Basketball

Jan 8, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood greets the crowd before he first half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

The Illini, per the Bart Torvik metric, have been the best college basketball team in the country over their past six games

Basketball

The Illini, per the Bart Torvik metric, have been the best college basketball team in the country over their past six games

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Jan 13, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers guard Langston Reynolds (6) celebrates during the second half against the Wisconsin Badgers at Williams Arena. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

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The Illini will go for their seventh straight win Saturday at Champaign's State Farm Center in a matchup with a gritty Minnesota squad

Nov 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood yells to his team during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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Underwood is running out of ways to describe Boswell, whose two-way performance sparked the Illini in a gritty road win

Jan 11, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) shoots the ball against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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Wagler scored 20 of his 22 points after halftime Wednesday, and Reid – who defended him – details how the freshman got it going

Dec 13, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Tomislav Ivisic (13) reacts after scoring during the second half against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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The Illini big man seemingly found his rhythm against the Wildcats on Wednesday night. Was it just one night, or is he all the way back?

Jan 14, 2026; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats forward Arrinten Page (22) defends Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) during the first half at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

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The Illini had lost three straight in Evanston going into Wednesday's game, then led wire to wire that the Wildcats still made them work for

Jan 14, 2026; Evanston, Illinois, USA; Northwestern Wildcats guard Jordan Clayton (11) defends Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) during the first half at Welsh-Ryan Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images

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The No. 13 Illini carved out a lead and held off the pesky Wildcats on Wednesday at Evanston's Welsh-Ryan Arena

Dec 21, 2025; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Michigan Wolverines forward Morez Johnson Jr. (21) shoots a free throw during the first half against the La Salle Explorers at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bradshaw Sevald-Imagn Images

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The Illini lost four players to the transfer portal last offseason, and each has been excellent at his new stop. Here's the latest on each.

Illinois guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger (8) drives on a Maryand defender in the Illini's 73-70 win over the Terrapins on New Year's Day at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois.

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Having pulled out of their brief skid and finally gaining national attention, the Illini will try to take the next step against a top-10 Big Ten foe on the road

Jan 11, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) goes to the basket as Iowa Hawkeyes guard Bennett Stirtz (14) defends during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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The undefeated Cornhuskers are (nearly?) the class of the Big Ten, while the Illini (13-3, 4-1 Big Ten) seek an opening to make their move

Jan 26, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Ben Humrichous (3) drives the b all against Northwestern Wildcats forward Nick Martinelli (2) during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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The Illini (13-3, 4-1 Big Ten) are on a roll, will the recent luck of the Wildcats (8-8, 0-5) in Evanston hold out Wednesday?

Nov 13, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood applauds the crowd before a against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Illini signee Toni Bilic is expected to land in Champaign within hours, so what will be expected of him in the coming days and weeks?

Dec 29, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) and teammate Kylan Boswell (4) react in the closing minutes of the second half against the Southern University Jaguars at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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The Illini appear to have a guard whisperer on their hands – one who has played a key role in building NBA-level talent over the past two seasons

Jan 11, 2026; Piscataway, New Jersey, USA; Northwestern Wildcats head coach Chris Collins reacts after a call during the second half against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights at Jersey Mike's Arena. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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The Illini (13-3) need to disregard that the Wildcats (8-8) are winless in the Big Ten and beware the recent horrors of Welsh-Ryan Arena

Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz (14) makes a no-look pass against Illinois guard Kylan Boswell (4) Jan. 11, 2026 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

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Stirtz said the Illini were "throwing everyone at me" but agreed that one player in particular made life particularly difficult in Sunday's loss

Nov 28, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward David Mirkovic (0) is guarded by UConn Huskies forward Alex Karaban (11) in the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

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Underwood drew a unique – and fairly spot-on – comparison of his star freshman forward David Mirkovic

Jan 11, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes head coach Ben McCollum reacts during the second half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

Basketball

The Illini offense has been exceptional all season long – and the Hawkeyes' Ben McCollum offers some insight on why

Jan 11, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) and center Zvonimir Ivisic (44) and guard Keaton Wagler (23) and guard Kylan Boswell (4) and forward David Mirkovic (0) look on during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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On a five-game winning streak punctuated by Sunday's road win at Iowa, the Illini are earning the respect of AP voters

Illinois forward Berry Wallace (23) takes Penn State forward Maggie Mendelson (4) off the dribble in the Illini's 92-76 win over the Nittany Lions at the Bryce Jordan Center in University Park, Pennsylvania.

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The Illini bounced back from a brief skid with a momentum-turning victory over the Nittany Lions at State College

Jan 11, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) and forward Jake Davis (15) walk off the court after the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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The Illini collected their fifth straight win Sunday, knocking off the Hawkeyes at home to continue inching up the KenPom rankings

Nov 19, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) reacts during the second half at United Center. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

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The Illini snagged an impressive road win over the Hawkeyes in Iowa City, and it was veteran guard Kylan Boswell who led the way

Jan 11, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) controls the ball against the Iowa Hawkeyes during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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The Illini delivered another win in Iowa City – their fifth straight overall – and social media had plenty to say about it

Jan 11, 2026; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) shoots the ball as Iowa Hawkeyes guard Isaia Howard (23) and forward Alvaro Folgueiras (7) and guard Isaia Howard (23) defend during the first half at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

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The Illini made it harder than they needed to, but in the end they held off a ranked opponent for a critical Big Ten road win

Jan 8, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) drives the ball against Rutgers Scarlet Knights guard Jamichael Davis (1) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

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Can the Hawkeyes (12-3, 2-2) play spoiler to an Illini team (12-3, 3-1 Big Ten) eyeing an extended winning streak?

Mar 13, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) dribbles the ball while Iowa Hawkeyes guard Josh Dix (4) defends in the first half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

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The Illini and Hawkeyes are set for a top-25 matchup in Iowa City on Sunday. Here are three numbers to know before tip-off.