Illini Basketball 2025-2026

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#153      
Todd99
Retro62 said:
Where did they get the garb?
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This was in the News-Gazette this morning.
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#154      
EyeoftheIllini
NarrowJ said:
Illinois with 4 players mocked on Bleacher Report's updated 2026 mock draft

29. Keaton Wagler
50. Andrej Stojakovic
54. Kylan Boswell
58. Tomislav Ivisic

This update was released yesterday (prior to our game)

EDIT: Did not see Sleepers covered this:


So I got to listening to this one and they're claiming Tomi has said "over and over" that he won't be back at Illinois after this season. I don't really recall him saying it once, let alone "over and over"... did I miss something or are these guys making stuff up?
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Probably making it up, though I doubt we would have heard it if he said it. I don’t think he’d say that publicly.
 
#155      
Serious Late
EyeoftheIllini said:
Probably making it up, though I doubt we would have heard it if he said it. I don’t think he’d say that publicly.
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It made somewhat sense to commit to going pro somewhere after "X" season pre-NIL. It makes no sense financially to enter a season with that thought today.

If you aren't slated first round, college is your best available option financially.
 
#156      
Retro62
I appreciate the link, but those aren't the same. I think that group must have had them custom made.
 
#158      
1m4tr
Heisenbobble said:
I'll mention as a HUGE Ian Jackson advocate at the time he entered the portal, we probably dodged a bullet there. For one, Wagler is infinitely better already, and Jackson is decidedly mediocre, especially for how much NIL money he's getting from St. John's. Same goes for Josh Dix at Creighton.
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Ian may leave St John’s at semester. Been a disaster there for him.
 
#160      
Fighter of the Nightman
No super specific point, but I wanted to look back at how fans might have felt at roughly this same mid-December mark of each of the past several seasons before this one...

2019-2020
W 78-70 in OT vs. Nicholls (ILL NR)
W 83-71 at Grand Canyon (ILL NR)
L 69-90 at #21 Arizona (ILL NR)
W 66-53 vs. Hawaii (ILL NR)
W 85-57 vs. The Citadel (ILL NR)
W 120-71 vs. Hampton (ILL NR)
W 117-65 vs. Lindenwood (ILL NR)
L 79-81 vs. Miami (FL) [ILL NR]
L 58-59 at #3 Maryland (ILL NR)
W 71-62 vs. #5 Michigan (ILL NR)

---> Illini are 7-3 (1-1) and not ranked. I remember fans having a SUPER wait-and-see approach even after the close loss at Maryland (the ultimate choke job...) and the big win vs. Michigan, which makes sense given we started the year needing OT to beat Nicholls at home, we got dominated at Arizona and we were still coming off of a 12-21 season. Unfortunately whatever momentum was gained by beating Michigan would be shattered 10 days later at Braggin' Rights, where we put up a real stinker vs. Missouri and likely fell back on the wrong side of the Bubble for the moment. Thankfully, this team would improve by a huge amount throughout the year!!

2020-2021
W 122-60 vs. North Carolina A&T (ILL #8)
W 97-38 vs. Chicago State (ILL #8)
W 77-75 vs. Ohio (ILL #8)
L 69-82 vs. #2 Baylor (Indianapolis, IN) [ILL #5]
W 83-68 at #10 Duke (ILL #6)
L 78-81 at Missouri (ILL #6)

---> Illini are 4-2 (0-0) and ranked #13. If not for the blowout win at Cameron Indoor, I think fans would have been starting to freak out, given we were handily beaten by Baylor, needed a VERY late comeback to survive Ohio and the upset against Mizzou.

2021-2022
W 71-47 vs. Jackson State (ILL #11)
W 92-53 vs. Arkansas State (ILL #11)
L 66-67 at Marquette (ILL #10)
L 51-71 vs. Cincinnati (Kansas City, MO) [ILL #14]
W 72-64 vs. Kansas State (Kansas City, MO) [ILL #14]
W 94-85 vs. UTRGV (ILL #14)
W 82-72 vs. Notre Dame (ILL NR)
W 86-51 vs. Rutgers (ILL NR)
W 87-83 at Iowa (ILL NR)
L 79-83 vs. #11 Arizona (ILL NR)

---> Illini are 8-3 (2-0) and not ranked. Starting off 2-0 in Big Ten play is always good and we honestly did look good against Arizona despite the loss, but I remember fans not fully regaining that much confidence until we won Braggin' Rights in a blowout and then easily beat Minnesota on the road in January to start Big Ten play 3-0.

