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
