Now that we are nearly ten games into the 2023-24 University of Illinois men’s basketball season, it is time to consider the potential of this year’s team, both from an on-court perspective and a fan perspective. Heading into this weekend’s matchup against Tennessee, the 20th-ranked Illini are 7-1 and fresh off a well-earned victory over the 11th-ranked Florida Atlantic. Major storylines for this year’s team include the return of Coleman Hawkins and Terrance Shannon, Jr., Sencire Harris’ decision to redshirt, and the ever-present injury bug that plagued the Illini in the early part of this season.
Return of Veteran Playmakers
Senior forward Coleman Hawkins and senior guard Terrence Shannon, Jr. both elected to return to the Illini for the 2023-24 season. Hawkins and Shannon declared for the NBA draft after last season, but maintained collegiate eligibility by not signing with an agent, and ultimately decided to return to Illinois. Their veteran presence and experience in high-stakes games should be a boon for the Illini this season.
Sencire Harris’ Chooses to Redshirt
Sencire Harris’ decision to return to the Illini amidst the departure of several high-profile guards from last season’s team was a positive from a defensive and experience perspective for the Illini. However, ahead of the season opener against Eastern Illinois, it was announced that Harris would redshirt this season to work towards further offensive and physical development. Outside of medical or NCAA-mandated redshirts, the number of players sitting out each season across the college basketball landscape has shrunk since the inception of the transfer portal. Additionally, players electing to redshirt for developmental purposes are more frequently entering the transfer portal to play elsewhere with immediate eligibility. I remain hopeful that Harris will stick with the Illini program and come back stronger than ever for the 2024-25 season.
Injured Illini
Redshirt freshman Nicolo Moretti, who joined the Illini midway through the 2022-23 season, emerged as a dynamic point guard through the first three games of the season. Unfortunately, Moretti suffered a foot injury early this season against Southern. This is noteworthy because throughout his tenure at Illinois, coach Brad Underwood has faced criticism for perceived lack of a true point guard to run the Illini offense effectively. Sure, past teams have featured fantastic guards such as Ayo Dosunmu, Trent Frazier, Andres Feliz and the enigma that was Andre Curbelo; however, the presence of a floor general year in and year out has not always been a constant for the Illini. With the Harris redshirt and the Moretti injury looming in the early moments of the 2023-24 season, sophomore guard Ty Rodgers and Freshman Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn have been thrust into increased ball-handling situations.
Meanwhile, Hawkins missed three early season games with a knee injury, enabling junior and frequent 2022-23 starter Dain Dainja to perform well in his absence. Through the first stretch of the season, Dainja has dazzled fans with his athleticism and footwork, and has demonstrated improved free throw shooting skills since last year. Hawkins returned against Rutgers last weekend and provided a boost to the Illini’s post play and perimeter play alike.
What’s Next?
The coming weeks include away matchups against highly ranked Tennessee and border rival Missouri, allowing fans to enjoy some high-quality basketball within the comfort of your home. From mid-December onwards, the Illini have a very favorable home slate, far exceeding last year’s from a timing and opponent perspective. Excluding several early season weekend contests, the remainder of the home schedule includes four Sunday afternoon games, one Friday night game, and two Saturday afternoon games. This is especially beneficial for fans that travel to Champaign from out of town to attend Illini games. It also enables the State Farm Center to live up to its reputation as one of the toughest places to play in all of college basketball.
From the stands
Fans may find themselves experiencing withdrawals for the social event that is a college football Saturday. Unfortunately, cold Illinois winters are not conducive to basketball tailgates. Additionally, the level of play exhibited by the Illini over the past several years has been much more consistent than the football team, meaning there are fewer stragglers entering the State Farm Center halfway through the first half following a day of revelry in Lot 31. This sustained success is a good thing — when the Illini basketball team is playing well, the buzz in the air around Champaign-Urbana is certainly noticeable.
With the aforementioned success of the Illini men’s team, ticket scarcity is a real (and positive) issue. For fans who are unable to attend home games, or for those who prefer the camaraderie of a local bar/restaurant, on-court success provides a boost in revenue for local hangouts. I visited the newly renovated Brass Rail on Saturday night and I am confident that it would be a great spot to catch an Illini game this season. Other great local spots include the Tumble Inn, the Esquire, and Legends. If you can’t make it to an Illini game this year, plan to stop by one of these establishments to catch a game with your fellow Illini fans.
Junior-high and high-school basketball seasons are well underway, and youth basketball leagues in C-U and the surrounding communities will tip off their seasons in the coming weeks. I can fondly remember emulating the moves and playing styles of former Illini stars like Dee Brown, Deron Williams, and Luther Head in my younger days. The success of the men’s basketball team gives youth players in our community a role model to look up to as they hone their craft and spend time with their friends playing basketball. Nearly all of the Illini team’s games can be watched on local or national TV channels (not counting my arch-nemesis streaming software, Big Ten Plus), which provides an opportunity for younger players to watch and learn from a successful, local team.
Next week I’ll be profiling the 2023-24 women’s basketball team, which last year achieved its first 20-win season since 2007. There is no doubt that having two successful U of I basketball teams can build momentum for fan support across the board. From a fan engagement perspective, empty gyms with piped-in crowd noise during the COVID-19 pandemic led to spirited debates on whether or not players actually perform better with thousands of home fans supporting them and cheering them on in person.
Statistics aside, I think that fans of all ages can agree that the excitement of rooting for a winning team has at least some effect on the on-court performance of players. It’s worth noting that the women’s basketball team has sold over 1,000 more season tickets for the 2023-24 season than they did in prior years; meanwhile, the 2023-24 men’s team saw student tickets sell out in less than 24 hours. Thanks to the recent success of both teams, excitement for basketball at the U of I is at its highest point in years. I look forward to the remainder of the season and another strong campaign from the Illini basketball programs.