Good Morning, Illini Nation: The transfer portal game has begun

Mar. 12—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:

If every Illinois player who can return in 2023-24 does return, the Illini will have a single scholarship to work with this coming offseason. The only certain changes to the roster are Matthew Mayer leaving after exhausting his eligibility and incoming freshmen Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Amani Hansberry arriving in Champaign.

Now, will all 12 players with remaining eligibility return? Odds are low.

So Brad Underwood and Co. will likely hit the transfer portal. The Illinois coach has already tested the waters, apparently, with Stockrisers' Jake Weingarten reporting that the Illini are among one of many teams to reach out to Towson guard Nick Timberlake.

Newest schools in the mix for Towson transfer Nick Timberlake, as he told @Stockrisers: Iowa, Providence, San Diego State, Wisconsin, Arkansas, and Virginia Tech. https://t.co/8mPWgFmZj5

— Jake (@jakeweingarten) March 11, 2023

Timberlake will be in his sixth year of college basketball in 2023-24. The 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard was granted a redshirt after playing just nine games in 2018-19 and has been a full-time starter for the Tigers the last three seasons. Timberlake had a career year at Towson this season, averaging 17.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists. The scoring and assist averages were both career highs.

Most notably? Timberlake can shoot. The Braintree, Mass., native shot a career high 41.6 percent from three-point range this past season on nearly seven attempts per game and is a career 37.9 percent shooter. Could be helpful for an Illinois team that's primed to finish the 2022-23 season with one of the five worst team three-point shooting percentages in program history. (More on that in a morning to come).

Even if Timberlake goes elsewhere and this turns out to be nothing but a check in on a possible target, Illinois will almost assuredly had a transfer before the 2023-24 season starts. Probably more than one.