The 200 Level with Mike Carpenter: A Fighting Illini Fan Podcast

Kofi Cockburn helps lead Illinois to a 76-64 win over Maryland with a dominant performance. Mike Carpenter reacts as the Illini overcome a halftime deficit thanks to hot shooting from Trent Frazier and a 2nd-half for the ages from Kofi (16 of his 23 points, 15 of his 18 rebounds).

After nearly two weeks off, Illinois basketball returns with a dominating 76-53 win at Minnesota. Mike Carpenter, Trevor Vallese and Isaac Ambrose react during the second half as the Illini improve to 3-0 in the Big Ten behind Kofi's double-double and a balanced offensive attack. They also discuss the big news from the football program, as Bret Bielema fires offensive coordinator Tony Petersen.

Illinois basketball gets a much-needed win in the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, beating Notre Dame 82-72. Mike Carpenter reacts during the second half in a game where Kofi Cockburn dominates with 28 points, Alfonso Plummer adds 21, and Frazier and Grandison return sooner than expected.

Kofi Cockburn is coming back to Illinois for his junior season, capping off a roller coaster of an offseason for Brad Underwood's program. Mike Carpenter reacts to the huge news, lofty expectations for the 2022 team, and how this bodes well for future recruiting in the NIL era.

72 hours later, Mike Carpenter is still trying to grasp how an Illini basketball season full of exhilarating highs could end in such an anticlimactic fashion. He discusses the wide range of emotions - grateful to angry, fulfilled to empty - and how this team's legacy is impacted by their early tournament exit.