Basketball

Illinois veteran center Tomislav Ivisic is finally entering a college basketball season with no eligibility, illness or injury issues clouding his progress.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 8, 2026

CHAMPAIGN — Healthy would certainly not be the consistent term that Tomislav Ivisic would use to describe his two seasons at Illinois.

Whether you want to start with the 2024-25 season, where he was plagued by health issues, including an ankle injury that bothered him for several weeks and then missing several practices and multiple games due to obtaining mononucleosis and an influenza bug, or a 2025-26 season that didn’t start well from a conditioning standpoint after undergoing a tonsillectomy procedure in October. Before Thanksgiving 2025, Ivisic was sidelined with a knee injury suffered in practice that seemed to plague him several months after he was given full medical clearance in late November.

The illness and injury issues saw his production in nearly every statistical category (including points, field goal percentage, rebounds, minutes per game and free throws attempted) go down from his initial season in Champaign-Urbana when he was an honorable mention All-Big Ten Conference selection by the league’s media.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

October 8, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois men’s basketball hosted another talented in-state prospect over the weekend as 2028 small forward Chase Kasten made his way to Champaign for an unofficial visit.

Kasten, a 6-foot-5, 195-pound prospect from Normal, Illinois, is rated as a three star recruit by On3. While the 2028 prospect does not currently hold an offer from Illinois, the visit provided him an opportunity to get a closer look at Brad Underwood’s program, including the facilities and the way the Illini practice.

So far, Kasten has liked what he has seen.

“The visit has been great so far. It’s everything I imagined it would be,” Kasten said. “Practice was great. They have unbelievable facilities here. Practice was very competitive. They get after each other, they push themselves. The coaches don’t allow them to let up.”

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

October 7th, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Standing a few feet behind his son at Gies Memorial Stadium, Titcus Pettigrew watched Brady answer question after question from reporters.

Illinois hosted Brady and his family this past weekend, giving the five-star guard in the class of 2028, according to ESPN, another opportunity to experience the program recruiting him. For his father, the visit also offered a chance to watch his son enjoy the moment and demonstrate the values he had been raised to carry.

Reporters from print and television outlets gathered around Brady as he walked onto the field, each with four or five questions. He answered every question in detail, appearing to be in awe of the experience while making time for everyone.

Titcus watched and took it all in.

The attention surrounding a talented young athlete was familiar territory for him. At West Forsyth High School in Clemmons, North Carolina, Titcus earned Parade All-America recognition, Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 1995, and North Carolina Player of the Year honors.

He went on to play football and basketball at Penn State from 1997 through 2000, spending time at wide receiver and defensive back for the Nittany Lions. He now serves as the head football coach at Bolingbrook High School.

Yet the conversation during Brady’s visit centered on something beyond athletic accomplishments.

After back-to-back NCAA Tournament second round appearances, Shauna Green […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– Illinois sophomore forward […]

Illinois head coach Brad Underwood is stressing a patience […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

October 3rd, 2026

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Bolingbrook High School standout Brady Pettigrew returned to Illinois for an official visit during Homecoming weekend, getting another close look at a program that has recruited him since well before many of the other schools now pursuing him entered the picture.

Pettigrew, a 6-foot-3, 185-pound prospect from Bolingbrook, Illinois, has drawn interest from some of the biggest programs in the country, including Michigan, Arkansas, Ohio State and Florida.

The visit gave Pettigrew another opportunity to evaluate Illinois after spending time at Michigan, a program that made a strong impression on his family.

When asked how Illinois was doing compared with Michigan, Pettigrew laughed before making it clear that both programs have set a high standard.

“It’s going to be hard for anyone to beat what Illinois and Michigan have done,” Pettigrew said. “I was there for their ring ceremony. Today, I’m here for Illinois’ Homecoming game.”

While on campus, Pettigrew had an opportunity to watch Illinois practice and came away impressed by the combination of size, athleticism and pace.

“Practice was very intense, nothing like what I had seen on my other visits,” Pettigrew said. “They’re so big and tall, but they’re fast. They can all shoot it. They play the way I like: get the ball out of the net and go.”

One player in particular caught Pettigrew’s attention.

“I think (Lincoln) Williams is making a strong case for being in the rotation,” Pettigrew said. “That says a lot with a team with this much talent on it.”

For Pettigrew, however, Illinois’ recruiting pitch goes beyond what he saw during one practice or one Homecoming weekend. The relationship between the two sides dates back years, something Pettigrew believes separates Illinois from programs that have joined his recruitment more recently.

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) October 1, 2026 CHAMPAIGN, […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Staff Writer September 29, […]

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 29th, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — One of the nation’s elite guards, Brady Pettigrew, will visit Illinois once again this weekend. But with each trip he takes, Pettigrew is looking for more.

Just a few weeks after Illinois hosted some of the top recruits in the country, the Illini will have another opportunity to make an impression when Pettigrew returns to Champaign.

