Illini Basketball 2025-2026

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#26      
Konnie
I would expect a marquee non-conference game to be held at SFC this year. At this point, the local season ticket holders have to be disappointed that there are no non-conference marquee games scheduled at SFC this year.
 
#27      
The Galloping Ghost
altgeld88 said:
My sole question about this matchup is whether Brad will have to dig deep in his pockets to foot the bill for the guys staying in the Big Apple for an extra night to see this sights, and then bi%$h about how cheap Josh is at a public press conference during the tournament in March.

IYKYK :LOL:
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A real piece of work lol.

kevin-willard.png
 
#28      
saleen970
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Yep. I get fans griping about moving games away from cool campus venues, and I totally understand why that would bother season ticketholders who've paid good money to see games on-campus. However, it seems clear as day that some decision makers somewhere are setting up these marquee games at neutral sites in big-time markets. I don't know all of the economics behind money changing hands between the venues/NBA franchises, the networks and the programs, but it obviously is working out in the end, haha.

Bottom line? These marquee games will continue to be played at big-time neutral sites, and I for one would prefer we are not left out in the cold!
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I was thinking from a recruits standpoint wanting to come to Illinois because they play in these venues. The games always get hyped for the venue and the high profile team we are likely playing. I always get excited for them.
 
#30      
PepeSilvia
I would like to see more home and home matchups with good programs. You just can't beat the atmosphere of on campus venues with students on campus. I also think going and playing those games is good for teams to prepare for the conference season.

I'm completely fine with neutral site events though and I'd like to see a yearly game at the United Center. Maybe one yearly one in Chicago and another at MSG or something. It would also be a good idea to schedule them when students aren't on campus so Thanksgiving and Christmas breaks are ideal.

You lose your home court advantage during breaks anyways so may as well use that time for your neutral site events.
 
#32      
IlliniFan42
Konnie said:
I would expect a marquee non-conference game to be held at SFC this year. At this point, the local season ticket holders have to be disappointed that there are no non-conference marquee games scheduled at SFC this year.
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I'm pro-marquee games away from SFC. A lot more value in the quad system.
 
#33      
altgeld88
saleen970 said:
You know the players love playing in those venues as well!
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Fighter of the Nightman said:
Yep. I get fans griping about moving games away from cool campus venues, and I totally understand why that would bother season ticketholders who've paid good money to see games on-campus. However, it seems clear as day that some decision makers somewhere are setting up these marquee games at neutral sites in big-time markets. I don't know all of the economics behind money changing hands between the venues/NBA franchises, the networks and the programs, but it obviously is working out in the end, haha.

Bottom line? These marquee games will continue to be played at big-time neutral sites, and I for one would prefer we are not left out in the cold!
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I want the Illini to play in MSG every single season. Twice if possible.

Not for the selfish reason of being able to drive 3-1/2 hours to see them play, but because (and I say this as no great fan of NYC) it's the premier USA indoor sports venue and allows the program to mark its expanded territory regularly like a German Shepherd making the neighborhood rounds.

Despite the fact the we got taken to the woodshed in February, I was overwhelmed by the O&B turnout in the Garden. And nearly all of us stayed to the bitter, torturous, hideous end. That sort of beating ain't gonna happen again.
 
#34      
Fighter of the Nightman
Konnie said:
I would expect a marquee non-conference game to be held at SFC this year. At this point, the local season ticket holders have to be disappointed that there are no non-conference marquee games scheduled at SFC this year.
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Yeah, I am surprised we have not heard more about scheduling. FWIW, these have been our Power Five non-conference opponents in each of Underwood's seasons since 2019-20:

2019-20
H - vs. Miami (FL) (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
N - vs. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
A - at Arizona

2020-21 (Shortened COVID Season)
[No home games]
N - vs. Baylor (Indianapolis, IN)
A - at Duke (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
A - at Missouri (Braggin' Rights moved to campus)

2021-22
H - vs. Notre Dame (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
H - vs. Arizona
N - vs. Kansas State (Kansas City, MO)
N - vs. Cincinnati (Kansas City, MO)
N - vs. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
A - at Marquette (Gavitt Tipoff Games)

2022-23
H - vs. Syracuse (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
N - vs. UCLA (Las Vegas, NV)
N - vs. Virginia (Las Vegas, NV)
N - vs. Texas (New York, NY)
N - vs. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
[No away games]

2023-24
H - vs. Marquette
N - vs. FAU (New York, NY)
N - vs. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
A - at Tennessee

2024-25
H - vs. Tennessee
N - "at" Alabama (Birmingham, AL)
N - vs. Arkansas (Kansas City, MO)
N - vs. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
N - vs. Duke (New York, NY)
[No away games]

2025-26 (Incomplete)
[No home games yet]
N - vs. Alabama (Chicago, IL)
N - "at" Tennessee (Nashville, TN)
N - "at" UConn (New York, NY) [not finalized]
N - vs. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
[No away games yet]

So we have had at least one home game vs. a Power Five opponent during all of those seasons, though admittedly some were a part of the Big Ten/ACC Challenge or Gavitt Tipoff Games arrangements.
 
