Illini Basketball 2025-2026
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Kansas already announced their full slate earlier today, so they're completely off the table.
1) I can't be objective in the Ayo, TSJ, Podz, Riley, KJ thing. I'm rooting hardest for TSJ & Ayo because I got to see them play a lot. I think that TSJ will have the biggest games if they ever let him play.
2) We can't get payback for the NCAA loss to Uconn in a regular season game. If we beat them by 50 they still get to keep playing. They aren't eliminated.
2) We can't get payback for the NCAA loss to Uconn in a regular season game. If we beat them by 50 they still get to keep playing. They aren't eliminated.
Not really any worse than this year is it? Basically just traded Ark and Duke for TT and UConn.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
Kansas just announced their non-con and they have UNC, Duke, UConn, Mizzou, and NC State plus the Players era(has 18 teams this year so it should be 3 or 4 games against power conference opponents).
Then they have two pretty good mid major programs in Towson and Princeton.
I'd like to see Illinois play two more power conference opponents or get into an event. If Kansas is going to be playing 8 then we should definitely be at 6 or 7 at least.
Would love to see Arizona and the Kylan Boswell revenge matchup. Also don't have an ACC matchup yet so wouldn't mind getting Duke, UNC, NC State, or Louisville on the schedule.
I also expect another preseason scrimmage against a power conference opponent like Kansas and Ole Miss.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
It seems to me that the nature of a hoops season is very different from football. This gauntlet in Nov/Dec should pay off well in the BT and in March. And I also miss the days of my youth when we'd have a couple heavyweights on the football schedule, even when we struggled (someone brought up the '85 Nebraska thrashing. That was lighter than their '86 thrashing of us in Champaign.)
You have to remember the Big Ten is special in that we play 20 conference games.
Typical sour grapes commeng here. Guy is literally a starter on a playoff team, 4th leading scorer.
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Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Brad knows how to build a competitive schedule, which results in a plethora of positive resume-building opportunities. Given the team has consistently made the tourney safely the last few seasons, I will say "yes".
It is great to see these difficult schedules year in and out as a fan.
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Bad news for Morez?
I thought Morez went to Michigan so he could jack a half dozen threes from the wing each game.
You call it brutal, I call it exciting
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
It also means that the team is in elite territory. You do not have extremely difficult schedules unless you are built to perform fairly well in them. It also means that Brad knows how to "work the system" when it comes to building out a high-quality resume for the committee. You also learn a lot more about your team facing tough competition early in the season, which I do believe has helped make us one of the winningest teams in-conference play during Brad's tenure. Give me this exciting schedule every day of the week over a matchup with Chicago State, etc. Not to mention elite players want to play in as many big time games as possible. No need to have too many cupcakes on the calendar.
MDchicago
- Lake Norman NC
It just means more...
ptgrd23
- orange county CA
I don't know if these guys are credible but they do raise important point
-Morez splitting time 50/50 with Adara at the 5. How is he better off than when he was at Illinois. They assumed both came to Michigan to get starter minutes and expand their game. Adara could only play drop coverage at UCLA which limited his playing time. Morez foul trouble kept him off the floor.
At least Morez was playing 4 at Illinois. It was his responsibility to learn post moves, drive the lane, and hit the 3. I predict Morez will hit the portal again after this year.
-Morez splitting time 50/50 with Adara at the 5. How is he better off than when he was at Illinois. They assumed both came to Michigan to get starter minutes and expand their game. Adara could only play drop coverage at UCLA which limited his playing time. Morez foul trouble kept him off the floor.
At least Morez was playing 4 at Illinois. It was his responsibility to learn post moves, drive the lane, and hit the 3. I predict Morez will hit the portal again after this year.
foby
- Bonnaroo Land
Didn't the Big12 also make the switch to a 20 game schedule last year?
Either way, Illinois can schedule 11 non-con games to get up to 31. Do they really need 5 or 6 games against 200+ Kenpom teams?
Currently have 5 power conference game scheduled. Can add two cupcakes like Eastern to get your feet wet, then schedule a quality mid major program(wouldn't hate going on the road for it though it doesn't help your net I think it's good for the game).
Still have 3 more games at that point so why not 2 more power conference opponents?
I’d argue you want at least a few more games where you can realistically get the back of your bench some minutes to see what they can do.
Will Riley was a cupcake superstar, and then struggled at the beginning of conference play. I’d bet the extra confidence from those games helped keep him motivated to figure it out
Pretty bizzare argument to look at this non-con and wanting it even more taxing.
They switched back, it was a one-year experiment.
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