Illini Basketball 2025-2026

Fighter of the Nightman said:

I was going to say, I am not sure if it was the longest ever, but I SO distinctly remember us losing at home to an unranked PSU team after a buzzer beater (by McBride??) was waived off, ending a home winning streak of 30+ games.

If that streak was 33 games, it REALLY is a shame that we dropped the ball so hard vs. a bad PSU team. If that buzzer beater counted and we survived, the home winning streak eventually would have reached 42 games (!!) before we lost to Maryland at home in the 2006-07 Big Ten/ACC Challenge. FWIW, these are the longest home winning streaks in the Underwood Era ... one aspect of this resurgence that has left a LOT to be desired, if you ask me. We need to get Champaign back to a place where opponents simply don't come away with a W.

10 games from Jan. 19, 2021 to Dec. 11, 2021 ... ended by losing to #11 Arizona
9 games from Feb. 24, 2020 to Jan. 10, 2021 ... ended by losing to Maryland
8 games from Jan. 24, 2023 to Nov. 14, 2023 ... ended by losing to #4 Marquette
7 games from Dec. 11, 2019 to Feb. 7, 2020 ... ended by losing to #9 Maryland
7 games from Nov. 17, 2023 to Jan. 14, 2024 ... ended by losing to Maryland
7 games from March 3, 2022 to Dec. 10, 2022 ... ended by losing to Penn State

We are currently on a 2-game winning streak in Champaign, dating back to our wins vs. Iowa (Feb. 25) and #18 Purdue (March 7) to close out last year. That streak SHOULD get to at least 4 if we can start out 2-0 this year vs. Jackson State and FGCU, haha. #7 Texas Tech will be a test, but if we can beat the Red Raiders, the door is wide open to get to a 12-game home winning streak before our boogeyman Maryland comes to town on January 21, and possibly up to 15 straight before we face #24 Wisconsin on February 10.

Going undefeated at home this season honestly isn't that crazy ... we haven't done it yet with Underwood, so I won't hold my breath. However, SFC will be extra-amped for Texas Tech in November, and we have just had Michigan's number ... everything between those games are home games we simply should win.

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i was at that game. ugh. it was quite a let off. and it was definitely mcbride's 3 that was waved off.

BretMyBeachHouse said:

Winning is fun. But I didn't really enjoy watching us play like that.

I'm definitely concerned that a similar offensive scheme might run into adjustments this year that make it harder to win on nights when you go 10 of 35 from 3.

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I am not concerned! Last years team was high volume 3’s at just 31.1 % ouch!
I think we will be high volume at 36-38% 2025!
If ya think I am wrong… fight me

Rebounding Dog said:

I am not concerned! Last years team was high volume 3’s at just 31.1 % ouch!
I think we will be high volume at 36-38% 2025!
If ya think I am wrong… fight me

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First off, if you're really a "Rebounding Dog", then you better want Mirk out there a LOT for the missing Morez, because this Illini team has huge shoes to fill from last season's team which averaged 42.6 rebounds per game. After that, the problem in hitting "36-38%", is that it looks like we've maybe never shot that high of a percentage in Illinois history (where 2021-22 gets close at 35.9%), but many other years are much lower (often about 30-33%).

Furthermore, if you try to predict this season (by means other than prayer), it comes out similar (within 1 percent or so) to your "ouch" percentage of last season (really 31.3%, according to the team and individual html summaries). Specifically, I got a little lower, about 30% based on a time-weighted avg, about 33% on an unweighted simple average of the guys who will shoot any, and about 31% if you just sum up all their name 3s from last season (from whatever team they were on) over their 3pt attempts (again, from whatever team they were on).

Together, this stuff suggests it's very likely we'll again shoot about 31% on 3s and a safer guess is that we'll shoot in the range of about 30-32%.

Why is it so low and what could make it better? Well, I'm using Kylan's dismal season-long average of 24.5% on 3s last season on 143 attempts. So, you can hope for a HUGE improvement there or hope he shoots less of these. Other major factors are Stojakovic's 3pt percentage of 31.8% on 129 attempts. Yeah, that is better, but it starts to cap our team percentage around 32%. Then, it's back to all those Mirk mins we need for rebounding and his modest percentage of 28.1% on 3s. Obviously, Underwood needs to get Mirk to focus more on rebounding this season, so we'll see how that goes.

I also have 33.3% for Petrovic and 27.0% (?) for Lee, although he won't get as much time this season. The Ivisic twins definitely shoot in this high range (36-38%) and Wagler probably does too (where his whopper percentage from last season of 45% needs to be scaled down to close to 40% for the jump in competition). Humrichous and Davis were both at a little over 34% last season.

