Basketball

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

November 29, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Payton Sturdy/IlliniGuys)

The Illini fell to #5 UConn at Madison Square Garden on Friday despite a 25 point and 9 rebound effort from Kylan Boswell, 74-61. The Illini were cold from the perimeter, shooting just 6-29 from 3 and 9-22 at the rim in this loss to fall to 6-2 on the season.

The Huskies scored at will in the first half and led by as many as 21 points in the game before an Illini rally had cut the lead to 7. The Illini appeared to get a stop, but a Hail Mary 3 and 1 by UConn's Malachi Smith after the shot clock had reset incorrectly went unchanged after review and turned what would have been a 7-point deficit and the ball with 2:10 to play into an 11-point lead for UConn.

The Illini were never able to get any closer.

Here’s what we saw in person at MSG.

These 3 Things

European No Show -

By IlliniGuys Staff November 28, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

November 27, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Brent Zinkmann/IlliniGuys)

Brad Underwood loves his marquee matchups in the non-conference and loves to head to New York City as well, so he will get both out of the way on Friday when the Illini play the Connecticut Huskies. UConn is a perennial championship contender, and this year appears no different. The Illini are trying to get healthy heading into this one and hope to be closer to full strength than they were just over a week ago against Alabama.

Here’s a look at the particulars.

Setting the Stage
#13 Illinois (6-1) vs. #5 UConn (5-1)
Friday, Nov. 28, 2025 // 11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET // New York // Madison Square Garden
TV: FOX – Kenny Albert (Play-by-Play) & Steve Smith (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas

Notable
*No. 13 Illinois (6-1) closes a stretch of four games in 10 days across three different cities, facing No. 5 UConn at Madison Square Garden on Black Friday (11:30 a.m. CT / FOX). • In taking on No. 5 UConn, Illinois is in search of its highest ranked win since a 72-69 win over No. 4 Iowa State in the Sweet 16 round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament (March 28, 2024). Brad Underwood has led the Illini to five wins over top-5 opponents since 2019-20, sixth-most in the NCAA.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

November 27, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — On Thanksgiving Day, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood and his staff secured a key in-state commitment from Quinton Kitt, a 6-foot-7 power forward from East Peoria, Ill., who made his decision public on his Twitter page.

Kitt announced his pledge with a brief holiday message: “forever thankful to represent to put on for my state, go Fighting Illini, and Happy Thanksgiving.”

A few weeks ago, IlliniGuys’ Kedric Prince and Brad Sturdy learned that Kitt was leaning heavily toward Illinois. The Peoria native hasn’t hidden his connection to the program since late summer.

By IlliniGuys Staff

November 27, 2025

Like a surprise pecan pie you might discover behind the serving dishes of green bean casserole and cranberries, IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy delivered some eye-popping goodies this week on the premium message boards.

An under-the-radar campus visitor this week, who NBA scouts have their eye on and why this might be a December we'll remember come March.

Here's what he said:

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 27, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Standing at 6-1 with the season in full swing, the 13th-ranked Illinois basketball team has picked up its first commitment of its 2027 recruiting class. With the staff’s 2024 and 2025 classes bringing in flavors from all around the world, the first name on the 2027 class will be an in-state guy.

6-foot-6, 215-pound forward Quinton Kitt has committed to play for the Illini. Hailing from Peoria and playing for East Peoria High School, Kitt has been a frequent traveler to Champaign in recent months. He was on campus for his fourth visit for Illinois’ November 7th matchup against Florida Gulf Coast, and he has spoken with the IlliniGuys team several times before.

Illinois forces 25 turnovers and holds Western Kentucky to […]

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

November 25, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Brent Zinkmann/IlliniGuys)

The Illini beat UT Rio Grande Valley 87-73 on Monday night as they prepare for UConn on Friday, but they also showed they are far from a finished product. The ups and downs are normal for early season basketball, but this is different. The Illini have played 7 games but literally have only had a full roster available (sans Ty Rodgers) for three of those games and five practices. And even then, they are far from 100% and do not have conditioning up to speed.

