Illini Basketball 2026-2027

#476      
hooraybeer
pruman91 said:
Allowing for puke to having an elite roster on an annual basis , my major question is " how good of a
coach is John Scheyer ?? ".......... is he a top 5 coach ??...............as talented as puke usually is , are their players overrated or is it their coach that is lacking ?.............

The Illini have the talent on our roster to be Top 5 starting the season and there is zero chance I would trade BU for JS........

ZERO CHANCE......................JMHO.......................
Click to expand...
pru i know you spend enough time on this board to know this has been a frequent topic of discussion
 
#477      
EyeoftheIllini
Guest said:
I think it was Warren’s decision not to grant Illinois a share of the Big Ten title in 2021. Illinois finished the COVID-19 season with the most conference wins at 16-4, beating Michigan on its home court, but the Wolverines won the outright regular season championship with a 14-3 record. Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman advocated last March for the Illini to receive their due.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I remember that, but I could swear there was something that happened at media days one year. Thought it was getting the schools name wrong. Maybe it was mispronouncing a name like Bielema. Maybe I’m crazy.
 
#478      
Guest
EyeoftheIllini said:
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I remember that, but I could swear there was something that happened at media days one year. Thought it was getting the schools name wrong. Maybe it was mispronouncing a name like Bielema. Maybe I’m crazy.
Click to expand...
Well, he did talk about it at the following year’s basketball media days. Maybe that is what you are thinking of? Here is something I found: Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren doubled down on his decision, along with league leaders, to not award Illinois a share of the Big Ten basketball title last season. Warren was asked about the situation during his opening remarks of the conference’s basketball media day at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on Thursday morning (this was in early October of ’21).
 
#480      
Oracle21
The 2026-27 team reminds me a lot of 00-01. Where you had a big physical team of upperclassmen. (Cook, Marcus, Sergio, Bradford, Archibald, Lucas, Frank, Damir)…what a loaded team that was.

With us being preseason #1 in Athletic I think the vibes are similar.
 
#481      
Fighter of the Nightman
EyeoftheIllini said:
Thanks for the reply. Yes, I remember that, but I could swear there was something that happened at media days one year. Thought it was getting the schools name wrong. Maybe it was mispronouncing a name like Bielema. Maybe I’m crazy.
Click to expand...
You might be combining two memories, as I’m pretty sure when he was (awkwardly forced to be) presenting us the 2021 BTT Championship onstage after that game, he was being booed the whole time and (IIRC) did accidentally say “Illinois University.”

I usually try not to give TOO hot of takes on a Saturday afternoon, but I truly don’t understand the perspective that Warren was not a total moron and a half. 🤣
 
#482      
EyeoftheIllini
Fighter of the Nightman said:
You might be combining two memories, as I’m pretty sure when he was (awkwardly forced to be) presenting us the 2021 BTT Championship onstage after that game, he was being booed the whole time and (IIRC) did accidentally say “Illinois University.”

I usually try not to give TOO hot of takes on a Saturday afternoon, but I truly don’t understand the perspective that Warren was not a total moron and a half. 🤣
Click to expand...
That must be it. Thought it was at media day, but was pretty sure it was him saying Illinois University. Thanks.
 
#483      
WhereDoWeStandWithStorr?
Fly Illini Fly! said:
Should be free link:

https://twitter.com/x/status/2060725298329706807

“1. Illinois​

Starters: Stefan Vaaks (No. 11 transfer, 6-7 CG), Jake Davis, Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic
Other notable returners: Zvonimir Ivisic
Newcomers: Quentin Coleman (No. 13 freshman, 6-4 SG), Lucas Morillo (No. 52 freshman, 6-7 SG), Zavier Zens (No. 52 freshman, 6-7 SG), Ethan Brown (No. 170 freshman, 6-4 CG), Landon Davis (No. 150 freshman, 6-8 PF)

Here’s my logic for going against consensus by slotting Illinois over Florida: The Illini finished one spot ahead of the Gators in the KenPom rankings, made the Final Four out of the same region and return four players who started at least 21 games on a historically efficient offense. Illinois has to replace a lottery pick, while Florida just has to replace guard Xaivian Lee; that’s a point in Florida’s favor. But I’d argue that Illinois has upgraded its bench and found the perfect Keaton Wagler replacement in Stefan Vaaks.

The Illini have the nation’s best backup big in Zvonimir Ivisic and need to hit on just one or two of their four freshman guards to round out the rotation. A reason for believing the bench could be improved is the addition of Quentin Coleman, who recently moved from No. 34 in his class to 13th, landing in five-star territory.

This will be another year together for a lovable core that had to gain confidence from its tourney run. Losing Kylan Boswell and Ben Humrichous will be a hit to the defense, and my biggest question is team speed, particularly on the perimeter, but this offense should be awesome again, and David Mirkovic is about to become a star. If Vaaks or Coleman end up looking like an NBA prospect, the ceiling is higher than a year ago because of the continuity in Champaign.”
Click to expand...
Do not agree with that analysis.

Coleman is not coming off the bench, and we have not upgraded our bench (though I won't say it's a significant downgrade). We lost Ben, and replaced with Morillo.

Overall, it implies the view of someone who isn't deeply in-tuned with our team.
illiniwil said:
this is a 72-75 ppg team. we're not a fast break team with 2 of Tomi, Z, Mirk on the floor
together.
Click to expand...
Talk about ignorance LMAO.

2026: 83.2ppg
2025: 83.6ppg
2024: 83.4ppg
 
Last edited:
Back