#35      
PepeSilvia
ptgrd23 said:
Brad is fearless.

Hopefully the UConn championship teams were a fluke and they are back to normal. Last year they seemed human. 24-11 3rd in big east. They did lose to eventual champions Florida first weekend. 77-75.

JMO I have Hurley as best coach in NCAA (even though I hate the stupid facial expressions he does during games). Give him credit for turning down blank check from UK. Could have been first $15M/year coach.
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I don't really think they were a fluke but I dont think this years UConn team is nearly as good as the two title teams. However, I do think they legitimately run the best offense in college but that doesn't mean they are unstoppable.

They will return 3 pretty good contributors in Ball, Karaban, and Reed plus Jaylin Stewart has a ton of upside imo. They also return Jayden Ross who hasn't done much of anything but was a fairly highly touted recruit and has good size/athleticism on the wing.

As for incoming talent, in the portal they got Malachi Smith from Dayton who should be a solid veteran point guard though hes also only 5'11ish(able to knock down open 3's, good facilitator, but struggles to score inside with his size). The other add is a very athletic combo guard in Silas Demary who is a capable shooter but struggled to score efficiently from 2.

Their freshman class Braylon Mullins(ranked between 10-15), 7 footer Eric Reuben, and Jacob Furphy(not related to Johnny).

Probably getting way ahead of myself and a lot of things can change between now and November. However while they seem like they should be a capable team they don't present the same matchup issues that the team 2 years ago did. They do have a lot of shooting but they are actually pretty small compared to the two title teams. Only two interior guys are Reed and a freshman in Reibe. Ball and Smith is an undersized backcourt and Mullins isn't very physically developed in contrast to a freshman like Kon Knuepel.

I think the Illini will actually match up pretty well for a revenge game though Ty was the only one here.
 
#37      
Fighter of the Nightman
IlliniFan42 said:
I'm pro-marquee games away from SFC. A lot more value in the quad system.
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I have said before that I am no expert regarding how to stagger this by season logistically, but I love the setups like we are currently doing with Tennessee, where it is a 4-year series and we play a home-away-home neutral-away neutral format. The only other example I can for sure think of (in addition to Tennessee) is Gonzaga, as shown below:

Tennessee
Knoxville in 2023-24
Champaign in 2024-25
Nashville in 2025-26
Chicago in 2026-27

Gonzaga
Chicago in 2009-10
Seattle in 2010-11
Champaign in 2011-12
Spokane in 2012-13

We have done a lot of 2-year setups and even a 4-year setup all at neutral sites (Arkansas from 2002-2005) over the last 25+ years, but I like the setup we did with Gonzaga and Tennessee ... best of both worlds! For anyone who would like a trip down memory lane (excluding Big Ten/ACC setup):

[UConn game looks like it is an even more similar to our game vs. Arkansas last year rather than a contract with a return Chicago game?]

Alabama
2024-25 in Birmingham
2025-26 in Chicago

Tennessee
Knoxville in 2023-24
Champaign in 2024-25
Nashville in 2025-26
Chicago in 2026-27

--- Regular scheduling of a United Center game stops ---

Oregon
2013-14 in Portland
2014-15 in Chicago

Auburn
2012-13 in Chicago
2013-14 in Atlanta

Gonzaga
Chicago in 2009-10
Seattle in 2010-11
Champaign in 2011-12
Spokane in 2012-13

Georgia
Chicago in 2008-09
Atlanta in 2009-10

Arizona
2006-07 in Phoenix
2007-08 in Chicago

Xavier
2005-06 in Chicago
2006-07 in Cincinnati (neutral arena)

Oregon
2004-05 in Chicago
2005-06 in Portland

Arkansas
2001-02 in Chicago
2002-03 in Little Rock
2003-04 in Chicago
2004-05 in Little Rock

Arizona
Chicago in 2000-01
Phoenix in 2001-02

Kansas
Kansas City in 1998-99
Chicago in 1999-2000

Clemson
Chicago in 1997-98
Greensboro in 1998-99
 
#41      
1m4tr
I seem to remember watching Illinois lose to I think Villanova at MSG pre Covid? Am I remembering that correctly?
 
#45      
JJB
abchew2 said:
Makes sense now that Hurley will never do a preseason tournament again after his Maui experience lol
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IIRC, doesn't Underwood share that sentiment with Hurley about disliking the preseason holiday tournaments?
 
#46      
JJB
RabidDawgClassic said:
That would probably be the second best option, but man, I’d love to see the crowd go crazy at the House of Paign when Brad walks out of tunnel sporting that sweet Balkan tracksuit.
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Updated preseason rankings in the Athletic, post-draft declaration deadline. Pretty much hits all the main Loyalty off-season talking points: (1) Balkan moneyball experiment is fascinating; (2) defense is a potential concern; and (3) the tracksuit picture is sick and needs to happen IRL.

