Illinois scored a major early win in the 2027 recruiting cycle on Thanksgiving, securing a commitment from East Peoria native Quinton Kitt, a 6-foot-6 forward ranked No. 114 nationally by 247Sports.

Kitt becomes the Illini’s first pledge in the class and continues a trend that has become increasingly familiar under head coach Brad Underwood – top in-state talent choosing to stay home. His decision is another reminder that Illinois basketball is no longer simply competing on the national stage. It is becoming a program that players want to be part of.

Kitt’s commitment also reinforces the momentum Illinois has built over the past several seasons. Since Underwood’s arrival, he has resurrected the program and turned it from a middling Big Ten team into one of the most consistent winners in college basketball. The Illini have pulled top recruits, landed marquee transfers, developed NBA talent and built an identity centered around toughness and modern offensive spacing. When a top prospect commits this early, it signals more than momentum – it shows Illinois is becoming the type of powerhouse that can reload year after year with players who believe in what Underwood is building.

The centerpiece of Kitt’s game is his premier skill: high-level spot-up shooting. At 6-foot-6, he possesses clean mechanics, fluid footwork and a natural rhythm that makes him one of the best floor spacers in the Midwest for his age. Underwood has made three-point shooting a priority in roster construction, and Kitt fits that philosophy seamlessly. He projects as an immediate shooting threat who can open the floor for Illinois’ guards and bigs, whether stationed in the corners, popping off screens or trailing in transition.

Although shooting is the headliner, Kitt isn’t a one-dimensional piece. He’s not the twitchiest athlete in the class, but he gets to the rim with efficiency, using size, stride length and composure to finish through contact. He has the IQ to make the right reads – finding cutters, swinging the ball to shooters and delivering simple but effective passes that keep an offense flowing. That feel for the game elevates his value well beyond spot-up scenarios.

All of this makes Kitt a classic Underwood-style Swiss Army Knife. He can dribble, pass, shoot and play multiple spots without needing plays run for him. He enhances spacing, connects actions and fits into virtually any lineup construction Illinois might throw onto the floor. For a program that has thrived with multipositional, high-IQ wings, Kitt checks every box.

Landing Kitt sets a strong tone for the 2027 class – and again shows that Illinois doesn’t have to leave the state to find talent that fits its growing powerhouse identity.

On paper, the Iowa Hawkeyes and Western Illinois Leathernecks are a combined 10-0. The Leathernecks have won their only road game of the year, but Iowa is 3-0 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

After a successful trip to Orlando for the WBCA Showcase, Iowa saw a huge jump in the AP Poll. They are now No. 11, one spot away from entering the Top 10. Wins over No. 7 Baylor and Miami certainly boosted their status in the eye of the public as they are now massive favorites against Western Illinois.

While Iowa shouldn’t necessarily need to score 100 to beat a team like Western Illinois, it doesn’t hurt to shoot for the stars. Head coach Jan Jensen’s team didn’t make a field goal in the final eight and a half minutes against the Hurricanes, yet somehow they managed to take them down, 64-61.

After a pair of low scoring games in Florida, Iowa returns home on Thanksgiving Eve for yet another non-conference showdown. This is one of two “tune-up” games before they open B1G play at Rutgers on December 6.

Western Illinois has allowed 75+ points in their last two games. Sure, they’ve won both of them, but allowing that point total to Chicago State and Bradley shows the state of their defense. The Hawkeyes should have no issues scoring against them.

Once again, it’s impossible not to understate just how important Chit-Chat Wright is to this team. Jensen is closely monitoring her status, but the transfer guard will not be playing in the Hawkeyes return to Carver. That said, it’s safe to assume that Taylor Stremlow will once again get the start.

As long as Stremlow plays to the quality she was playing against the Bears and Hurricanes, Miami will be just fine. They also have Taylor McCabe, Kylie Feuerbach, and Addie Deal. With both McCabe and Feuerbach being seniors, this is the perfect game to get Deal even more minutes to showcase just how dominant she’s going to be in the coming years.

In the Leathernecks first game of the year, they dropped 116 points. They’ve scored 80+ in their last two, something that was necessary to win knowing how much their defense has given up.

Their leading scorer, Mia Nicastro, is averaging 25.8 points per game. That’s ten more points per game than Iowa’s leader, but it’s shocking to note that Nicastro has only shot four three pointers this entire season.

As a team, Western Illinois is shooting 40% from three. That’s eight percent higher than the Hawkeyes, and is something that could absolutely make the difference. Allie Meadows is shooting 50% from three point range while fellow senior Addi Brownfield is shooting 46.2% herself. The Leathernecks don’t shoot a ton of threes, but they’re extremely efficient from three-point range.

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