2022-2023
W 87-57 vs. Eastern Illinois (ILL #23)
W 86-48 vs. Kansas City (ILL #23)
W 103-65 vs. Monmouth (ILL #19)
W 79-70 vs. #8 UCLA (Las Vegas, NV) [ILL #19]
L 61-70 vs. #16 Virginia (Las Vegas, NV) [ILL #19]
W 92-59 vs. Lindenwood (ILL #16)
W 73-44 vs. Syracuse (ILL #16)
L 66-71 at #22 Maryland (ILL #16)
W 85-78 in OT vs. #2 Texas (New York, NY) [ILL #17]
L 59-74 vs. Penn State (ILL #17)

---> Illini are 7-3 (0-2) and ranked #18. I cannot remember exactly, but can't help but think the goodwill built up from the ranked wins was fading fast after getting embarrassed at home vs. unranked PSU...

2023-2024
W 80-52 vs. Eastern Illinois (ILL #25)
W 64-53 vs. Oakland (ILL #25)
L 64-71 vs. #4 Marquette (ILL #23)
W 87-64 vs. Valparaiso (ILL #23)
W 88-60 vs. Southern (ILL #23)
W 84-52 vs. Western Illinois (ILL NR)
W 76-58 at Rutgers (ILL #24)
W 98-89 vs. #11 FAU (New York, NY) [ILL #20]
L 79-86 at #17 Tennessee (ILL #20)

---> Illini are 8-2 (1-0) and ranked #16. I think fans still generally felt pretty darn good, given a close loss on the road vs. the Vols, still believing FAU was a legit top 15 team (they would end up like a #8 seed) and beating #1 Kansas preseason. However, I think there was a "we still have work to do" vibe, too.

2024-2025
W 112-67 vs. Eastern Illinois (ILL NR)
W 90-58 vs. SIUE (ILL NR)
W 66-54 vs. Oakland (ILL NR)
L 87-100 vs. #8 Alabama (Birmingham, AL) [ILL #25]
W 87-40 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore (ILL #25)
W 92-34 vs. Little Rock (ILL NR)
W 90-77 vs. #19 Arkansas (Kansas City, MO) [ILL NR]
L 66-70 in OT at Northwestern (ILL #19)
W 86-80 vs. #20 Wisconsin (ILL NR)

---> Illini are 7-2 (1-1) and not ranked. I remember feeling that the Wisconsin home win didn't exactly ease my concerns after the Northwestern loss, personally...

2025-2026
W 113-55 vs. Jackson State (ILL #17)
W 113-70 vs. FGCU (ILL #17)
W 81-77 vs. #11 Texas Tech (ILL #14)
W 84-65 vs. Colgate (ILL #14)
L 86-90 vs. #11 Alabama (Chicago, IL) [ILL #8]
W 98-58 vs. LIU (ILL #8)
W 87-73 vs. UTRGV (ILL #13)
L 61-74 vs. #5 UConn (New York, NY) [ILL #13]
W 75-62 vs. #13 Tennessee (Nashville, TN) [ILL #14]
W 88-80 at Ohio State (ILL #13)

---> Illini are 8-2 (1-0) and ranked #13. Not gonna lie, and it's a long season, but ... I think this might actually be the "best position" we have been at this point yet!
 
#162      
Illinialldayeveryday
Fighter of the Nightman said:
No super specific point, but I wanted to look back at how fans might have felt at roughly this same mid-December mark of each of the past several seasons before this one...

2019-2020
W 78-70 in OT vs. Nicholls (ILL NR)
W 83-71 at Grand Canyon (ILL NR)
L 69-90 at #21 Arizona (ILL NR)
W 66-53 vs. Hawaii (ILL NR)
W 85-57 vs. The Citadel (ILL NR)
W 120-71 vs. Hampton (ILL NR)
W 117-65 vs. Lindenwood (ILL NR)
L 79-81 vs. Miami (FL) [ILL NR]
L 58-59 at #3 Maryland (ILL NR)
W 71-62 vs. #5 Michigan (ILL NR)

---> Illini are 7-3 (1-1) and not ranked. I remember fans having a SUPER wait-and-see approach even after the close loss at Maryland (the ultimate choke job...) and the big win vs. Michigan, which makes sense given we started the year needing OT to beat Nicholls at home, we got dominated at Arizona and we were still coming off of a 12-21 season. Unfortunately whatever momentum was gained by beating Michigan would be shattered 10 days later at Braggin' Rights, where we put up a real stinker vs. Missouri and likely fell back on the wrong side of the Bubble for the moment. Thankfully, this team would improve by a huge amount throughout the year!!

