Illini Basketball 2025-2026

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#131      
Oracle21
JJB said:
"
How do you feel about the Illini? Do you feel they have a Final Four-caliber lineup? — Jeremy B.

I’m going to wait to see it before I go that far, but it’s promising. This is the furthest anyone has leaned into building a roster through international imports. UCLA’s 2023-24 team would be the next closest, but Mick Cronin ended up leaning way more on his American guys on that roster. Brad Underwood doesn’t really have that choice. This team is built for his international players to be the stars.

Mihailo Petrovic is the key. He’s 22 and an MVP candidate in the Adriatic League. One buddy familiar with that league told me his one concern is Petrovic is a burner and his speed is a real advantage in that league and might not be as much of one in the college game. But it’s a good league, and you have to be a real player to be an MVP candidate. To give you an idea of the level of competition, the leading scorer for the team above Petrovic’s in the standings (KK SC Derby) is Rasir Bolton, who averaged 10.1 points per game for Gonzaga in 2022-23 on a team that made the Elite Eight. Illinois’ Tomislav Ivisic played for Derby in 2023-24 and averaged 7.1 points per game in his final season. David Mirkovic, who was his teammate and was just signed by Illinois, is averaging 8.9 points this year. Ivisic just averaged 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists in his first year at Illinois. These are real players who translate.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6342953/2025/05/09/college-basketball-sec-big-east-illinois/
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The issue with Petrovic is his shooting. He is shooting 33% from 3, and 68% on FTs.

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Most of how good this team will be comes down to coaching and if Underwood insists on shooting 3s despite guys not being good at them.

Last years 3% for the team:

Petrovic- 33%
Boswell- 24%
Stojakovic- 32%
Ivisic- 35%
Ivisic- 38%
Rodgers- uh no
Humrichous- 34%
Davis- 35%
Mirkovic- who knows

There’s no lockdown shooter other than the big Z, and he likely plays maybe half the game.

And then you got an entire team that will struggle on defense assuming no zone and mostly drop.

To me it looks like a high floor with an older team of consistent players, but a low ceiling bc don’t see the shot making, athleticism, or defense.
 
#132      
lstewart53x3
Oracle21 said:
The issue with Petrovic is his shooting. He is shooting 33% from 3, and 68% on FTs.

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Most of how good this team will be comes down to coaching and if Underwood insists on shooting 3s despite guys not being good at them.

Last years 3% for the team:

Petrovic- 33%
Boswell- 24%
Stojakovic- 32%
Ivisic- 35%
Ivisic- 38%
Rodgers- uh no
Humrichous- 34%
Davis- 35%
Mirkovic- who knows

There’s no lockdown shooter other than the big Z, and he likely plays maybe half the game.

And then you got an entire team that will struggle on defense assuming no zone and mostly drop.

To me it looks like a high floor with an older team of consistent players, but a low ceiling bc don’t see the shot making, athleticism, or defense.
Click to expand...
Why do you think Torvik has Illinois with a preseason top 10 offense and top 15 defense?
 
#134      
LvilleILL1
Oracle21 said:
The issue with Petrovic is his shooting. He is shooting 33% from 3, and 68% on FTs.

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Most of how good this team will be comes down to coaching and if Underwood insists on shooting 3s despite guys not being good at them.

Last years 3% for the team:

Petrovic- 33%
Boswell- 24%
Stojakovic- 32%
Ivisic- 35%
Ivisic- 38%
Rodgers- uh no
Humrichous- 34%
Davis- 35%
Mirkovic- who knows

There’s no lockdown shooter other than the big Z, and he likely plays maybe half the game.

And then you got an entire team that will struggle on defense assuming no zone and mostly drop.

To me it looks like a high floor with an older team of consistent players, but a low ceiling bc don’t see the shot making, athleticism, or defense.
Click to expand...
Ceiling is way higher than you think.
 
#135      
AZILL
Oracle21 said:
The issue with Petrovic is his shooting. He is shooting 33% from 3, and 68% on FTs.

basketball.eurobasket.com

Mihailo Petrovic, Basketball Player, News, Stats - Eurobasket

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Most of how good this team will be comes down to coaching and if Underwood insists on shooting 3s despite guys not being good at them.

Last years 3% for the team:

Petrovic- 33%
Boswell- 24%
Stojakovic- 32%
Ivisic- 35%
Ivisic- 38%
Rodgers- uh no
Humrichous- 34%
Davis- 35%
Mirkovic- who knows

There’s no lockdown shooter other than the big Z, and he likely plays maybe half the game.

And then you got an entire team that will struggle on defense assuming no zone and mostly drop.

To me it looks like a high floor with an older team of consistent players, but a low ceiling bc don’t see the shot making, athleticism, or defense.
Click to expand...
Okay, so comparatively speaking he was in the bottom third in 3 pt%. In my mind, anything at or above 33% is fine by me. Yeah, the FT% needs to improve, no argument there. Why did you leave out his assists, any particular reason? Probably the single most important stat for a true point guard.... Just curious?
 