So it makes sense that there are inconsistencies, some communication issues and even a coaching staff struggling to figure them out.

Things We Know:

Stojakovic Can Score 

While the talent, creativity and moments of athleticism from Mihailo Petrovica re impossible to ignore, Brad Underwood remains baffled on what to do with his 22-year-old point guard.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 25, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The biggest mystery for Illinois’ 2025-26 season continues to be 22-year-old Mihailo Petrovic.

Following what the layman might perceive as an uplifting effort from a player who was the last Illini option used off the bench, Petrovic remains this unlocked talent that his own leader admittedly doesn’t know how to properly use already seven games into this campaign.

“I don’t know. If you want me to be honest, we’re still working through all of that,” a perplexed Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said following the 87-73 win over Texas-Rio Grande Valley. “He was the first player off the bench on Saturday (in the 98-58 win over Long Island) and I think we have depth. It’s nice to have him and be able to go to him.”

By IlliniGuys Staff November 24, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

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

November 24, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Joe Clark/IlliniGuys)

The Illini open their Thanksgiving Feast Week schedule with a bit of a test when they take on UT Rio Grande at the State Farm Center before they head to New York to take on the UConn Huskies at Madison Square Garden. It is sometimes easy to look ahead and this would be a game they definitely do not want to overlook.

Here’s a look at the matchup.

Setting the Stage
#8 Illinois (5-1) vs. UT Rio Grande Valley (2-3)
Monday, Nov. 24, 2025 // 7 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: BTN – Jason Ross Jr. (Play-by-Play) & Bruce Weber (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Doug Altenberger

Notable
*No. 8 Illinois (5-1) continues its stretch of four games in 10 days across three different cities, hosting UT Rio Grande Valley on Monday night at State Farm Center (7 p.m. CT/BTN). This is Illinois’ lone one-day prep of the regular season, following Saturday’s 98-58 win over Long Island.

*Monday marks Illinois’ sixth home date among its first seven games to start the season. The Illini will not play at State Farm Center for nearly three weeks following the UTRGV game, returning Dec. 13 vs. Nebraska. Illinois has won all five of its home games thus far by outscoring opponents by an average of 32.8 points. The Illini are shooting 52% at State Farm Center, including nearly 36% from 3-point range Illinois carries a seven-game home winning streak into Monday’s game vs. UTRGV. Under head coach Brad Underwood, the Illini have won 34 consecutive nonconference home games against unranked opponents.

*After leading the Big Ten in scoring last season (83.6 ppg), Illinois is currently averaging 95.8 points. If able to maintain this early pace, it would surpass the program’s all-time scoring average of 92.2 ppg set in 1964-65.

*The Illini have opened with six straight games of 80+ points for the first time since the 1988-89 Flyin’ Illini did so in each of its first 12 contests.

*The Fighting Illini offense features six players – Kylan Boswell (17.8 ppg), Andrej Stojakovic (17.4), Keaton Wagler (16.2), David Mirkovic (16.0), Tomislav Ivisic (11.0), and Ben Humrichous (10.0) – averaging double-figures scoring, tied for the second-most in the nation.

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

November 23, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illini did exactly what they needed to do on Saturday afternoon when they dismantled the Long Island Sharks 98 to 58. Andrej Stojakovic led the way with 20 points, 18 of those coming after intermission. Freshman Keaton Wagler bounced back from a rough outing against Alabama with 19 points in this one as he continues to be one of the best unheralded freshmen in the country. David Mirkovic added 12 and Kylan Boswell tallied 11 as the Illinois placed four in double figures. Perhaps more importantly starting center Tomislav Ivisic is beginning to round into form playing 20 minutes and scoring nine points in his return to action.

Here’s what we saw.

These 3 Things

Putting the Pieces Together -

By IlliniGuys Staff November 23, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office)   Illinois at Florida […]

By IlliniGuys Staff November 22, 2205 (Cover photo courtesy […]