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Mar. 22—Ben Humrichous was talking with Jason Jakstys on Friday when the realization hit. Saturday's game against VCU could be his last. His final game with Illinois. The end to his college career after six years and three schools.
The Rams threatened to make that a reality with a first-half rally that erased a 12-point Illini lead, but Humrichous and Co. ultimately extended their season with a 76-55 victory on Saturday night at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
Next stop: Houston.
"It's a great feeling," Humrichous said after the game seated in front of his locker in Illinois' locker room. "(Friday) I had one more guaranteed day left as a college basketball player. Now to know that we have 4-5 days guaranteed for my college career, it's an incredible feeling to know we get to continue on with this journey with this team."
The list of players on the Illinois roster that have played in the Sweet 16 is short. Ty Rodgers had four points and six rebounds in the Illini's 72-69 win against Iowa State in Boston in 2024, but he's unavailable as he continues to rehab his surgically-repaired left knee. Senior walk-on AJ Redd didn't play in that game.
Zvonimir Ivisic reached the Sweet 16 last season with Arkansas. Kylan Boswell did the same with Arizona as a sophomore in 2023-24.
"My sophomore year coming to the Sweet 16 and being with a team I felt we should have advanced and came up short, that's a feeling I don't want to feel this year," Boswell said. "It's trusting our process and doing what we do. If we guard like we did (Saturday against VCU), I think we're going to be hard to beat."
Continue reading...
The Rams threatened to make that a reality with a first-half rally that erased a 12-point Illini lead, but Humrichous and Co. ultimately extended their season with a 76-55 victory on Saturday night at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C.
Next stop: Houston.
"It's a great feeling," Humrichous said after the game seated in front of his locker in Illinois' locker room. "(Friday) I had one more guaranteed day left as a college basketball player. Now to know that we have 4-5 days guaranteed for my college career, it's an incredible feeling to know we get to continue on with this journey with this team."
The list of players on the Illinois roster that have played in the Sweet 16 is short. Ty Rodgers had four points and six rebounds in the Illini's 72-69 win against Iowa State in Boston in 2024, but he's unavailable as he continues to rehab his surgically-repaired left knee. Senior walk-on AJ Redd didn't play in that game.
Zvonimir Ivisic reached the Sweet 16 last season with Arkansas. Kylan Boswell did the same with Arizona as a sophomore in 2023-24.
"My sophomore year coming to the Sweet 16 and being with a team I felt we should have advanced and came up short, that's a feeling I don't want to feel this year," Boswell said. "It's trusting our process and doing what we do. If we guard like we did (Saturday against VCU), I think we're going to be hard to beat."
Continue reading...
