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Illinois Basketball: 3 reasons landing Luke Goode is huge for the Illini

By Rees Woodcock

CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 11: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood signals a play during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 11, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
CHAMPAIGN, IL - JANUARY 11: Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood signals a play during the Big Ten Conference college basketball game between the Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Illinois Fighting Illini on January 11, 2020, at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Allio/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – JANUARY 21: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini is seen during the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Mackey Arena on January 21, 2020 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

1. Indiana pipeline

The Illinois basketball team has seen a tremendous amount of success on the recruiting trail over the years. But one state that hasn’t produced much talent for the Orange and Blue has been Indiana.

Before Friday night, when Fort Wayne, Indiana native Luke Goode pledged his commitment to the Illini, the last recruit from the state of Indiana to do the same was Jalen Coleman-Lands. He was from the Indianapolis area but played up at La Lumiere in Portage, Indiana.

Beyond Coleman-Lands, I got through the 1995 season and there wasn’t a single player from the state of Indiana. That is how dry our recruiting has been in a state that is no more than an hour’s drive away. Granted, we did land one other recruit in the late 2000s who could have helped us, but he backed out of his commitment at the last second. But I digress.

Goode is a massive get for the Illini because he could be the start of something special in the Hoosier state. He could be the start of a pipeline that would prove crucial to the success of the Illini. There is a ton of talent that usually stays in-state when it comes to recruiting Indiana. Underwood and his coaching staff look to be shaking up the norms.

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