#136      
blackdog
Oracle21 said:
The issue with Petrovic is his shooting. He is shooting 33% from 3, and 68% on FTs.

basketball.eurobasket.com

Mihailo Petrovic, Basketball Player, News, Stats - Eurobasket

Get the latest news, stats and more about Mihailo Petrovic on Eurobasket
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Most of how good this team will be comes down to coaching and if Underwood insists on shooting 3s despite guys not being good at them.

Last years 3% for the team:

Petrovic- 33%
Boswell- 24%
Stojakovic- 32%
Ivisic- 35%
Ivisic- 38%
Rodgers- uh no
Humrichous- 34%
Davis- 35%
Mirkovic- who knows

There’s no lockdown shooter other than the big Z, and he likely plays maybe half the game.

And then you got an entire team that will struggle on defense assuming no zone and mostly drop.

To me it looks like a high floor with an older team of consistent players, but a low ceiling bc don’t see the shot making, athleticism, or defense.
Click to expand...

His percentage on catch and shoot 3s was over 40%. Limiting the amount of off the dribble pull ups and shots off one pass will help a lot. More catch and shoot off kick outs is always a recipe for better shooting.

Stojakovic and Boswell have both shown they can get to the rim and create their own shots. Tomi will certainly be stronger in the post just by not having mono and a bum ankle not to mention and offseason with Fletch.

Defensively we know Boswell and Ty are dogs, Tomi was really solid before he got sick, and Stojakovic has all the tools to be a plus defender too. Petrovic for KJ is probably a plus on defense just because of experience. Z isn't nearly as foul prone as Morez who was really not that great positionally but was an amazing rebounder.

Really this team looks like it should have a high ceiling if everything comes together. If Mirkovic plays to potential and has a comparable season to Tomi last year and Stojakovic continues his trajectory to being a 1st team B1G guy and maybe AA then look out.
 
#137      
Brosky
You don't learn to shoot jump shots (from anywhwere) at this age.. You've either got it much earlier or you're not going to have it. I know this comment will be very unpopular on this forum, but Ty would be a plus scorer playing the low post in D3. He would also be a plus rebounder due to his size (6-6) and strength. I'd almost wish he was playing in the CCIW instead of being an offensive non factor in elite D1 competition.
 
#138      
Brosky
I agree with all you are saying. Wouldn't it be sublime if Riley returns?
 
#139      
Ga65
ColSLU69 said:
Center: I think that Illinois is set at this position with Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir Ivisic. They both need to improve their strength and work on getting better on defense. But not many teams have two athletic 7-footers who shoot so well, including 3-pointers.

Power Forward: I look at David Mirkovic, Ben Humrichous, and Jason Jakstys as our PFs. (With Ty Rodgers as a possibility to play some small-ball-PF.) That is potentially a solid group. But that brings me to my KEY #1 for the upcoming season: Mirkovic needs to be good right away, and ready to play a lot of quality minutes at PF. That means his footwork and quickness need to allow him to adequately defend talented 4s, i.e. TKR of Purdue. He will also need to show that he can make open 3s, get his shot off in the paint, and be a solid rebounder. Mirkovic playing 20-25 solid minutes per game will be very important to the 25-26 Illini.

Small Forward: Andrej Stojakovic will start at this position, and he could/should be a star player, the alpha, for the Illini. I would consider Jake Davis to be the backup at SF. His 3-point shooting was solid last season; I think it might be even better this coming season. Jake also showed a knack for getting offensive rebounds. And he works hard on defense, showing good physicality. There's a chance that he will play even better this season. (Ty Rodgers should also play minutes at the SF position this season.)

Shooting Guard: Illinois will start 6'2" Kylan Boswell at SG, although he's actually more of a Combo Guard. But Kylan has shown that he can defend taller guards/wings very well. And his offense was much better in the last month of this past season. I hope that he can play at that level again, or hopefully improve on that, including a better 3-point percentage, in the 25-26 season. Here's my KEY #2 for the upcoming season: I'm hoping that Freshman Guard Brandon Lee can step up early and provide quality minutes as a backup SG. This is the one position that I think the Illini roster is lacking in, especially regarding depth. Brandon's father, Butch Lee, was a very tough player in his day; a dawg so to speak. I hope that Brandon can bring that same toughness, that same effort, and some buckets to the Illini this coming season as a SG. (I'm hoping that Ty Rodgers has improved his shooting enough to also provide quality minutes at SG.)

Point Guard: Mihailo Petrovic will start at this position. He may not average as many points as KJ did, but he should provide as many (or more) assists than KJ. Petrovic should be very good in the pick-and-roll for this offense, and I expect him to have less careless turnovers than KJ. But Petrovic must somehow show the ability to defend at a high level in order to really excel for the Illini this coming season. I believe that Kylan Boswell will, in effect, be the backup PG for the Illini in 25-26.

