Good Morning, Illini Nation: Interest high in Illinois transfers
Apr. 2—Welcome to "Good Morning, Illini Nation," your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. He'll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood's team:
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Jayden Epps and Brandon Lieb entered the transfer portal earlier this week. The first Illinois players to leave this offseason and third and fourth total after Skyy Clark (Louisville) and Zacharie Perrin (back to France) bailed during the season.
It didn't take long for interested programs to come calling on Epps and Lieb. The portal portion of the offseason is, as Illinois coach Brad Underwood puts it, speed dating. Interest comes fast. Wanes perhaps just as fast as more players enter the portal. It's up to nearly 1,200 now in not quite three weeks.
Epps, unsurprisingly, has all high major suitors. Lieb's list is mostly low and mid-major teams, but with Auburn, LSU and (soon to be in the Big 12) Memphis in the mix.
6'2" Jayden Epps @Jaydenepps_ , who was Illinois' best freshman & started 11 games, has heard from:
Virginia
Georgetown
NC State
Minnesota
Wisconsin
DePaul
Georgia
Pitt
Texas A&M
Auburn
LSU
Arkansas pic.twitter.com/N1diBACKx8
— ℯ ℯ (@Andrew__Slater) March 29, 2023
Since entering the portal this AM latest schools to call on 7'1 Brandon Lieb @brandonlieb12 @fraction_llc
UCSB
DePaul
Toledo
Memphis
UMass
San Francisco
Auburn
Pacific
Denver
Furman
Illinois St
LSU
Boston
NIU
EIU
Lasalle
UMKC
ETSU...
— Jack Lieb (@jack_lieb) April 1, 2023
