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

February 5, 2026

The Illini dominated the Northwestern Wildcats 84-44 to move to 20-3 on the season and 11-1 in the Big Ten, with a win streak hitting 12 games as they prepare for a difficult game on Saturday at Michigan State.

The offense has always been sensational, but the defense has seen growth, both individually and as a group. In part 1 of our Northwestern Rewind we will break down the improvements and changes we have seen in this defense throughout the season, and why they are now good enough to win.

Here are the key changes we have seen.

Communication - We Talking ‘Bout Practice
“It’s going to sound very cliche, but it’s practice,” Underwood said after the Northwestern game. “We had so little practice time. That’s where your defensive chemistry comes from, that’s where your communication comes from, where you have to be an elite problem solver.”

We’re going to focus on the communication aspect here. The defensive uptick began after the Nebraska loss at home, where the Illini allowed the Huskers to shoot 56% from 2-point range and 46% from 3-point range in an 83-80 loss at home.

The Illini repeatedly lost men on switches, back cuts, left shooters open, didn’t follow scouting reports and looked lost on defense for much of that game. The Illini had a week of practice after that outing prior to playing Missouri, and it spurred this 12-game winning streak.

Following the Nebraska game the Illini were sitting at 56th in the country defensively and they now sit 20th. Since that game, they are 12th in defensive efficiency and 1st overall in efficiency. Communication is key.

Protecting the Rim At All Costs
When the Illini had Kofi Cockburn manning the middle they were relegated to drop coverage almost exclusively. Prior to Kofi the Illini overplayed everything and tried to force turnovers. The Illini played a similar passive defensive style since Kofi left, and it just hasn’t worked.

New assistant coach Cam Crocker has facilitated some changes as the defensive coordinator, but he had to get buy-in from Coach Underwood. Last fall, I talked to Underwood about the new defensive changes.

“We are working together,” Underwood said. “He is making some tweaks, some things we are using, others we talk about and maybe come up with a different plan, but he has really brought a fresh perspective.”

But it wasn’t until after that Nebraska game that Underwood fully bought in.

“We had to be better,’ Underwood said. “As good as we were at taking away 3’s, there was still something we were lacking. The personnel that we were trying to recruit was going to force us to have to do some of that stuff. A lot of conversations and I was the hardest one to convince. That was probably the most challenging after the Nebraska game here when they torched for like 60% from 2. That’s when I knew we had to commit to it. I had to commit to it. I had to stop barking every time somebody gave up a 3 and they made it. Just understand that for the long term this is what we’ve got to be good at.”

“It was challenging early in the year, but now I’m all in”

Gaps and Stunts
Illinois is much more active in the gaps as people driving down the lane attempt to get to the rim. We have also seen them much more aggressive in their stunting to show out on a shooter forcing him to put the ball on the floor while defenders recover. Perhaps it is just improved individual defense, but it certainly appears that the Illini are better at getting into help position and taking away what the offense wants to do.

With that in mind, since the Nebraska game we have seen opponents have the wrong guys taking shots for them. Obviously, some of that is scouting report but much of it is execution. Against Northwestern you saw Illinois leave non shooters to make it difficult on Martinelli and Reed, the two guys that had hurt them in Evanston. But they didn't double team it was stunting to force them away from taking the open three. It was being in the gap in proper position to take away a straight-line drive to the rim.

All of that together has made this a formidable defense.

Varied Looks
Clearly personnel matters in determining what defensive style that you're going to play, but Illinois has even gone to a zone defense when they have five players 6’6 or bigger, including a pair of 7-footers, on the court. They have switched. They have trapped. They have hedged, they have played drop coverage and they have played zone.

The very looks have helped them become more efficient defensively if for no other reason than to slow the opponent down and make them decision makers. There was a time when one Big Ten coach told me that Illinois ‘is the most difficult team in the league to play, and the easiest team to prepare for.’ That is no longer the case.

Using Their Length
The Illini are the tallest team in Division I, using lineups that often have 4 players 6’9 or bigger. They don’t need to always jump and get out of position on defense, which has allowed them to stay between their man and the basket and use their length to contest shots. Northwestern had just 1 turnover and still scored an abysmal 0.7 PPP, much of that coming late in the game.

This approach has also allowed them to lead the country in fewest fouls. Imagine a team that protects the rim at all costs and yet does not foul at a high rate. From a math standpoint, that is excellent. And that’s what the Illini have done.

Much has been made of the Illini offense and its rank as the top offense in the Ken Pom era, but their foul rate is also a top 5 all time in the Ken Pom era, and in no season would it have been worse than second.