My KEY #3 is Ty Rodgers. I'm hoping that his shooting has improved enough to allow him to play quality minutes at PG, SG, SF, and PF as needed. I'd like to see Ty get a LOT of minutes of playing time at all four positions. When I mention improved shooting, I'm not even talking about 3s. I'd like to see him improve on finishing at the hoop, improve his FT percentage, and be able to consistently make 12–15-foot jumpers. That improved shooting, when added to his rebounding, passing, defense, and effort plays, would make Ty a crucial part of the Illini in 25-26.
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Is there a possibility that big Z and Tomi will play together for some minutes? Need a defensive adjustment but would work offensively.
 
#140      
Illwinsagain
Ga65 said:
Is there a possibility that big Z and Tomi will play together for some minutes? Need a defensive adjustment but would work offensively.
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I am no expert or basketball savant, but do believe making the twin towers work offensively is the easy part. They can both drain 3's and are good passers. Defensively, who guards the "4". I know, positionless, so to re-phrase, who guards a 6'8", 235 lb athlete that can drive the lane effectively with a reasonable jump shot?
 
#141      
NarrowJ
Illwinsagain said:
I am no expert or basketball savant, but do believe making the twin towers work offensively is the easy part. They can both drain 3's and are good passers. Defensively, who guards the "4". I know, positionless, so to re-phrase, who guards a 6'8", 235 lb athlete that can drive the lane effectively with a reasonable jump shot?
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Hmm maybe Draymond or Kawhi? Keep in mind you’re describing an NBA player here. Not many guys in college have that many boxes checked: elite size/strength & athleticism while also being adept ball handlers and can shoot out to 20+ feet. You’re describing Pascal Siakam or Julius Randle.

I’m more concerned about teams immediately throwing a 4th guard out there if we try that big lineup. Not all teams will have the personnel to do that, but that’s how you’d counter the twin towers imo.
 
#142      
Ga65
NarrowJ said:
Hmm maybe Draymond or Kawhi? Keep in mind you’re describing an NBA player here. Not many guys in college have that many boxes checked: elite size/strength & athleticism while also being adept ball handlers and can shoot out to 20+ feet. You’re describing Pascal Siakam or Julius Randle.

I’m more concerned about teams immediately throwing a 4th guard out there if we try that big lineup. Not all teams will have the personnel to do that, but that’s how you’d counter the twin towers imo.
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Does it depend on how the game refs call it. Final four was very physical and size and muscle were vital. Wasn’t the same game in the BIG where air fouls were called on drives to the rim. Think BIG has to reconsider officiating if we want to compete in Nationals.
 
#143      
RabidDawgClassic
Ga65 said:
Does it depend on how the game refs call it. Final four was very physical and size and muscle were vital. Wasn’t the same game in the BIG where air fouls were called on drives to the rim. Think BIG has to reconsider officiating if we want to compete in Nationals.
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I’m old enough to remember when the narrative was that the B1G was too physical, the refs never called fouls except for 30 feet from the rim and the conference needed to reconsider officiating if its teams wanted to compete in the NCAA Tournament.
 
#144      
Gordon Shumway
My original thought on this was that we, as fans, forget that these are college kids, and maybe they want to go home to their families, eat Thanksgiving dinner, and just get a break from school/basketball.
Then I remembered that half of our team has never celebrated Thanksgiving.
 
#147      
Bigtex
Dan said:
Welcome to the Illini Basketball & College Basketball news thread :illinois:


------------------------------------------------
IL Returnees
Ty Rodgers
Kylan Boswell
Jake Davis
Tomislav Ivisic
Ben Humrichous
Jason Jakstys
AJ Redd

IL Signees
Keaton Wagler
Brandon Lee
Zvonimir Ivisic
Andrej Stojakovic
David Mirkovic

New IL Commits
Mihailo Petrovic
Blake Fagbemi


------------------------------------------------
Reported non-conference games

United Center game vs Alabama on Wednesday, November 19th [Info]
Braggin' Rights in St. Louis, date TBD


Illinois' Big Ten opponents for 2025-26

Home & Away – Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern
Home Only – Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Rutgers, Washington, Wisconsin
Away Only – Iowa, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Purdue, UCLA, USC


Last year, the full non-conference schedule was released on August 20th, the Big Ten schedule released on September 19th.
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Seems the roster is short on ball handlers/guards and unknown at the power forward:

Guard - Petrovic and Boswell seem to be very capable plus 3 freshman?

Power Forward - Mirkovic, Humrichous, Z, Jackstys, and Rodgers - unproven is the key word here - This group could develop into a viable power forward.
 
#149      
Mobi
The fact he recruited Stojakovic (not Peja) tells me maybe he is changing his approach a little bit to play more inside game? Maybe just my wishful thinking...

I miss Plummer...
 
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