per torvik number 1 team since December 21. not coincidentally align with our 9 game win streak
Illini Basketball 2025-2026
- Status
We beat em in Lincoln & we’re really really starting to be in the drivers seat for a 1 seed..
Would figure this offense ranking is here to stay. We've got a 1.3pt lead over second place Purdue.
sacraig
- The desert
Exactly. And I really do think we are better than them and we've only been getting better.
Replying to myself only to say it’s pure insanity that this absolutely absurd number actually went up even more after today
Let's face it. If we beat Washington but lose in Lincoln (top10 team, on the road, game we'll probably be the underdog):
we'd be 18-4, with all losses to top20 teams, and wins over @Iowa, @Purdue, @OSU, TTU, Tennessee, 40pt win over Missouri.
Last season through 22 games we were 15-7.
In the 2021 season through 22 games we were 16-6.
In the 2024 season we were 17-5.
There's always going to be games you "should've won" that ended up slipping away, but there's significantly less to be "angry" about than in many years past.
Regardless of whether we beat Nebby or not (do believe we have a legitimate chance to win), it'll still be an extremely successful first 3 months (other than perhaps the nagging injuries).
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sacraig
- The desert
I can be happy with the season and still pissed about one game.
Yep, we scored 1.382ppp for the game and he only sat one minute.
I'm with you....I'm still pissed!
And the one minute he sat, we scored 0 points on 2 possessions
blackdog
- Champaign
They had a similar type of game against Minny that we did except on the road. Close fought game for awhile, down at half, and then just steadily demolished them in the 2nd half. They are dangerous like us with how they just consistently execute on the offensive end.
It took me a while until today realizing why we played such a slow pace this year. I was confused since Underwood was known for fast pace offense. Somebody said cuz we don't have the personnel to push transition plays but I disagree. Even if that's true, we could still design plays for early offense.
I think the reason is the changed rebounding philosophy. With positional sizes, it makes sense to max the offense rebounding by playing half court offense most of the time. Also the 3pter tends to help the OReb, too. It further traces back to our Europe heavy recruiting strategy. It is likely easier to find skilled players with good 3pt% and size than players with speed and athletism in Europe. Therefore, why don't we design a team with 3pt shooters of positional sizes and good rebounding with passive defense? We then of course reduce the pace since speed is not the strength anyway.
The key then becomes finding guard/wing who can penetrate and pass out for 3pt. Kylan and Petrovic, I am sure, are for that purpose. Petrovic doesn't work out but we luck out with Wagler. So I think this will be our system going forward. The nice thing is we can rely on European players for the core and get TSJ/Wagler type of top of the line wings when lucky. It would be ideal if we have a Braden Smith but a couple of Kylans can work, too.
I think the reason is the changed rebounding philosophy. With positional sizes, it makes sense to max the offense rebounding by playing half court offense most of the time. Also the 3pter tends to help the OReb, too. It further traces back to our Europe heavy recruiting strategy. It is likely easier to find skilled players with good 3pt% and size than players with speed and athletism in Europe. Therefore, why don't we design a team with 3pt shooters of positional sizes and good rebounding with passive defense? We then of course reduce the pace since speed is not the strength anyway.
The key then becomes finding guard/wing who can penetrate and pass out for 3pt. Kylan and Petrovic, I am sure, are for that purpose. Petrovic doesn't work out but we luck out with Wagler. So I think this will be our system going forward. The nice thing is we can rely on European players for the core and get TSJ/Wagler type of top of the line wings when lucky. It would be ideal if we have a Braden Smith but a couple of Kylans can work, too.
Chad Fleck
- Eureka, IL
I keep thinking about Kylan talking pre-season how cold Wagler was.
I've decided I believe him.
I'd also like to find those quotes/clips.
I've decided I believe him.
I'd also like to find those quotes/clips.
everything you said is correct but this underestimates the importance of having Keaton who with positional size can run point without turnovers and shoot the lights out. kj was doing a lot of that with turnovers last year then got hurt and was still good but not this level. wagler is the fulcrum of the machine. we got lucky.... but we need similar next year (even 60-70% is good enough)... if only we had 6'7" point guard ready to take the mantle. I'll the take one morillo of those.
I think a lot of it also has to do with limiting turnovers and emphasizing shot quality, transition basketball tends to lead to turnovers and poor shot selection
We got real lucky with Wagler. I think this type of players show up once per decade at most. If we have Will or KJ instead, it will not be as effective. A TSJ is always good but they are hard to come by. So I think we should look for a 70% Braden Smith or better when they are out there. Still pricey but hopefully doable. I will never deny a good wing player but they tend to be very expensive (e.g., AS is expensive but I am not sure if he's worth it. )everything you said is correct but this underestimates the importance of having Keaton who with positional size can run point without turnovers and shoot the lights out. kj was doing a lot of that with turnovers last year then got hurt and was still good but not this level. wagler is the fulcrum of the machine. we got lucky.... but we need similar next year (even 60-70% is good enough)... if only we had 6'7" point guard ready to take the mantle. I'll the take one morillo of those.
wait, I'm confused. How many offensive rebounds did we have??
One shows 12 and one shows 13.
Google scores:
ESPN box score:
Welp, if we had 13, we scored 1.404ppp.
If we had 12, we scored 1.382ppp.
According to the Illini's Box Score PDF: 13.
Illinois (17-3,8-1 Big Ten) -vs- Purdue (17-3,7-2 Big Ten) (PDF) - University of Illinois Athletics
Illinois (17-3,8-1 Big Ten) -vs- Purdue (17-3,7-2 Big Ten) (PDF)
fightingillini.com
4th on kenpom this morning
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
Lost in the Keaton Wagler hype is the fact that we have another pretty good freshman who we seem to take for granted. To put it in perspective, here’s David Mirkovic’s stats to date (1/25/26) compared to freshman year Kofi’s stats:
MINUTES PER GAME
Mirk 28.1
Kofi 27.4
POINTS PER GAME
Mirk 12.2
Kofi 13.3
REBOUNDS PER GAME
Mirk 8.4
Kofi 8.8
ASSISTS PER GAME
Mirk 2.6
Kofi 0.6
FG %
Mirk 47.4
Kofi 53.2
3PT %
Mirk 37.5
Kofi 0.0
FT %
Mirk 80.6
Kofi 67.7
Now I don’t want to say Mirk is gonna end up being better than Kofi, but…..
MINUTES PER GAME
Mirk 28.1
Kofi 27.4
POINTS PER GAME
Mirk 12.2
Kofi 13.3
REBOUNDS PER GAME
Mirk 8.4
Kofi 8.8
ASSISTS PER GAME
Mirk 2.6
Kofi 0.6
FG %
Mirk 47.4
Kofi 53.2
3PT %
Mirk 37.5
Kofi 0.0
FT %
Mirk 80.6
Kofi 67.7
Now I don’t want to say Mirk is gonna end up being better than Kofi, but…..
I would tell Keaton name your price to stay 1 more year!
Up to 4th on Kenpom
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
imagine where we'd be if Brad actually knew what he was doing
DeonThomas
- South Carolina
The thing I always loved about Kofi was his defensive presence in the paint. Opposing players would enter the paint, and then dribble or pass back out. They knew it was a hopeless cause. No individual stat for that.
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