2020-2021
W 122-60 vs. North Carolina A&T (ILL #8)
W 97-38 vs. Chicago State (ILL #8)
W 77-75 vs. Ohio (ILL #8)
L 69-82 vs. #2 Baylor (Indianapolis, IN) [ILL #5]
W 83-68 at #10 Duke (ILL #6)
L 78-81 at Missouri (ILL #6)

---> Illini are 4-2 (0-0) and ranked #13. If not for the blowout win at Cameron Indoor, I think fans would have been starting to freak out, given we were handily beaten by Baylor, needed a VERY late comeback to survive Ohio and the upset against Mizzou.

2021-2022
W 71-47 vs. Jackson State (ILL #11)
W 92-53 vs. Arkansas State (ILL #11)
L 66-67 at Marquette (ILL #10)
L 51-71 vs. Cincinnati (Kansas City, MO) [ILL #14]
W 72-64 vs. Kansas State (Kansas City, MO) [ILL #14]
W 94-85 vs. UTRGV (ILL #14)
W 82-72 vs. Notre Dame (ILL NR)
W 86-51 vs. Rutgers (ILL NR)
W 87-83 at Iowa (ILL NR)
L 79-83 vs. #11 Arizona (ILL NR)

---> Illini are 8-3 (2-0) and not ranked. Starting off 2-0 in Big Ten play is always good and we honestly did look good against Arizona despite the loss, but I remember fans not fully regaining that much confidence until we won Braggin' Rights in a blowout and then easily beat Minnesota on the road in January to start Big Ten play 3-0.

2022-2023
W 87-57 vs. Eastern Illinois (ILL #23)
W 86-48 vs. Kansas City (ILL #23)
W 103-65 vs. Monmouth (ILL #19)
W 79-70 vs. #8 UCLA (Las Vegas, NV) [ILL #19]
L 61-70 vs. #16 Virginia (Las Vegas, NV) [ILL #19]
W 92-59 vs. Lindenwood (ILL #16)
W 73-44 vs. Syracuse (ILL #16)
L 66-71 at #22 Maryland (ILL #16)
W 85-78 in OT vs. #2 Texas (New York, NY) [ILL #17]
L 59-74 vs. Penn State (ILL #17)

---> Illini are 7-3 (0-2) and ranked #18. I cannot remember exactly, but can't help but think the goodwill built up from the ranked wins was fading fast after getting embarrassed at home vs. unranked PSU...

2023-2024
W 80-52 vs. Eastern Illinois (ILL #25)
W 64-53 vs. Oakland (ILL #25)
L 64-71 vs. #4 Marquette (ILL #23)
W 87-64 vs. Valparaiso (ILL #23)
W 88-60 vs. Southern (ILL #23)
W 84-52 vs. Western Illinois (ILL NR)
W 76-58 at Rutgers (ILL #24)
W 98-89 vs. #11 FAU (New York, NY) [ILL #20]
L 79-86 at #17 Tennessee (ILL #20)

---> Illini are 8-2 (1-0) and ranked #16. I think fans still generally felt pretty darn good, given a close loss on the road vs. the Vols, still believing FAU was a legit top 15 team (they would end up like a #8 seed) and beating #1 Kansas preseason. However, I think there was a "we still have work to do" vibe, too.

2024-2025
W 112-67 vs. Eastern Illinois (ILL NR)
W 90-58 vs. SIUE (ILL NR)
W 66-54 vs. Oakland (ILL NR)
L 87-100 vs. #8 Alabama (Birmingham, AL) [ILL #25]
W 87-40 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore (ILL #25)
W 92-34 vs. Little Rock (ILL NR)
W 90-77 vs. #19 Arkansas (Kansas City, MO) [ILL NR]
L 66-70 in OT at Northwestern (ILL #19)
W 86-80 vs. #20 Wisconsin (ILL NR)

---> Illini are 7-2 (1-1) and not ranked. I remember feeling that the Wisconsin home win didn't exactly ease my concerns after the Northwestern loss, personally...

