Inside Illini Basketball

The computers love Illinois this season mostly because Keaton Wagler, Kylan Boswell and Co. have teamed up to produce a top three offense and top 20 defense after some serious improvement on the defensive end the last month. Illinois will put its five-game winning streak on the line this week with two games that could (should) keep those metrics high. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and mo...

Whoever set Illinois' Big Ten schedule put together a favorable first half of league play. A series of winnable games — both at home and on the road — that could help Illinois match preseason expectations (contending for a conference title) with in-season results (actually contending for a conference title). Illinois will do so with one of the top offenses in the country and an improving defense a...

Illinois played its most complete game of the season in its Braggin' Rights blowout against Missouri. Exactly the kind of performance that needs to be repeated in Big Ten play. Will they all be 43-point blowouts? No, but if Illinois can generate enough rebounding and defense to match its high-powered offense, a conference title isn't out of the question. Beat writer Scott Richey, on location in Na...

College basketball takes a bit of a hiatus during the holidays. Games are few and far between. Players get a little time with their families. Coaches schedule more practices because class isn't an issue. So it's a different kind of busy this week. Beat writer Scott Richey provides a little comfort and joy with holiday gifts for the entire Illinois roster — and coach Brad Underwood — in this week's...

Losing at home to Nebraska was not the end of the world for Illinois. It wasn't great, of course, particularly after starting Big Ten play with a road win at Ohio State, but there's plenty of season for Brad Underwood and Co. to accomplish what they intend to this season. Illinois will just need better defense and significantly more consistent production from Tomislav Ivisic. Beat writer Scott Ric...

Big Ten play started last week across the conference. Illinois will play its two early league games this week, with a road trip to Ohio State and a home game against Nebraska. Illinois will do so with some positive momentum following its double-digit win against Tennessee — a game that doubled as good prep for the physical Big Ten. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's In...

Was the Black Friday game against Connecticut a snapshot of Illinois at its best? No, but it's also no reason to start hitting the panic button. Opportunities await this month for a talented Illinois team to bolster its résumé — starting Saturday in Nashville, Tenn., against Tennessee. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more (including recruiting, of course) in this week's Inside Illini B...

How far can a high-powered offense take Illinois this season? It's a relevant question given how productive the offense has been and how competitive Illinois has looked because of it. A high-powered offense that might be necessary this week with a Black Friday showdown with Connecticut at Madison Square Garden. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketbal...

The first two weeks of the college basketball season have proven two things our Scott Richey thought heading into the year — Illinois has a real depth of talent and is, in fact, one of the best teams in the country. Last week's win against Texas Tech reinforced both ideas and propelled Illinois up the AP Top 25 again ahead of another high-level showdown with Alabama in Chicago. Beat writer Scott R...

Illinois cruised through the opening week of the college basketball season, dominating Jackson State and Florida Gulf Coast. The challenge increases dramatically with Tuesday's game against Texas Tech and two other high-profile games this month against Alabama and Connecticut. It's one thing to crush a mid-major opponent. It's another to go toe-to-toe with another top 15 team. Beat writer Scott Ri...

The 2025-25 college basketball season tipped off Monday morning with actual games played. Illinois was a 29 1/2-point favorite in its opener against Jackson State, so beat writer Scott Richey got in his weekly time in the podcast booth ahead of tipoff. Up for debate? How good this Illinois team might be — particularly when it's at as full strength as possible. Richey discussed that and more, inclu...

Illinois will play its season opener in exactly one week — a Nov. 3 date with Jackson State at State Farm Center. College basketball is here! Beat writer Scott Richey discusses exhibition/scrimmage season (a perfect time for overreactions), Kylan Boswell as an All-Big Ten caliber player and recruiting (always) in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Did our Scott Richey call David Mirkovic the Montenegrin Draymond Green after his performance in the exhibition win against Illinois State? You bet. That's what you do during exhibition season. Overreact. Even if the Illinois freshman looked the part of a big time Big Ten contributor. Richey discusses Mirkovic's performance, what's next on the "secret scrimmage" front and more in this week's Insid...

