Fighting Illini basketball received a much needed break back in May when senior center Mike Thorne Jr. was granted a sixth year of eligibility by the NCAA. While Thorne nears the end of a long recovery from knee surgery, he's shaping up to be a huge part of what should be a surprisingly strong four-man rotation in Illinois' front court.
Illini Inquirer's Derek Piper recently caught up with the big man to discuss preparations for his final collegiate season, as well as the program's 2016-17 outlook. Thorne also mentioned that he's, "excited to show people how good [Illinois is] going to be.