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First Look at Illinois Basketball’s Game 2 Opponent: Florida Gulf Coast Eagles

Illinois looks to build on its dominant opener as it hosts Florida Gulf Coast in another early-season tune-up

Pranav Hegde

The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles compete against the New College of Florida Mighty Banyans in the season opener at Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Fla., on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. FGCU won 96-60.
The Florida Gulf Coast Eagles compete against the New College of Florida Mighty Banyans in the season opener at Alico Arena in Fort Myers, Fla., on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025. FGCU won 96-60. / Jonah Hinebaugh/The News-Press/USA Today Network-Florida / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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Illinois basketball (1-0) opened its 2025-26 season in emphatic fashion Monday, dismantling Jackson State, 113-55, while showcasing their depth, energy and offensive firepower. Despite being shorthanded, Brad Underwood’s squad looked every bit the part of a Big Ten contender, leaving fans buzzing about the potential of this year’s roster. The Illini now turn to Game 2 and a home matchup against the Florida Gulf Coast Eagles (1-0).

Florida Gulf Coast at a glance

The Eagles are led by former Penn State head coach Pat Chambers, who is in his fourth season at the helm in Fort Myers. Since arriving at Florida Gulf Coast, Chambers has steadily built the program, instilling toughness and discipline while stockpiling talent. Now he’s eyeing a breakthrough, with the aim of guiding FGCU back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2017.

This year’s squad gives Chambers a real chance to do it. The Eagles return seven players from last season’s 19-win team, including several key contributors who helped them notch 13 victories in conference play. That continuity and experience make FGCU one of the most dangerous teams in the Atlantic Sun Conference.

Picked to finish fourth in the league’s preseason poll, the Eagles seem to have the pieces to outperform expectations and maybe even contend for a conference crown. They opened their 2025-2026 campaign with a 96-60 victory over New College of Florida, highlighted by social media sensation Brandon Dwyer scoring his first college points.

The Eagles on the court

Florida Gulf Coast lost its top four scorers from last season, which will undoubtedly have an effect on the Eagles. But there is experience and production to be found on this year’s roster: Returning junior Rahmir Barno should be the focal point of the backcourt after leading his squad in scoring in the opener. Barno, coming off an injury-plagued season in which he missed nine games, figures to play a much larger role this time around.

On the perimeter, Barno will be joined by senior Rory Stewart, a versatile wing who served as a key contributor last season and will be counted on to take another step forward. Chambers also brought in several intriguing transfers to round out his rotation, including graduate forward JR Konieczny from Notre Dame, junior guard George Washington III from Richmond, and junior forward Isaiah Malone, an athletic addition from St. Francis (Indiana). What the Eagles lack in size Chambers hopes to make up for with balance and versatility.

That lack of size was evident in their opener, in which FGCU didn’t start a single player taller than 6-foot-8. But a smaller lineup allowed the Eagles to play fast, spacing the floor and pushing the tempo throughout. FGCU launched 43 three-point attempts – although they hit only 10 – in their 96-60 win over New College of Florida, showing Chambers’ commitment to pace and perimeter shooting. Despite their smaller stature, they also dominated the glass, grabbing 59 rebounds, as all five starters contributed on the boards.

Defensively, FGCU played primarily man-to-man in the opener and didn’t have to get too creative given the mismatch in talent. Still, it will be interesting to see how Chambers adjusts when his team faces bigger, more physical opponents such as Illinois. If the Eagles stick with their small-ball identity, rebounding and team defense will be a continual struggle and require a collective effort every night.

Illinois vs. Florida Gulf Coast matchup

Although Florida Gulf Coast looked sharp in its season opener, the Eagles will face a massive jump in competition when they travel to Champaign. Illinois enters this matchup with a clear advantage in size, depth and physicality – three areas that should again translate to dominance on the glass and high-percentage looks around the rim. The length and athleticism of the Illni frontcourt will be a serious test for Chambers' squad.

Underwood’s squad may not be back to full strength just yet, but there’s optimism that Andrej Stojakovic could make his long-awaited season debut. Even without a full roster, Illinois has proven it can get production from all over the roster and should not lack for scoring. Interestingly, Florida Gulf Coast’s up-tempo, run-and-gun style could play right into the Illini’s hands. Underwood encourages his team to play fast as well, pushing the ball in transition and creating mismatches before defenses can get set – a recipe that could spell trouble for the undersized Eagles.

Defensively, the matchup will provide another test for Illinois’ new-look lineup. The Eagles love to shoot the three and spread the floor, so communication and rotations will be key for the Illini’s wings and guards. Still, the talent gap in this one is a chasm, so FGCU likely shapes up as a chance for Illinois to fine-tune rotations, build chemistry and continue finding its rhythm before a stretch of marquee non-conference battles on the horizon.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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