Options are aplenty, beat writer Scott Richey says in his weekly podcast, 'Inside Illini Basketball.' That's if Brad Underwood decides to name an MVP (he didn't last year). Richey also explains why it wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for Illinois to drop back into the first-day lineup at the Big Ten tournament.

A top-tier finish in the Big Ten and an end to the NCAA tournament drought. That's the Illini forecast for 2019-20 from beat writer Scott Richey, who unveils his starting lineup as part of this week's 'Inside Illini Basketball.' Bonus: Richey's weekly dive into the murky world of advanced metrics.

A perfect homestand has Illinois climbing the Big Ten rankings - and beat writer Scott Richey figuring out just how far Brad Underwood's team can go in next month's conference tournament. As far as next season? Richey is thinking about that, too.

A reliable scorer since arriving at the UI, sophomore Trent Frazier is developing as a sturdy defender. That's the word from beat writer and Top 25 voter Scott Richey, who explains in his weekly podcast 'Inside Illini Basketball.'

In his weekly podcast 'Inside Illini Basketball,' AP Top 25 voter and beat writer Scott Richey answers our burning questions. Like 'How good is Tevian Jones? Was Saturday's win against Maryland a fluke? And what's up with Minnesota's new, bright court at Williams Arena?'

After Sunday's meltdown at Iowa - and ahead of Saturday's trip to Madison Square Garden to meet Maryland - beat writer Scott Richey found a positive: Kofi Cockburn. The Class of 2019 Illini commit put up 17 points and eight rebounds and tore the rim off — metaphorically at least — with another highlight reel-worthy dunk in a high-profile prep showcase.

That decision obviously falls on Illini coach Brad Underwood, but freshmen guards Tevian Jones and Alan Griffin provide — in theory at least — some real athleticism (Jones) and another shooter on the wing (Griffin). With the season slipping away, beat writer Scott Richey ponders the coaching staff's next move.

Another last-second loss - and that annoying Northwestern fan whose high-pitched screams pierced radio and TV broadcasts - put many Illini fans in a bad mood early Sunday afternoon. Then Kofi Cockburn committed. In his weekly podcast, college basketball beat writer and Top 25 voter Scott Richey weighs in on all things Illini, including blue-chippers who are in the running for the final scholarship.

To make it a happier new year, Illinois basketball needs to win six Big Ten games - and convince Kofi Cockburn to come aboard. Beat writer and Top 25 voter Scott Richey looks ahead as the Illini put an unsettling 2018 to bed in his weekly podcast 'Inside Illini Basketball.'

To kick off one of our favorite weeks of the year, college basketball beat writer Scott Richey weighs in on Saturday's Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis in his weekly podcast 'Inside Illini Basketball.'