Illini Basketball 2025-2026

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#826      
Not sure where to put this, but does anyone remember about when the balance of the 2025/2026 schedule will be released based on lasts year?

Thanks!
 
#831      
Not wanting to be a Negative Nellie, but my pragmatic view after watching his highlight tape raises an obvious question. Can this kid guard anyone? That is certainly not what pops out. I would expect Braden Smith to be very much looking forward to going against the Illini unless Petro morphs into a much better defender quickly. Sure, I like his court vision and handle but shooting and defending are just as important, if not more so, in being a plus player in the B1G. And I am not saying he can't, just saying my eyes have not seen it...yet I hope they do at some point.
Wouldn't Kylan be on Smith? Maybe not I dont recall. He is a tough cover for anyone but Mihailo will be too.
 
#832      
Illini Basketball Dancing GIF by Fighting Illini Athletics
 
#834      
Where are the cupcakes? Has BU lost his mind? And it's a long time between 12/6 and 12/22.
 
#837      
So is the full roster on campus and practicing together now?
 
#838      
B for me.

A was just an average season salvaged by winning one game you weren't supposed to in the tournament. They don't hang banners for Elite Eights.

I would be satisfied with either season in a vacuum but I wouldn't want either one to become the norm.
With only 4 losses I think it would be more likely you'd be a 1 seed. Basically B would be very similar to the '21 season for us. Great team but that disappointing loss to Loyola left a really bad taste in the mouth.
 
#842      
So is the full roster on campus and practicing together now?
I don’t think so. I don’t think Mihailo Petrovic is there yet. I am pretty confident that it would have been announced here in bold if he were. And you would hear the Illini fans cheering in the streets. And I think one of the insiders said he wasn’t expecting him until mid-August or maybe even the end of August, I don’t remember which.
 
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#843      
I'm flipping over to Illini basketball (from Illini football) for a moment to briefly catch-up on things. Is it true we're finally "whole" with the exception of Ty?
 
#844      
I'm flipping over to Illini basketball (from Illini football) for a moment to briefly catch-up on things. Is it true we're finally "whole" with the exception of Ty?
No. Mirk and Petrovic have both signed and Mirk has arrived in CU… but neither have cleared the formal NCAA ruling yet, and until Petrovic gets here he’s also subject to Trump’s student visa nonsense. It’s the waiting game for both of them.
 
#846      
A for sure. Regular season means nothing, it's guaranteed money and the schedule is imbalanced. There's 30+ conference champions every year. Being a 2-seed and losing early makes you a choke-job/seeding mistake.

March Madness is the true judge of a team's value and getting to the Elite Eight means you're for real. And you got your conference a good deal of money.
 
#848      
B, no question. It's elation from November through Selection Sunday and a banner being raised vs mediocrity for 5 months and absolutely nothing to show for it.

Whether you lose in the 2nd around or the Elite 8, you leave the tournament with the exactly the same thing that you had going in......which is absolutely nothing.

If you add Final Four to option A...that's a different story.
 
#850      
B, no question. It's elation from November through Selection Sunday and a banner being raised vs mediocrity for 5 months and absolutely nothing to show for it.

Whether you lose in the 2nd around or the Elite 8, you leave the tournament with the exactly the same thing that you had going in......which is absolutely nothing.

If you add Final Four to option A...that's a different story.
I agree. In terms of priority i’d go:

1. National Championship Game
2. Final Four
3. Regular Season Championship
4. Elite 8
5. Sweet 16
6. Conference Tournament Championship
7. Round Of 32
8. Round of 64
 
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