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Illinois Target Alex Constanza Schedules Visit With Rival Georgetown
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is shown during the second half of their second round NCAA men’ s basketball tournament game Sunday, March 23, 2025 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Kentucky beat Illinois 84-75. Mark Hoffman / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It has been nearly two full years since Illinois first extended an offer to 2026 prospect Alex Constanza, the nation’s No. 21 overall prospect according to 247Sports.

In the time since, Costanza, a 6-foot-8 wing from SPIRE Academy (Geneva, Ohio), has added a handful of offers and taken a pair of visits, one of which was to Champaign back in December of last year (and the other to Syracuse).

Now, according to Joe Tipton of On3 Sports, Constanza has scheduled another visit, this one to an all-too-familiar foe: Georgetown.

Although the Illini haven’t matched up with the Hoyas on the court since 2018, the programs dominated headlines during the early stages of the 2024 season. When complimenting then-Georgetown guard Jayden Epps (a former Illini and NCAA journeyman who is now at Mississippi State), Hoyas coach Ed Cooley made an unprompted rant attacking Illinois' program.

At the time, Illini coach Brad Underwood didn’t offer much of a response, simply stating the situation was “not even worth wasting [his] time on.” But one has to assume there's at least a bit of bad blood that remains between the schools now battling it out for an elite prospect in Constanza.

Constanza currently holds at least 13 offers, according to 247Sports, including those from top programs Alabama, Auburn, Florida and St. John’s. But the Illini still hold what may be a key advantage over the competition in the recruitment of Constanza, whose father grew up with Illinois assistant Orlando Antigua in New York.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Ty Rodgers' Injury: How It Will Shake Up Illinois' Projected Rotation

Illinois Basketball Extends Offer to Top-40 Prospect From Class of 2026

Three Key Illinois Basketball Targets Climb in Updated 247Sports Rankings

This article first appeared on Illinois Fighting Illini on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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