-74 win over the Golden Gophers (12-12, 4-9).  It’s been a rough stretch for Illinois that seems to never end, but two of the last three games have shown steps...

An ugly day in Champaign ended with No. 13 Illinois (12-4, 4-2) falling to the USC Trojans (10-6, 2-3) 82-72. With freshman guard Kasparas Jakučionis still out, Illinois struggled mightily on offense in a messy defeat. The win was the Trojans’ first over a ranked opponent on the road since 2010.   Slow start An 11...

It’s hard to believe that 2024 is almost over, but there were plenty of moments to remember. Illinois Athletics provided many big wins for the school and fanbase, and that momentum will carry over to 2025. But while we’re thinking about the year that is fading fast, let’s look back at the top moments from...

Although the college football offseason has just begun, No. 20 Illinois (10-3) has returned to work. It’s secured two commitments in the first two days and is still hungry for more. Plenty of recruiting and offseason work awaits a program that isn’t satisfied after its first 10-win season since 2001.  Portal window The Illini already...

With football season over, all eyes turn to basketball as the Big Ten schedule picks back up. No. 22 Illinois (9-3) greets its new conference opponent, No. 9 Oregon (12-1), in its first January contest. A West Coast road trip is a fitting way to introduce Illinois to the new Big Ten.  Know the foe...