Illinois will officially (but without consequence) tip off its 2025-26 season Sunday afternoon at State Farm Center with an exhibition game against Illinois State. Brad Underwood, Kylan Boswell and Co. will do so as the No. 17 team in the country and likely more than a bit short handed. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses the preseason ranking, the state of the roster and more in this week's episod...

The Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll will come out next week. Our Scott Richey had to submit his ballot at the end of last week — the end result of an intensive process to narrow about 40 teams down to 25. Rosters were scoured. Opinions were formed. And Illinois wound up in the same spot they held on Richey's "too early" ballot this summer. He discusses that process and more in this week's I...

The deadlines for preseason All-Big Ten ballots and the preseason Associated Press Top 25 ballot are this week, and Illinois beat writer Scott Richey is tinkering away to produce his best effort. Will someone — or some fan base — take offense? Without a doubt, but it's as difficult as ever to sort through an 18-team Big Ten that could resume its role as the top conference in the country (or at lea...

The 2025-26 Illinois basketball season officially got underway Monday with the first practice of the season. A practice that didn't feature Ty Rodgers or Andrej Stojakovic as they continue to recover from their respective knee injuries. Stojakovic projects to return in a couple more weeks. Rodgers' timetable is less clear. Throw in Mihailo Petrovic's not yet receiving full eligibility clearance, a...

The 2025-26 college basketball season begins next week with the first official practices. The biggest sign hoops is here? Emails have gone out to beat writer Scott Richey to get his AP Top 25 ballot ready and to start thinking about how he'll rank the Big Ten teams from 1-18. Basketball in the fall also means visit season to Champaign, and Richey discusses it all in this week's episode of Inside I...

Illinois is two weeks out from the start of practice and will continue its fall workouts, for the time being, without Andrej Stojakovic. But the rest of the team is still preparing for the 2025-26 season, where expectations for the program remain as high as ever. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more — including recruiting — in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

This week's special holiday edition of Inside Illini Basketball — a solo run by beat writer Scott Richey — touches on the program's past (the 2004-05 team's reunion), present (workouts back underway this week) and future (visitors on their way). Richey also throws down the gauntlet for inclusion in any future episodes of College Basketball Jeopardy from Basket Under Review.

Mihailo Petrovic arrived on campus over the weekend, officially putting the final piece to the Illinois puzzle in place ahead of the 2025-26. There's work to be done to get the 22-year-old Serbian point guard up to speed, but the fact he's here is seriously good news for a team that pursued another playmaker for a reason. Beat writer Scott Richey discussed that and more in this week's episode of I...

College basketball never really stops — it's truly 24/7/365 — but it does slow down occasionally. Like in mid-August when summer workouts have concluded and classes haven't started yet. That's the sweet spot Illinois has hit, with players left to their own devices before they return to campus and start prepping in earnest for the 2025-26 season. Beat writer Scott Richey tackles the basketball slow...

Our Scott Richey spent his Saturday night in Robinson where Illinois basketball and country music collided with Meyers Leonard's debut concert. Meanwhile, back in Champaign, summer workouts are coming to their conclusion with most of the team on campus. The wait for Mihailo Petrovic's arrival continues, which is a decidedly important for the 2025-26 season. Richey discusses all that and more in th...

Last week was an eventful one for Illinois, with Mihailo Petrovic officially signing, David Mirkovic finally arriving in Champaign and Class of 2026 guard Ethan Brown committing. The confluence of events begs the question: How will Brad Underwood assemble rosters moving forward in an ever-changing college basketball landscape. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside...

Summer workouts are nearing their conclusion at Illinois, with classes set to start for the fall semester in less than a month. Summer workouts that have, of course, not included the entire Illini team with David Mirkovic and Mihailo Petrovic still in Europe. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more — including recruiting and scheduling — in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.