Basketball

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer November 18, […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 17, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The Illinois men’s basketball program finds itself stepping into the national spotlight this season, and while new faces on the roster have brought excitement, the engine behind the early success is a familiar one. Senior guard Kylan Boswell, now in his second season with the Illini, has become the heartbeat of a team determined to turn last year's ending into one of the program’s most complete seasons under head coach Brad Underwood.

For longtime followers of Illinois basketball, Boswell’s rise was not delivered on a straight line. Coming out of Arizona Compass Prep, he was considered one of the most competitive and highly targeted recruits.

Assistant coach Geoff Alexander led the process from start to finish, making repeated trips to Arizona and building the kind of connection that Illinois hoped would pay off down the road.

By Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. —Illinois added another key piece to its future backcourt with the signing of guard Ethan Brown, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound standout from Rolla, Missouri. Brown signed his Big Ten Athletics Scholarship Agreement and will join the Fighting Illini as a freshman for the 2026-27 season.

Brown stars at Rolla High School, where he plays under head coach Mark Miller. A two-time all-state selection, he enters his senior year as the top scorer in program history and is on the verge of reaching 2,000 career points.

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

November 15, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Pickrell/IlliniGuys)

The Illini beat Colgate 84-65 behind an incredible 27 point and 21 rebound performance from Freshman Forward David Mirkovic as they moved to 4-0 heading into a showdown against Alabama at the United Center next week. Keaton Wagler added 19 points and 6 rebounds, while Kylan Boswell had 11 and Ben Humrichous 10.

The Iliini dominated the glass 49-29 and had 22 second chance points on 19 offensive rebounds to offset a cold shooting night. The Illini shot just 37.7% from the floor and 29.7% from 3, scoring 1.292 PPP on the back of the offensive rebounding.

Here’s a look at what we saw.

These 3 Things

Freshmen Leading - On a night when the veterans were mediocre at best,

Illinois connects on just 34 percent of its field […]

By IlliniGuys Staff November 14, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

November 14, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

After a huge win over Texas Tech and before their huge game in Chicago against Alabama, the Illini have their ‘trap game’ against Colgate on Friday night at 8PM from the State Farm Center.

Here’s a preview of what to expect.

Setting the Stage
#14 Illinois (3-0) vs. Colgate (1-2)
Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 // 8 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
Stream: B1G+ – Tony Fanara (Play-by-Play), Andrew Burkey (Analyst), & Ella Peterson
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

Notable
*Illinois carries a five-game home winning streak into the contest. Under head coach Brad Underwood, the Illini have won 32 consecutive nonconference home games against unranked opponents.

*Illinois leads the Big Ten and ranks fourth in the nation in rebound margin (+22.3 rpg).

*Friday’s game vs. Colgate leads into a 17-day stretch in which the Illini will face three premier matchups vs. top 25-ranked nonconference opponent on neutral floors: Nov. 19 vs. #8 Alabama (United Center, Chicago), Nov. 28 vs. #2 UConn (Madison Square Garden, New York), and Dec. 6 vs. #20 Tennessee (Bridgestone Arena, Nashville). During that span, the Illini will also play two home games in three days at State Farm Center, Nov. 22 vs. Long Island and Nov. 24 vs. UT Rio Grande Valley.

*Illinois assistant coach and defensive coordinator Camryn Crocker will matchup against his former program, having joined Brand Underwood’s Illini staff from Colgate after working the three previous seasons under Raiders’ coach Matt Langel.

*Mihailo Petrovic is expected to see action for the first time in an Illini uniform, while Tomislav Ivisic remains out.

By Kedric Prince, IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

November 13, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Landon Davis made it official Wednesday, signing his Big Ten scholarship agreement with Illinois. The 6-foot-9, 215-pound power forward from Waukee Northwest High School in Iowa sealed his commitment with a mix of relief and excitement as he looks ahead to his future in Champaign.

Davis, who averaged 10.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, and 2.9 assists as a junior, also stood out on the AAU circuit with Iowa United. In the Adidas 3SSB, he added 8.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.0 blocks per game while shooting 61 percent from the field and 40 percent from three.

