Illinois is reportedly in pursuit of a pair of transfers.
The Illini are reportedly one of seven teams in the running for Merrill Holden, a Chicago native who spent the past two seasons at Louisiana Tech, according to a report from ESPN's Jeff Goodman.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Chicago sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Holden, a 6-foot-8 forward, spent one season at a community college before spending the past two years at Louisiana Tech. He made 16 starts last season as a junior, averaging 7.8 points and 4.9 rebounds in 22.4 minutes a game.
Holden missed the first 10 games of the season but averaged 10.7 points a game during a 13-game stretch from mid-January through the end of February, posting his lone double-double of the season with 13 points and 11 rebounds in a win over North Texas.
Additionally, Jalen Hudson, who spent the past two seasons with the Hokies before being granted his release about a week ago, has been contacted by the Illini and 11 other teams according to another report from Goodman.
Hudson, a 5-foot-6 guard, averaged 7.9 points and two rebounds a game in 19.6 minutes a game last season. His 3-point shooting improved dramatically from his freshman season to his sophomore season, growing from 28.3 percent to 35.6 percent. But his overall shooting numbers took a big hit, dropping from 47.9 percent as a freshman to 39.5 percent as a sophomore.
Hudson had a few huge scoring performances last season, putting up 23 points in a win over North Carolina State, scoring 27 points in a loss to Louisville and dropping a season-high 28 points in a win over Princeton in the NIT.
Big Ten
Illinois is facing plenty of roster uncertainty heading into next season. The team is waiting to see if Mike Thorne Jr. will earn a medical redshirt, and Leron Black, Kendrick Nunn and Jaylon Tate are all facing legal situations and remain indefinitely suspended.