Illinois Respected in Andy Katz's Power 37, But Still Trails Conference Foes

The Illini were listed at No. 17 overall in Katz's latest rankings but remain behind numerous Big Ten squads

Dec 29, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) shoots the ball over Chicago State Cougars guard Gabe Spinelli (12) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

There appears to be a general consensus about Illinois heading into the 2026 season: While some other teams are ranked all over the place, depending on the platform and the expert, the Illini figure into the No. 15-20 range (give or take) across nearly the entire college basketball punditry conglomerate.

The latest to release his own rankings is the NCAA’s Andy Katz, who published his Power 37 on Friday, and Illinois landed at No. 17.

🚨 NEW #POWER37 from @TheAndyKatz after May 28th’s NBA draft withdrawal deadline

1. Purdue
2. Houston
3. Florida
4. St John’s
5. Michigan
6. UConn
7. Duke
8. Texas Tech
9. Tennessee
10. Kentucky pic.twitter.com/ujoQ6zYMAW

— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) May 29, 2025

Similar to the rest of the country, Katz slots the Illini behind the expected trio of top Big Ten contenders in Purdue (No. 1), Michigan (No. 5) and UCLA (No. 16). In a bit of an unexpected twist, Katz even has Oregon (No. 12) listed above Illinois.

In any case, with a roster headlined by Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav Ivisic and Mihailo Petrovic, the Illini aren’t short on offensive firepower. With many reserving judgment until Illinois tests out its never-before-seen international experiment, it seems everyone concurs for the time being:

Coach Brad Underwood’s squad has as much potential as any in college basketball, but whether he can mesh a roster of foreign-born players – including many adjusting to a new lifestyle – well, only time will tell.

Fortunately, the Illini have that resource in spades. With over five months until the season officially tips off, Underwood and his crew have an abundance of time to acclimate the Champaign newcomers to their new environment and get Illinois on track for the upcoming campaign.

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