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst

November 12, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

The Illini took a big second half shot in the mouth fromTexas Tech, but bounced back and survived for an 81-77 win over the 11th ranked Red Raiders at the State Farm Center. The 14th ranked Illini led by 13 at the break, 45-32, but saw Tech make their first 11 shots of the second half and take the lead.

But Illinois would get a huge 23-point performance from Cal transfer Andrej Stojakovic, as he repeatedly sliced and diced the Texas Tech defense to off set a massive 35-point performance from All American Center JT Toppin to get the win and a 3-0 start.

Here’s a look back.

These 3 or 4 Things

Stojakovic Shines 

With so many roles and player options on this Illinois roster, Andrej Stojakovic may have identified himself as the Illini’s closer in 2025-26 season.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 12, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Despite always promoting positionless players in the Brad Underwood era, Illinois has always valued one position of importance on a basketball roster - closer.

In a program that has already identified late-game, go-to options such as Ayo Dosunmu, Terrance Shannon Jr. and even last year with veteran Kylan Boswell and the one-and-done freshmen of Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley, Andrej Stojakovic has now made an early-season argument for that to be his role in the 2025-26 season.

By IlliniGuys Staff November 11, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

November 11, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

The #11 Texas Tech squad comes to Champaign on Tuesday night in a showdown of top 15 teams. Both teams are 2-0 and come in with high hopes for the season. Illinois will be without big man Tomislav Ivisic, but should get guard Mihailo Petrovic back for this one as Brad Underwood said he is dressing. That should help as the Illini look to get a home win against a ranked non-conference opponent.

Here are the particulars.

Setting the Stage
#14 Illinois (2-0) vs. #11 Texas Tech (2-0)
Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025 // 7:30 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: FS1 – Jeff Levering (Play-by-Play), Steve Smith (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

Notable
*No. 14 Illinois hosts the third contest of a four-game, season-opening homestand on Tuesday night, welcoming No. 11 Texas Tech to State Farm Center (7:30 p.m. CT / FS1). Illinois carries a four-game home winning streak.

*The Fighting Illini are off to a 2-0 start to their 121st season of men’s basketball with blowout wins over Jackson State (113-55) and Florida Gulf Coast (113-70). Illinois is looking to start 3-0 for the fifth time under Brad Underwood, and the third time in the last four seasons.

*In facing No. 11 Texas Tech, Illinois is in search of its highest ranked win since a 109-77 victory at No. 9 Oregon last season (Jan. 2, 2025). Illinois is aiming for its highest ranked home win, meanwhile, since beating No. 11 Wisconsin, 80-67, at State Farm Center on Feb. 2, 2022.

*Forward David Mirkovic was named Monday as the Big Ten Freshman of the Week after back-to-back double-doubles to open his college career against Jackson State (19 points, 14 rebounds) and Florida Gulf Coast (18 points, 11 rebounds) while becoming the first Illini freshman to record a double-double in his college debut since Kofi Cockburn in 2019. Mirkovic averaged 18.0 points, 12.5 rebounds and 2.5 assists on the week.

*Senior Kylan Boswell enters Tuesday’s game 21 points shy of reaching 1,000 for his career (979).

*Illinois has 27 victories over ranked opponents since the start of the 2019-20 season, another highlight of the job Brad Underwood has done rebuilding the Fighting Illini program.

*The Illini’s 27 ranked wins since 2019-20 are tied for ninth nationally over the last six-plus seasons:

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer November 11, […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

November 10, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Phenom Hoops Report)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois men’s basketball program continues to pursue some of the nation’s best high school talent this fall, targeting players who fit Brad Underwood’s system.

While the Illini have missed out on a few major recruiting targets, they secured a key commitment from 6-foot-6 wing Lucas Morillo, a rising player whose national ranking has continued to climb.

Next on the commitment watch list is highly regarded 6-foot-6 wing Adam Oumiddoch from Overtime Elite. Oumiddoch is set to announce his college decision Wednesday, with Illinois, Oregon, LSU, St. John’s, and Villanova among his final choices.

Mike Cagley, Co-Host Sports Spectacular and Big Sports Radio […]