Basketball

By Kedric Prince - Staff Writer

November 6, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The “other” true freshman guard that no one seemed to talk much about leading up to the season is Brandon Lee from The Patrick School in New Jersey. Lee joins the Illinois men’s basketball program with a strong family legacy. His father, Butch Lee, starred at Marquette and was named the Most Outstanding Player in the 1977 NCAA Tournament.

Brandon Lee built his own impressive resume before arriving in Champaign. He scored over 2,000 points during his high school career and, in 2024, finished as the third-leading scorer in the EYBL circuit, averaging 23 points per game. He was also named Breakout MVP of the 17U division.

IlliniGuys caught up with Lee for a Q&A session during the preseason as he adjusts to life in college basketball.

By Zeno Jo - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

November 6, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – There was plenty to like from the Illinois women’s basketball team’s 91-67 season opener victory against Southeast Missouri State, but the undeniable star of the show was sophomore Berry Wallace.

After parting ways with a senior class that included four starters last offseason, head coach Shauna Green reloaded her roster with a recruiting class that ranked fourth in the nation, highlighted by Chicago native Destiny Jackson, who was the second-ever five-star recruit in program history. The first? Wallace.

By IlliniGuys Staff November 4, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

By IlliniGuys Staff

November 4, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Year four of the Shauna Green will have a very different look and feel when her Illinois team takes the floor tonight against Southeast Missouri State to open the 2025-26 basketball season.

Gone is a group that was responsible for nearly 76 percent of scoring last year and that combined for 63 wins over the past three years, two NCAA Tournament appearances, the program's first NCAA Tournament win since 2000, and the first-ever postseason tournament championship in winning the Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament in 2024. Kendall Bostic departed as the Big Ten's all-time second leading rebounder, while Genesis Bryant, Makira Cook, and Adalia McKenzie all earned all-conference honors during their careers. And Brynn Shoup-Hill was a key contributor off the bench.

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

November 4, 2025

The Illini rolled over Jackson State in their season opener 113-55, placing 6 players in double figures despite being shorthanded, as injuries continue to hamper this squad. Ben Humrichous and Tomislav Ivisic each had 21, while freshman David Mirkovic had 19 points and 14 rebounds and freshman Keaton Wagler posted an 18 point, 6 rebound and 4 assist game in his Illini debut.

Here’s a look at how they did it.

These 3 Things

Boswell Has No Backup

By IlliniGuys Staff November 3, 2025 CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - […]

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

November 3, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

After what has seemed like an eternal off season, the Illini Men’s Basketball team will finally take the floor on Monday night in their season opener. The Illini will host Jackson State at 7:30pm in what will be an Illini debut for a number of players.

Here’s a preview of what to expect.

Setting the Stage
#17/14 Illinois (0-0) vs. Jackson State (0-0)
Monday, Nov. 3, 2025 // 7:30 p.m. CT // Champaign, Ill. // State Farm Center
TV: BTN – Kevin Kugler (Play-by-Play), Bruce Weber (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play), Deon Thomas

Notable
*Illinois opens its 121st season of men’s basketball on Monday, hosting Jackson State (7:30 p.m. CT / BTN). Expectations are high once again in Champaign, with the Illini returning three starters from last year’s team that won 22 games, advanced to the NCAA Round of 32, and finished the year ranked 17th in kenpom.
*Illinois is No. 17 in the Associated Press preseason poll and No. 14 in the preseason coaches poll. The Illini have been ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 in five of the last six seasons under Brad Underwood.
*The Fighting Illini rolled to an exhibition win over Illinois State, 92-65, on Oct. 19, and squared off against defending national champion and preseason No. 3 Florida in a closed scrimmage in Orlando on Oct. 25.
*Illinois is the Big Ten’s winningest team in conference play since the start of 2019-20, posting 81 league victories over the last six seasons, tied with Purdue. During that stretch, the Illini own the most road wins in league play with 34. When including the conference tournament, Illinois is also tied with Purdue for the most total wins against Big Ten opponents over the last six seasons with 88.
*Illinois enters 2025-26 ranked No. 6 by kenpom. The Illini have finished 35th or better in each of the past six seasons during the Brad Underwood era with a high of No. 4 in 2020-21. Illinois has had back-to-back top-20 rankings the last two seasons, finishing 10th in 2023-24 and 17th in 2024-25.
*Senior Kylan Boswell and juniors Andrej Stojakovic and Tomislav Ivisic have been recognized as national awards candidates by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Boswell is on the 20-man watch list for the Jerry West Award, presented to the nation’s top shooting guard. Stojakovic is listed on the watch list for the Julius Erving Award as one of the nation’s top 20 small forwards. Ivisic is on the 20-man watch list for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award going to the nation’s top center.

