VIDEO: Illini Now/SI Morning Update With Matthew Stevens

1. 7-Foot Center Brandon Lieb Signs NLI With Illini's 2020 Recruiting Class: Stevens details how, similarly to when he committed, Brandon Lieb once again didn't need a lot of time to sign his National Letter-of-Intent with Illinois.

The 7-foot center from Deerfield (Ill.) High School has announced his verbal commitment to the Illini less than 24 hours after the Illini coaching staff conducted a Zoom video conference with him and less than a week after Illinois assistant Ronald 'Chin' Coleman officially sent out the scholarship offer.

Lieb signed with Illinois on Friday afternoon.

Before the COVID-19 epidemic shut down all high school basketball in the state of Illinois, Lieb averaged 13.5 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in his senior year at Deerfield.

Lieb made his dream of playing at Illinois come true Wednesday evening and announced it to the world Thursday morning in a social media post.

“With the success they’ve had over the past two years, I think in-state kids are going to be drawn to that program, that staff and that group of players,” Lieb said in an exclusive Zoom video interview with Illini Now/Sports Illustrated Thursday. “There’s something to be said for playing for the school in your state.”

2. Illini Recruiting Hot Board: Top DT Targets to Watch For Illinois’ 2021 Class: Stevens details how Illini defensive tackle recruiting is a little thin and so, the recruiting hot board takes a look at three-star prospect Zion Rucker.

The only defensive tackle set to leave the Illini after the 2020 season is California graduate transfer Chinedu Udeogu and are expecting big jumps from a trio of juniors including Calvin Avery, new junior college transfer Anthony Shipton and Jamal Woods.

3. Former DePaul star Billy Garrett Agrees To Join Illini's TBT 2020 Team: Billy Garrett will replace former Illini guard Corey Bradford, who announced earlier this week that he’ll be unable to participate in The Basketball Tournament 2020 as a part of the ‘House Of Paign’ Illinois alumni team due to the birth of his first child.

Garrett, a former star at DePaul and Chicago’s Morgan Park High School, has agreed to join the ‘House Of Paign’ team filled with Illinois alumni players for the upcoming TBT 2020.