IlliniGuys caught up with the five-star, 6-foot-3, 185-pound combo guard from the 2028 class before he headed to school Tuesday morning at Bolingbrook High School.

The first question for Pettigrew was simple: What is his mood knowing he is returning to Illinois for another visit?

The All-State guard did not hesitate.

“I am super pumped, sir. I like it down there. Anything to do with basketball, I get very excited about,” Pettigrew said.

By IlliniGuys Staff

September 28, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

176 days.

That's how long it's been since the Illini walked off the Final Four floor in Indianapolis after suffering a defeat to eventual national runnerup UConn.

It's been a busy (almost) six months. 

Out are consensus All-American Keaton Wagler to the NBA's Los Angeles Clippers and team alpha Kylan Boswell. In are high school All-American Quentin Coleman and Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks. 

They join a nucleus that may be the best returning group in the nation. Sophomore forward David Mirkovic had stats that rivaled the best freshman in the country last season and enters the season as an All-Big Ten and All-American candidate, not to mention a potential cover boy for all of college basketball with his quirky personality. Seniors Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Jake Davis all battled various injuries this calendar year, but all are at or close to full strength. 

Put it all together and Brad Underwood enters his 10th season with his deepest and most talented roster to date. The 79 wins the Illini have recorded over the past three seasons rank as the second-best stretch in program history. Illinois appears to be a lock to be a top three pick in the preseason national polls and is on everyone's list to reach the Final Four yet again in Detroit next spring.

The Illini have opened preseason practice for the new season and IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst Brad Sturdy shared the following notes on our premium boards early this morning:

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 25, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy player's X page)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — On Nov. 5, the Illinois men's basketball team will take on Fran McCaffery's Penn Quakers at State Farm Center, but that won't be the only big event taking place in Champaign.

IlliniGuys has confirmed that Benjamin Berrouet, ESPN's #4 overall prospect in the 2028 class, will also be on campus for a visit.

Illinois associate head coach Orlando Antigua has been pursuing Berrouet for well over two years, and it's easy to understand why the Illini have made him a priority.

This summer on the Nike EYBL circuit, Berrouet averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds per game for AB Elite 16U. The 6-foot-8, 240-pound prospect from Dallas is a versatile power forward with guard-like skills, making him one of the most intriguing players in his class. The native Texan continued to turn heads when he earned MVP honors while playing for the Latvian national team at the FIBA U16 Eurobasket in Romania last month.

A source told IlliniGuys on Friday morning that Berrouet is a prospect who could help keep Illinois near the top of the Big Ten and nationally relevant in the future.

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 23, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — It may seem too early to look far into the future, especially when Illinois is focused on maintaining its place among college basketball’s top programs. But building for the future never stops.

Illinois hosted several highly touted basketball recruits on campus over the weekend, allowing some of the nation’s top prospects to see the program up close.

Among those visitors was Bentley Lusakueno, a five-star prospect in the 2028 class.

Lusakueno was on campus with his family, and Illinois rolled out the red carpet. The Illini made the 6-foot-10, 205-pound prospect from Bradenton, Florida, a priority throughout the weekend, giving him an opportunity to spend time around the program, coaching staff, and players.

Lusakueno told IlliniGuys that one of the biggest things that stood out was the talent Illinois has assembled on its roster.

“I got to see a lot here, talk to other coaches and see them work out."

By Kedric Prince Staff Writer

September 23, 2026

(Cover photo used with permission)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The excitement continues to build around the University of Illinois athletic department, with plenty happening across several programs.

The football program is up and running, while the Illinois men's basketball program recently hosted one of the biggest recruiting weekends in school history.

Now, it is time to turn some attention toward Shauna Green's loaded Illinois women's basketball team.

Expectations are high in Champaign, and there are plenty of reasons for them. This should be the tallest and deepest team Green has had during her tenure at Illinois, giving the Illini a combination of size, experience, and versatility as they prepare for another challenging season in the Big Ten.

Here are a few tidbits IlliniGuys learned from a reliable source regarding a team that could find itself in the preseason Top 25.

During one of Green's summer media sessions, she discussed wanting her team to

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

September 22, 2026

(Cover photo courtesy Kedric Prince/IlliniGuys)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Darius Wabbington arrived at Illinois with an open mind but already knew plenty about the Fighting Illini basketball program.

The 6-foot-10, five-star center from Bradenton, Florida, quickly discovered there was a difference between hearing about Illinois and experiencing the atmosphere firsthand.

Wabbington got a taste of that attention when he walked onto the field at Gies Memorial Stadium. Reporters hurried toward him, while fans in the student section called out his name. The smile on Wabbington’s face made it clear he heard them.

For one of the nation's highly regarded big men, the reception was another indication of how much Illinois has prioritized him during the recruiting process.

"I was expecting big things here, but this is bigger than I imagined. I moved my visit up because Illinois really made me feel important. I knew there would be a lot to look at," Wabbington told IlliniGuys.