CBS analyst Clark Kellogg on Illinois Basketball: 'I've Seen This Movie Before'

Kellogg had high praise for the Illini in their 93-73 torching of the Wolverines on Sunday in Ann Arbor

Mar 2, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; The Illinois Fighting Illini bench reacts to a guard made three point shot against the Michigan Wolverines in the second half at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images | Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

CBS analyst and former Big Ten Most Valuable Player Clark Kellogg is seeing the same thing in peak Illinois basketball that continues to tantalize Illini fans:

Seemingly boundless potential.

Illinois (19-11, 11-8 Big Ten) came to play Sunday when it met No. 15 Michigan (22-7, 14-4 Big Ten) in Ann Arbor, and after leaning on defense, rebounding and elbow grease in the first half, the Illini brought out the big guns to cut down the Wolverines 93-73.

The clean up crew came to Ann Arbor.

We secured 43 boards en route to knocking off No. 15 Michigan. pic.twitter.com/wNtLKAOBhY

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) March 2, 2025

Rather than focus on Illinois' injuries or struggles this season, Kellogg highlighted the Illini at their very best.

"I've seen this movie a couple of times with Illinois," Kellogg said. "They blitzkrieged Oregon the same way on the road. Did the same thing to Indiana, when they make threes, get shot volume because they space you and get to that offensive glass. Only had one turnover in the second half."

At Oregon, Illinois hung a 32-point loss on the then-No. 9 Ducks – the highest margin of victory in NCAA history for an opponent facing a top-10 team in its own building. The Illini were similarly explosive in a 25-point win over the Hoosiers in Bloomington in January, before injuries and illness sent them reeling.

Kellogg's comments were hardly a surprise, really. College hoops analysts have been raving about Illinois' ceiling all season, although that and $5 will buy you half a State Farm Center soda. Still, for fans who believe the Illini exhausted their share of magic in the first two months of the season, it's worth noting that Kellogg saw it plain as day from the CBS studios on Sunday.

"That was a volcanic eruption that they showed us there," Kellogg said. "Extremely impressive." 

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