Men’s college basketball Top 25 reset: How transfers, draft decisions change 2026’s contenders ($)​

"11. Illinois​

Projected starters: Mihailo Petrovic (international), Kylan Boswell, Andrej Stojakovic (transfer), David Mirkovic (international), Tomislav Ivisic
Notable returners: Ben Humrichous, Ty Rodgers, Jake Davis
Other newcomers: Zvonimir Ivisic (transfer), Brandon Lee, Keaton Wagler

I cannot wait to see how the Balkan Illini come together. Head coach Brad Underwood decided a year ago to put most of his money toward international recruiting instead of top-line high schoolers or transfers, which gave him a head start with some of the top European prospects coming over this year. The headliner is Mihailo Petrovic, a 22-year-old point guard who was an MVP candidate in the Adriatic League, averaging 14.2 points and 7.3 assists playing against professionals. It’s the same league where the Ivisic brothers played before coming to the U.S., and Underwood went there to get likely starting power forward David Mirkovic as well. Andrej Stojakovic never played in the Adriatic League, but his dad, Peja, is from Croatia. Andrej averaged 17.9 points for a bad Cal team, but he’s meant to be the second or third or fourth option for the Illini.

Defense is a question mark, but this team is going to run beautiful offense. Next order of business: Nike needs to make this orange tracksuit for Underwood, and he must coach in it."
 
#47      
ptgrd23
Lou was big believer of cupcakes in Nov Dec unless we were invited to Maui or Rainbow classic. The Bragging Rights game was only potential loss.
Occassionally we would play Loyola at Rosemount Horizon during Christmas break.

Illini Classic : typical field: Army, Eastern Illinois, Western Illinois
 
#48      
RabidDawgClassic
JJB said:
Updated preseason rankings in the Athletic, post-draft declaration deadline. Pretty much hits all the main Loyalty off-season talking points: (1) Balkan moneyball experiment is fascinating; (2) defense is a potential concern; and (3) the tracksuit picture is sick and needs to happen IRL.

Men’s college basketball Top 25 reset: How transfers, draft decisions change 2026’s contenders ($)​

"11. Illinois​

Projected starters: Mihailo Petrovic (international), Kylan Boswell, Andrej Stojakovic (transfer), David Mirkovic (international), Tomislav Ivisic
Notable returners: Ben Humrichous, Ty Rodgers, Jake Davis
Other newcomers: Zvonimir Ivisic (transfer), Brandon Lee, Keaton Wagler

I cannot wait to see how the Balkan Illini come together. Head coach Brad Underwood decided a year ago to put most of his money toward international recruiting instead of top-line high schoolers or transfers, which gave him a head start with some of the top European prospects coming over this year. The headliner is Mihailo Petrovic, a 22-year-old point guard who was an MVP candidate in the Adriatic League, averaging 14.2 points and 7.3 assists playing against professionals. It’s the same league where the Ivisic brothers played before coming to the U.S., and Underwood went there to get likely starting power forward David Mirkovic as well. Andrej Stojakovic never played in the Adriatic League, but his dad, Peja, is from Croatia. Andrej averaged 17.9 points for a bad Cal team, but he’s meant to be the second or third or fourth option for the Illini.

Defense is a question mark, but this team is going to run beautiful offense. Next order of business: Nike needs to make this orange tracksuit for Underwood, and he must coach in it."
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Uh.... maybe the second option, but I don't see him as third or fourth. I suspect he'll be number one.
 
#49      
NarrowJ
JJB said:
Updated preseason rankings in the Athletic, post-draft declaration deadline. Pretty much hits all the main Loyalty off-season talking points: (1) Balkan moneyball experiment is fascinating; (2) defense is a potential concern; and (3) the tracksuit picture is sick and needs to happen IRL.

Men’s college basketball Top 25 reset: How transfers, draft decisions change 2026’s contenders ($)​

"11. Illinois​

Projected starters: Mihailo Petrovic (international), Kylan Boswell, Andrej Stojakovic (transfer), David Mirkovic (international), Tomislav Ivisic
Notable returners: Ben Humrichous, Ty Rodgers, Jake Davis
Other newcomers: Zvonimir Ivisic (transfer), Brandon Lee, Keaton Wagler

I cannot wait to see how the Balkan Illini come together. Head coach Brad Underwood decided a year ago to put most of his money toward international recruiting instead of top-line high schoolers or transfers, which gave him a head start with some of the top European prospects coming over this year. The headliner is Mihailo Petrovic, a 22-year-old point guard who was an MVP candidate in the Adriatic League, averaging 14.2 points and 7.3 assists playing against professionals. It’s the same league where the Ivisic brothers played before coming to the U.S., and Underwood went there to get likely starting power forward David Mirkovic as well. Andrej Stojakovic never played in the Adriatic League, but his dad, Peja, is from Croatia. Andrej averaged 17.9 points for a bad Cal team, but he’s meant to be the second or third or fourth option for the Illini.

Defense is a question mark, but this team is going to run beautiful offense. Next order of business: Nike needs to make this orange tracksuit for Underwood, and he must coach in it."
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Odd to me that (1) they left Tomi and Kylan off of Notable Returners and (2) they think AS is going to be 4th option on offense
 
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