About Jackson State
*Jackson State and Southern Miss played in an exhibition game in Hattiesburg [Miss.} with the Tigers falling in overtime after hitting a last-second shot in regulation to send the game to the extra frame.
*The Tigers return a pair of starters from last season in Daeshun Ruffin and Dorian McMillian, with McMillian earning Freshman of the Year honors last season. He returns as a Preseason Second-Team selection, while Ruffin returns as the top scorer in the conference and was named Preseason Player of the Year.
*Head coach Mo Williams will have two sons on the bench [at least at some point this season] with his son KyDarrius serving as an assistant coach, while another of his sons - Mike - comes in as a highly-touted recruit from Germantown High School.
*A trio of players come to Jackson State this year out of the transfer portal - the same place that produced Shannon Grant and Romelle Mansel. The trio - Devin Ree [Louisiana Tech], Dionjahe Thomas [Southern] and Raevon Thomas [Central State] - are all listed at 6-8 or taller.
*Jalen Tatum returns to the Tigers after missing all but four games last season, starting a pair of games before his injury, while Keiveon Hunt will start the season sidelined after suffering a knee injury in the SWAC Championship Game last season.
*After being injured in the conference championship game last season, Jayme Mitchell Jr. returns as one of the team’s top returning scorers and joins a long list of Jackson natives on this year’s team that include Ruffin, Hunt, Ree, and Williams.
*Daeshun Ruffin was named the Southwestern Athletic Conference [SWAC] Preseason Player of the Year after he ended the season last year in the SWAC Championship Game and was named to All-Tournament team at the conclusion of the tournament. He scored in double figures 20 times, including a streak of 13 consecutive games from Dec. 28 (Cal Baptist) to Feb. 15 (Florida A&M). He scored 20-plus points eight times including a career-high 37 points against Bethune-Cookman.
*Jackson State is ranked #252 on KenPom in the preseason rankings. The Tigers were 14-4 in the SWAC last season.

Watching For…

Getting Comfortable 

Ked’s NCAA Men’s Basketball Top 25

November 2, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Dylan Ballard/A Sea of Blue)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -  Having watched most of these teams play in the non-conference games, this is how I would rank the current Top 25 in men’s college basketball.

1.UConn
2. Kentucky
3. Michigan
4. Houston
5. St. John’s
6. Duke
7. BYU
8.Texas Tech
9. Florida
10. Arizona

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

October 31, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Illinois Athletics)

The Illinois women played their final exhibition on Thursday night against Division III Maryville. This is a Saints team that can really shoot it from deep and are coming off an upset of Missouri earlier this week. But Illinois rolled to a 79-60 win behind 22 points and 13 rebounds from freshman Cearah Parchment as they outclassed the Saints with their size and quickness. Gretchen Dolan added 17 points and Berry Wallace had 11.

Illinois now prepares to host SEMO in their regular season opener on Tuesday at the State Farm Center. Here’s a look at what we learned.

The Freshmen are the Real Deal -

By Kedric Prince - IlliniGuys Sr. Recruiting Analyst

October 31, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Eleven Warriors)

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — IlliniGuys has learned that the Illinois men’s basketball team is pursuing a commitment from Marcus Johnson, a 6-foot-2, 175-pound point guard from Garfield Heights (Ohio) in the class of 2026.

This recruitment has generated plenty of buzz. Johnson, who originally committed to Ohio State, reopened his recruitment earlier this week, sources told IlliniGuys.

Right away, Illinois was among the first schools to reach out to Johnson, along with Cincinnati, Arkansas, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Louisville, USC, and South Carolina.

By IlliniGuys Staff October 30, 2025 (Cover photo courtesy […]

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) (Cover photo courtesy player's […]

Illinois head coach Shauna Green confirmed Wednesday Iowa transfer guard Aaliyah Guyton will be inactive for the exhibition game on Thursday night against Division II Maryville.

By Matt Stevens - IlliniGuys Staff Writer

October 29, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois fans eager to see Aaliyah Guyton in an Illinois jersey will simply need to wait to a little longer.

Illini fourth-year head coach Shauna Green confirmed to local media Wednesday at State Farm Center that the transfer guard from University of Iowa via Peoria, Ill., will be inactive due to coaching staff being cautious with a recent undisclosed preseason injury to the 5-foot-7 guard.

Green said Wednesday she wasn’t concern with Guyton’s injury being a lingering problem but an exhibition game against Division II Maryville isn’t high enough of a priority to risk further damage to a player expected to be an instant contributor to a fully remade backcourt.

“She’ll be fine. She’ll be back,” Green said. “

By Kedric Prince Staff Writer

October 29, 2025

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The term “Twin Towers” will often be used when the Illinois men’s basketball team takes the court this season. Why? Because Illinois will have two seven-footers on the floor at the same time.

Tomislav Ivisic stands 7-foot-1, and Zvonimir checks in at 7-foot-2. In a recent interview with the media, Illinois head basketball coach Brad Underwood addressed the excitement surrounding the Ivisic twins. “Yes, before you guys asked, we have looked at both of the twins together a good amount. I think that’s something we can see at different times. We’ve even looked at sliding Zvonimir some to a perimeter spot because of his ability to shoot it and space the floor.”

Zvonimir, from Vodice, Croatia, began his college basketball career at Kentucky before transferring to Arkansas. Now, he’ll suit up alongside his brother Tomislav in Champaign.

(From Illinois Sports Information Office) CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Fighting Illini […]