It’s tough to have the tallest team in college basketball and be a fast pace team. We would exhaust our bigs doing something they aren’t efficient at. We want to play at a pace which maximizes our tall personnel.
Illini Basketball 2025-2026
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Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
why would anyone want to play on an offense like that?
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I am most impressed with Jake Davis. His defense has improved greatly and teams, like Purdue yesterday, ran guys at him. He just makes plays and his hustle to get that rebound and put back shows why he plays. He has a high BB IQ.
6th in NET
Yes. We use our energy on rebounding rather than running.
Mick Cronin has entered the chat.
(Though to be fair, UCLA only has one more Eastern time zone trip the rest of the season and that's when they go to Ann Arbor and East Lansing in a few weeks).
Illinicpa14
- Chicago
That said - we will go 20 days without getting on a plane with at NW and PU being 2-2.5 hour bus rides your home immediately after. Thats a nice stretch of limited fatigue and probably allows extra practice time not getting home at 1 am via plane
I love this team but! The NCAA is allowing the college ranks to bring in semi pro players. Alabama bringing back 3-year G league player, Illinois lineup has 4 players from Europe that are semi-pro, A lot of college teams are loading up with some of these players.
I have to side with Tom Izzo and Dan Hurley [whom I hate] on their stance. These players come in for a season and turn pro. Keaton Wagler and some other freshman will probably do so too but they came out of high school. How will high school kids get a real chance if coaches continue to recruit these semi pro players. Coaches are buying players every year. There are a few exceptions like Izzo, Hurley, Painter that recruit high school kids and coach them up. The transfer portal is another whoever has the most money to buy players. The NCAA is ruining college basketball. These kids don't come to college to get an education but come to get a fast way to make a buck. I hope the NCAA comes to their senses and stops all this madness they created.
I have to side with Tom Izzo and Dan Hurley [whom I hate] on their stance. These players come in for a season and turn pro. Keaton Wagler and some other freshman will probably do so too but they came out of high school. How will high school kids get a real chance if coaches continue to recruit these semi pro players. Coaches are buying players every year. There are a few exceptions like Izzo, Hurley, Painter that recruit high school kids and coach them up. The transfer portal is another whoever has the most money to buy players. The NCAA is ruining college basketball. These kids don't come to college to get an education but come to get a fast way to make a buck. I hope the NCAA comes to their senses and stops all this madness they created.
Keaton's points per game for the season just went from 15.9 to 17.5 
.
Also averaging 5.0reb and 4.0ast.
.Also averaging 5.0reb and 4.0ast.
if only we had a non nepo baby running offense we would truly be elite /s
They just announced today it’s a white out game so hopefully we see random spurts of orange in the crowd!
username
Fan Since '70
- OBS, Florida
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6992977/2026/01/23/keaton-wagler-illinois-college-basketball/
"It was even more impressive this summer considering he was doing it against Boswell, one of the best defenders in college basketball. Boswell came into the basketball office a few days after Wagler arrived and informed the coaches the freshman was “cold.”
"One week into Wagler’s time at Illinois, Tyler Underwood messaged Logan and said it was going well.
In week two, Underwood called. You need to get an agent."
He was better than Kaufmann-Renn, which is good enough for me. Renn was talking trash at him most of the night, but David didn't back down.
One of the coolest things about sports, especially the college level, is watching players grow. And in some rare cases, legitmately burst onto the scene to stay overnight.
Illinois, and staff, obviously deserve a ton of kudos for finding Keaton. But, even Keaton mentioned his career high in ANY GAME, was like 30-something (I couldnt find the exact quote, fact check me ) before this. Cleary, he was grossly undervalued nationally, but even then, id say his growth since being on campus has been remarkable in such a short amount of time.
To blow up like that in Mackey, and just be awesome this year, is about as fun as it gets to watch anything in sports.
Illinois, and staff, obviously deserve a ton of kudos for finding Keaton. But, even Keaton mentioned his career high in ANY GAME, was like 30-something (I couldnt find the exact quote, fact check me
) before this. Cleary, he was grossly undervalued nationally, but even then, id say his growth since being on campus has been remarkable in such a short amount of time.To blow up like that in Mackey, and just be awesome this year, is about as fun as it gets to watch anything in sports.
2 years ago, who would have thought Jake would still be here let alone getting the minutes he's been getting.
AND, that his name and number would be on the opposing team's chalkboard pre-game and the coach saying, you can not leave him open.
Especially in the corner. It's a layup for him from the corner.
AND, that his name and number would be on the opposing team's chalkboard pre-game and the coach saying, you can not leave him open.
Especially in the corner. It's a layup for him from the corner.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
great call:
My wife and I will be up high probably since secondary tickets not in the upper level are $300++ but we will cheer.
I do think it's time to formally start the Keaton for Big Ten player of the year and first team all American campaigns. npoy may be locked up by boozer but the rest is up for grabs!
It's picking up steam...
Just bought secondary tickets for the Michigan game and they are close to $300 in the upper level.
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