Again, unless this roster has a killer 3pt-shooting year, then I'd guess a team average around 31% this season, where the bad nights come mostly on the road and good nights come mostly at home.

Rebounding Dog said:

I am not concerned! Last years team was high volume 3’s at just 31.1 % ouch!
I think we will be high volume at 36-38% 2025!
If ya think I am wrong… fight me

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I think getting that number to 36 would make me comfortable with maintaining our strategy. Let's hope it gets there.

BretMyBeachHouse said:

I think getting that number to 36 would make me comfortable with maintaining our strategy. Let's hope it gets there.

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Hard to believe Illinois 3pt % last year was so low. There were multiple teams that shot a better 3pt% as a team, than Illinois' highest % a single player shot. Hope/Desire that we have at least 1 player shoot 50% from 3 and multiple others shoot 40%

This years team looks more balanced without the two young 1st round NBA draft picks.

BretMyBeachHouse said:

I think getting that number to 36 would make me comfortable with maintaining our strategy. Let's hope it gets there.

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Yes....in the real world 36 would do it for me!

cjw1901 said:

First off, if you're really a "Rebounding Dog", then you better want Mirk out there a LOT for the missing Morez, because this Illini team has huge shoes to fill from last season's team which averaged 42.6 rebounds per game. After that, the problem in hitting "36-38%", is that it looks like we've maybe never shot that high of a percentage in Illinois history (where 2021-22 gets close at 35.9%), but many other years are much lower (often about 30-33%).

Furthermore, if you try to predict this season (by means other than prayer), it comes out similar (within 1 percent or so) to your "ouch" percentage of last season (really 31.3%, according to the team and individual html summaries). Specifically, I got a little lower, about 30% based on a time-weighted avg, about 33% on an unweighted simple average of the guys who will shoot any, and about 31% if you just sum up all their name 3s from last season (from whatever team they were on) over their 3pt attempts (again, from whatever team they were on).

Together, this stuff suggests it's very likely we'll again shoot about 31% on 3s and a safer guess is that we'll shoot in the range of about 30-32%.

Why is it so low and what could make it better? Well, I'm using Kylan's dismal season-long average of 24.5% on 3s last season on 143 attempts. So, you can hope for a HUGE improvement there or hope he shoots less of these. Other major factors are Stojakovic's 3pt percentage of 31.8% on 129 attempts. Yeah, that is better, but it starts to cap our team percentage around 32%. Then, it's back to all those Mirk mins we need for rebounding and his modest percentage of 28.1% on 3s. Obviously, Underwood needs to get Mirk to focus more on rebounding this season, so we'll see how that goes.

I also have 33.3% for Petrovic and 27.0% (?) for Lee, although he won't get as much time this season. The Ivisic twins definitely shoot in this high range (36-38%) and Wagler probably does too (where his whopper percentage from last season of 45% needs to be scaled down to close to 40% for the jump in competition). Humrichous and Davis were both at a little over 34% last season.

Again, unless this roster has a killer 3pt-shooting year, then I'd guess a team average around 31% this season, where the bad nights come mostly on the road and good nights come mostly at home.

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I say we split the difference for around 34.5%. Shot selection will make a difference. BIG Z seems to be the only one who is not ashamed to chuck it and he is pretty good.

PSA - tickets for the 1/14 game at Northwestern went on sale today.

@IlliniInBuckeyeState, want to take a shot at estimating our crowd based on current ticket sales for the United Center game against Alabama?? Ticket site is below:

Ticketmaster | Alabama vs. Illinois Tickets

As of today, consider me shocked and mildly disappointed by the number of tickets available!



When I begged for years for the return of the UC game, I must admit I really was hoping for a Saturday game ... I was not picturing a Wednesday night, lol. UC had the following Saturdays available, but I guess we couldn't make it work logistically:

Saturday, November 29 - Illini play UConn at MSG that Friday, so I am guessing we jumped at that opportunity first.
Saturday, December 6 - Well, this assumes we could have jumped in front of "107.5 WGCI Big Jam," anyway. However, we are playing Tennessee in Nashville this Saturday.

Hopefully for next year's game, we can get on the schedule early and get our more traditional Saturday in December ... I always thought it was cool as a kid that we had two pre-Christmas neutral site games in markets that were important for our fan base before the Big Ten schedule started. It was a unique aspect of our program, and I think it's good for teams (especially with younger players) to play in arenas and environments that will feel similar to the NCAA Tournament.