Notable

• Illinois won its 12th consecutive game, its longest winning streak under head coach Brad Underwood and the program's longest since also winning 12 straight to open the 2012-13 season.
• Illinois is now 11-1 in Big Ten play, its best conference start since winning its first 15 league games in 2004-05.
• Illinois improves to 20-3 overall, the program’s best 23-game record since also starting 20-3 in 2005-06.
• Illinois secured its seventh straight 20-win regular season under Brad Underwood. It is the longest streak for the program since a seven-year stretch from 2001 through 2007.
  • The Illini entered the season as one of only four teams with 20-win regular seasons each of the previous six years, alongside Gonzaga, Houston and San Diego State.
• Illinois also clinched a winning Big Ten record for the seventh year in a row. Illinois is the only team to finish above .500 in Big Ten play in each of the last seven seasons.
• Illinois has now won 10 consecutive Big Ten games, matching the longest streak in conference play under Brad Underwood since winning 10 straight league games across two seasons from Feb. 25, 2021 through Jan. 13, 2022.
• Illinois' 40-point margin of victory is its largest in Big Ten play in 22 years, since beating Penn State 80-37 on Jan. 21, 2004.
  • Allowed just 44 points, the fewest by a Big Ten opponent since Illinois defeated Purdue 63-37 on Jan. 5, 2020.
• Illinois outrebounded Northwestern, 50-23.
  • Illinois has outrebounded 20 of 23 opponents this season with an 18-2 record in those contests.
  • It marked Illinois' most rebounds since pulling down 51 boards vs. FGCU (11/7/25).
• Illinois knocked down 17 three-pointers, one short of the program record tied Jan. 24 in the team's win at #4 Purdue.
  • Illinois ranks second in the Big Ten averaging 11.0 three-pointers and has made 10+ 3-pointers in a Big Ten-leading 17 games this season with a 15-2 record.
  • The Illini have knocked down at least 10 triples in 13 of the last 15 games, highlighted by school-record tying 18 treys in the win at No. 4 Purdue on Jan. 24.
  • Illinois hit 11 triples in the first half vs. NU, the most by the Illini in a single half this season, punctuated by Keaton Wagler's beyond half-court shot as time expired in the period.
• Illinois had five scorers in double-digits, the team's most in Big Ten play this season.
• The Illini posted a 14-2 advantage in second-chance points, entering the game leading the Big Ten in second-chance scoring (16.0 ppg).
• With Illinois trailing 7-5, the Illini went on a 25-2 run to establish a 20-point edge with 8:19 remaining in the first half.
  • Illinois went 9-for-13 from the field and made seven 3-pointers during that stretch.
• Illinois is 12-1 at home this season, the program's best start since also opening 12-1 at State Farm Center in 2019-20.
  • The Illini are averaging 88.6 points per game at home, with an average scoring margin of +24.2 ppg.
• Wednesday's crowd was the seventh home sellout (15,544) of the season at State Farm Center.
  • The Illini are averaging 14,728 fans per game, 95% capacity.
• This marks Illinois' 92nd Big Ten win since 2019-20, the most in the league over the last seven seasons.
• Andrej Stojakovic paced the Illinois offense with 17 points, shooting 9-for-10 from the free-throw line, and adding four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
  • Recorded season highs in free throws made and attempted.
• Keaton Wagler tallied 13 points, grabbed seven rebounds and dished out a team-high five assists.
  • Reached double-figures scoring for the 15th straight game, and a team-leading 20th time this season, averaging 20.3 points during that stretch.
  • Sixth game this season with 10+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists.
• David Mirkovic shot 80 percent from deep (4-for-5) to score 12 points and recorded seven rebounds and two assists.
  • Four treys tied his career high set in Illinois win at Ohio State (12/9/25)
  • Has made multiple 3-pointers in six of the last seven games and in 11 contests overall this season.
  • 12th game in a row with 5+ rebounds
• Ben Humrichous scored 13 points, on an efficient 5-for-8 shooting, and grabbed seven boards.
  • Team-leading 46th game with a 3-pointer over the last two seasons.
  • Knocked down at least three 3-pointers for the fifth time this season.
    • Has multiple treys in eight games and four of his last five.
• Zvonimir Ivisic tallied 13 points, on 5-for-8 shooting from the floor and 3-for-5 from behind the arc, with seven rebounds, two blocked shots and an assist.
  • Seventh game of the season with 10+ points.
  • 12th game in a row recording a block, averaging 2.3 blocks per game over that stretch.
    • 15th multi-block game of the season, and the 10th in his last 12 games.  
  • Matched his season high with three made 3-pointers for the third time this season.
• Tomislav Ivisic grabbed a team-most 12 rebounds to go with five points and five assists.
  • 86 3-pointers made since 2024-25, most in the nation by a 7-footer.
  • Grabbed a season-high 12 rebounds.
    • Seventh game in a row with 6+ boards.
  • Recorded a season-high five assists.
• Jake Davis added nine points, secured three rebounds, and tallied two assists.
  • Fifth game in a row with at least one 3-pointer.