2025-2026
W 113-55 vs. Jackson State (ILL #17)
W 113-70 vs. FGCU (ILL #17)
W 81-77 vs. #11 Texas Tech (ILL #14)
W 84-65 vs. Colgate (ILL #14)
L 86-90 vs. #11 Alabama (Chicago, IL) [ILL #8]
W 98-58 vs. LIU (ILL #8)
W 87-73 vs. UTRGV (ILL #13)
L 61-74 vs. #5 UConn (New York, NY) [ILL #13]
W 75-62 vs. #13 Tennessee (Nashville, TN) [ILL #14]
W 88-80 at Ohio State (ILL #13)

---> Illini are 8-2 (1-0) and ranked #13. Not gonna lie, and it's a long season, but ... I think this might actually be the "best position" we have been at this point yet!
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We win Saturday and its 4 quad 1 wins before the New Year. That would be awesome. Even if somebody drops below to a q2 at some point would be a good quad 2A win.
 
#164      
skyIdub
Brosky said:
Don't quite know where to put this, but our women's team beat Mizzou in the braggin' rights game yesterday. They are now 9-1 on the season, the best start in over 40 years (1981-82). Coach Green seems to have the program on the right trajectory.
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Thread drift: the girls deserve the same uniform love as the boys, because, dayum.
 
#165      
blackdog
Brosky said:
Don't quite know where to put this, but our women's team beat Mizzou in the braggin' rights game yesterday. They are now 9-1 on the season, the best start in over 40 years (1981-82). Coach Green seems to have the program on the right trajectory.
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Their team thread deserves more love.

Illini Women's Basketball 2025-2026

Welcome to the Illini Women's Basketball Thread :illinois: Schedule | Tickets | Roster Illini Women's Basketball 2025-2026 (9-1, 1-0) Date Opponent Result Tue, Nov 4 SEMO W 91-67 Sun, Nov 9 Illinois State W 75-65 Fri, Nov 14 at Oregon State L 59-64 Tue, Nov 18 Murray State W 84-64...
www.illinoisloyalty.com www.illinoisloyalty.com
 
#166      
1m4tr
Heisenbobble said:
He's averaging fewer minutes there than he did at UNC. It's kinda crazy. His shooting percentages are pretty similar to his UNC season, but he's still a bit of a turnover machine.
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Pitino promised him PG duties. He’s many things but not a PG.
 
#169      
Chase3
Hey all, my buddy Noah and I started an Illini basketball focused podcast. Here's a preview we did for the Nebraska game. Our content is basically just recaps and previews like the Sleepers guys do. If you'd like to see more videos follow us on Instagram @ChillinoisBasketballPodcast or subscribe on YouTube.
Thanks guys!
 
#170      
21ChampaignSt
Todd99 said:
Is there an actual NIL store in Champaign or can you only order online? The last time I was at Gameday they didn’t have the script jerseys. Plus, I’m looking for youth sizes, which they don’t have much of a selection.
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I don't think they have a brick and mortar location. If you're looking for a physical store in the Champaign area, your best bet is probably Gameday or Rally House.
 
#171      
Illini in Indiana
Got to learn to start games as killers. We have the players, coach, and environment. We need to be up by 10 with 10 minutes in the half with lesser teams. Not fight the whole game to comeback. Ayo & TSJ we're killers. Maybe KW is, we'll see?

If not, we're a 7 seed and may be 1 and done in the tourney. We have a second weekend team, but we are far from it.
 
#172      
DICKnaggie
Illini in Indiana said:
Got to learn to start games as killers. We have the players, coach, and environment. We need to be up by 10 with 10 minutes in the half with lesser teams. Not fight the whole game to comeback. Ayo & TSJ we're killers. Maybe KW is, we'll see?

If not, we're a 7 seed and may be 1 and done in the tourney. We have a second weekend team, but we are far from it.
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We don't have anyone with a killer mindset at this point. We also just don't seem to get angry or overly passionate when it would serve us. It's a strange team in terms of affect. They just seem kind of flat.
 
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