With that said there is plenty of time, and we'll be doing our part by attending! Here is some historical attendance reference for our regular season United Center games, going from the highest average crowds to the lowest by category:

19,581 when both teams are ranked
17,952 vs. a Power Conference opponent
17,272 when Illini are ranked
16,861 pre-2015 (when attendance tanked)
16,077 excluding games vs. UIC
15,295 all-time average attendance
13,614 for weeknight games (3-game sample size)
12,253 last 10 games (dating back to Gonzaga in January 2010)
5,377 for the 3 games from December 2015 to December 2018 before it was cancelled

So overall, we have had truly great attendance throughout the years. Our all-time average attendance is nearly selling out State Farm Center, and that includes the absolute dud crowds of the late Groce / early Underwood years. Before that, our average was pushing 17,000 and over 125% of the capacity of SFC. For those interested, here are our 5 largest and 5 smallest crowds for this game (as a reminder, UC basketball capacity is 20,917).

2000-01 - 21,885 for #7 Arizona vs. #5 Illinois (Saturday)
2004-05 - 21,224 for Oregon vs. #1 Illinois (Saturday)
2009-10 - 20,917 for Gonzaga vs. Illinois
1999-00 - 20,143 for #17 Duke vs. #16 Illinois (Tuesday)
2005-06 - 19,833 for Xavier vs. #12 Illinois (Saturday)
...

2013-14 - 13,017 for UIC vs. Illinois (Saturday)
2008-09 - 12,139 for Georgia vs. Illinois (Saturday)
2017-18 - 5,695 for New Mexico vs. Illinois (Saturday)
2018-19 - 5,285 for #19 Ohio State vs. Illinois (Wednesday)
2015-16 - 5,151 for UIC vs. Illinois (Saturday)

For some visual reference, this is what 18,136 (vs. Auburn in December 2012) gets you at the UC, effectively a "visual sellout." Hoping we can at least crack 13-14k, as anything else will look pretty bad, IMO.

cjw1901 said:

First off, if you're really a "Rebounding Dog", then you better want Mirk out there a LOT for the missing Morez, because this Illini team has huge shoes to fill from last season's team which averaged 42.6 rebounds per game. After that, the problem in hitting "36-38%", is that it looks like we've maybe never shot that high of a percentage in Illinois history (where 2021-22 gets close at 35.9%), but many other years are much lower (often about 30-33%).

Click to expand...

Going back to the 89 final four team, Illinois has shot 35% or better from theee in 28 of 37 seasons. Most of those seasons below 35% were the late Weber & John Groce years. I also had to leave a few seasons out in which we barely missed at 33-34% (there were approximately 15 seasons where we shot higher than your “likely highest ever percentage” of 35.9… all you would’ve needed to do is go back one season prior to that to see we shot 37.3% that year)

If Kylan just shoots his normal percentage we are right at 33% last year. KJ was shooting 40% prior to hand/wrist/forearm injury and 25% after. Would put us right at 35-36%

Yeah I know, ifs and buts and nuts and all that stuff, but I’m merely trying to offer a more optimistic take

Tickets for Indiana and Michigan games going fast.

Dan said:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1981771472528978126

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Suppose I should have expected tickets for Michigan and Indiana would be basically gone already.

UConn men's basketball freshman Braylon Mullins out approximately six weeks with ankle injury

Likely missing on Black Friday

Zorak said:

Suppose I should have expected tickets for Michigan and Indiana would be basically gone already.

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I'm a season ticket holder and wanted to buy a couple of extra tickets for these games for family. Even with the presale for certain Ifund members, it was SLIM pickens. I got 2 extra, but they are 2nd to last row in a corner

Sounds like Tomislav and Petrovic are pretty much fully back. Stojakovic is very close, has been practicing (not full on 5 vs 5 yet) but will be full go here very soon.

Andrej will play against Texas Tech, will be curious to see if they give him more time in those first two games just to play it safe. I expect he at least plays the second game before Tech, but we shall see.

Coaches still thinking by next weekend should hear from the NCAA regarding Petrovic?

green_bay_energy said:

Wait, am I understanding this right? There's going to be no discussion thread for the secret scrimmage?

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Here is a comparison of possible starting lineups for this scrimmage:

Note:
1. Other than Kylan, we have a height advantage or are even.
2. Other than at center, we have a weight advantage.
3. Other than Wagler, we have an experience advantage or are even.

