Illinois Debuts in AP Top 25 Preseason College Basketball Poll

The Illini reloaded in the offseason, and Associated Press voters appear to like their chances headed into 2025-26

Mar 13, 2025; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) celebrates after a play during the first half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

It's too easy to think of Illinois basketball's 2024-25 season as a disappointment. An overhauled roster packed with talent – including the program's first two one-and-done NBA players in Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley – led the Illini on a roller coaster ride of a campaign: 22-13 (12-8 Big Ten), a seventh-place conference finish and a second-round NCAA Tournament exit.

But Brad Underwood, heading into his ninth season as Illinois coach, has been quick to point out what that team was missing: experience and continuity. For all their ability, last season's Illini were young, new to one another and, a bit too often, disjointed on the court.

That won't be the case in 2025-26, when a different kind Underwood overhaul accounted for those missing elements. Outside observers seem to agree, as Monday's AP Top 25 preseason men's college basketball poll dropped featuring the Illini at No. 17.

Preseason AP Poll: No. 17 pic.twitter.com/M9MX6oUj2c

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) October 13, 2025

Why Brad Underwood believes in Illinois' experience

A year ago, the most experienced returning active player on the Illini roster was Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, a sophomore who had averaged 7.1 minutes and 2.4 points as a freshman in 2023-24. A handful of transfers brought aboard featured a mixture of mostly underclassmen and former mid-major competitors.

This time around, returning starters Kylan Boswell, Tomislav Ivisic and Ben Humrichous form the backbone of the club, while transfers Andrej Stojakovic (Cal), Zvonimir Ivisic (Arkansas), Mihailo Petrovic and David Mirkovic all come from Power 5 or professional programs.

"You go back two years ago, our Elite 8 team, we were an old team," Underwood said recently at Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Day. "There's a huge advantage to being in a weight room two or three years. There's a huge advantage to having 30, 60, 90 games – whatever it is – under your belt and to know what comes with that, know what comes with the rigors of a season? I like that."

The rest of the AP Top 25

It should surprise no one that Purdue, led by returning Big Ten Player of the Year Braden Smith and stellar forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, commanded the top spot in the first AP poll. Among other conference schools that fell in behind the Boilermakers on the list are Michigan (No. 7), UCLA (No. 12), Michigan State (No. 22) and Wisconsin (No. 24).

AP Top 25: 1. Purdue, 2. Houston, 3. Florida, 4. UConn, 5. St. John's, 6. Duke, 7. Michigan, 8. BYU, 9. Kentucky, 10. Texas Tech, 11. Louisville, 12. UCLA, 13. Arizona, 14. Arkansas, 15. Alabama, 16. Iowa State, 17. Illinois, 18. Tennessee, 19. Kansas, 20. Auburn, 21. Gonzaga, 22. Michigan State, 23. Creighton, 24. Wisconsin, 25. North Carolina.

We've got your schedule all laid out for you. pic.twitter.com/CPNUvBgeQl

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) October 7, 2025