On the hand, 3 of their 5 starters (and a bunch of their reserves) are reigning national champions, who went 36-4 last season. Fland is from Arkansas, and Lee is from Princeton.

cjw1901 said:

Here is a comparison of possible starting lineups for this scrimmage:
View attachment 44428
Note:
1. Other than Kylan, we have a height advantage or are even.
2. Other than at center, we have a weight advantage.
3. Other than Wagler, we have an experience advantage or are even.

On the hand, 3 of their 5 starters (and a bunch of their reserves) are reigning national champions, who went 36-4 last season. Fland is from Arkansas, and Lee is from Princeton.

Click to expand...

Possible these are 2 of the top 5 frontcourts in the country come March. Wish we could see this exhibition in action, but will be very curious to hear how we hold up. I think Florida has a legitimate case to be the #1 team in the country again and repeat.

Illinois clocks in at #9 on Norlanders list.

Fighter of the Nightman said:

@IlliniInBuckeyeState, want to take a shot at estimating our crowd based on current ticket sales for the United Center game against Alabama?? Ticket site is below:

Ticketmaster | Alabama vs. Illinois Tickets

As of today, consider me shocked and mildly disappointed by the number of tickets available!

View attachment 44405

When I begged for years for the return of the UC game, I must admit I really was hoping for a Saturday game ... I was not picturing a Wednesday night, lol. UC had the following Saturdays available, but I guess we couldn't make it work logistically:

Saturday, November 29 - Illini play UConn at MSG that Friday, so I am guessing we jumped at that opportunity first.
Saturday, December 6 - Well, this assumes we could have jumped in front of "107.5 WGCI Big Jam," anyway. However, we are playing Tennessee in Nashville this Saturday.

Hopefully for next year's game, we can get on the schedule early and get our more traditional Saturday in December ... I always thought it was cool as a kid that we had two pre-Christmas neutral site games in markets that were important for our fan base before the Big Ten schedule started. It was a unique aspect of our program, and I think it's good for teams (especially with younger players) to play in arenas and environments that will feel similar to the NCAA Tournament.

With that said there is plenty of time, and we'll be doing our part by attending! Here is some historical attendance reference for our regular season United Center games, going from the highest average crowds to the lowest by category:

19,581 when both teams are ranked
17,952 vs. a Power Conference opponent
17,272 when Illini are ranked
16,861 pre-2015 (when attendance tanked)
16,077 excluding games vs. UIC
15,295 all-time average attendance
13,614 for weeknight games (3-game sample size)
12,253 last 10 games (dating back to Gonzaga in January 2010)
5,377 for the 3 games from December 2015 to December 2018 before it was cancelled

So overall, we have had truly great attendance throughout the years. Our all-time average attendance is nearly selling out State Farm Center, and that includes the absolute dud crowds of the late Groce / early Underwood years. Before that, our average was pushing 17,000 and over 125% of the capacity of SFC. For those interested, here are our 5 largest and 5 smallest crowds for this game (as a reminder, UC basketball capacity is 20,917).

2000-01 - 21,885 for #7 Arizona vs. #5 Illinois (Saturday)
2004-05 - 21,224 for Oregon vs. #1 Illinois (Saturday)
2009-10 - 20,917 for Gonzaga vs. Illinois
1999-00 - 20,143 for #17 Duke vs. #16 Illinois (Tuesday)
2005-06 - 19,833 for Xavier vs. #12 Illinois (Saturday)
...

2013-14 - 13,017 for UIC vs. Illinois (Saturday)
2008-09 - 12,139 for Georgia vs. Illinois (Saturday)
2017-18 - 5,695 for New Mexico vs. Illinois (Saturday)
2018-19 - 5,285 for #19 Ohio State vs. Illinois (Wednesday)
2015-16 - 5,151 for UIC vs. Illinois (Saturday)

For some visual reference, this is what 18,136 (vs. Auburn in December 2012) gets you at the UC, effectively a "visual sellout." Hoping we can at least crack 13-14k, as anything else will look pretty bad, IMO.

Click to expand...

I think that this was just about as expected. We've been good the last couple of years, we haven't been a must see team and Alabama, unless it's football, doesn't bring a lot of excitement.

If you look at the highly attended games, they were against nationally known programs and now were on Saturdays.

The awful/embarrassing crowds came when we played teams that brought no excitement and we were bad. UIC(twice), Georgia and New Mexico are a negative and the game versus OSU was, again, a Wednesday.

Scheduling this on a Wednesday night just wasn't very smart.

We are at #9 on this list.

Get the Ivisices back, no matter how good this year is, next year could be better.

Pretty good result today for our Illini