No. 3 Illinois, with five key
players back on the roster, reloads for another run at the Final Four
[October 28, 2026]
Illinois (28-9, 15-5 Big Ten)
Expectations are high at Illinois after a season in which the Illini
made their first Final Four appearance in 21 years, compiled the
fourth-most wins in school history and finished second behind
national champion Michigan in the Big Ten. Illinois is ranked No. 3
in AP’s Top 25 preseason poll, matching the second-highest preseason
rank in program history.
Players to watch
Five rotation players are back from last year’s team. They are
preseason All-Big Ten players David Mirkovic and Andrej Stojakovic,
Jake Davis and 7-foot twins Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. Mirkovic,
who averaged 13.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists last year in
his freshman season, will miss the start of the season because of a
left foot injury in July. He underwent surgery in early August.
Stojakovic averaged 13.5 points last year and shot 50% from the
field.
Departures and arrivals
Gone is leading scorer and NBA draftee Keaton Wagler, who averaged
17.9 points, ended last season with 30 straight games of at least 10
points and had 35 double-figure games. Veteran Kylan Boswell,
another NBA player, also will be missed. Transfer Stefan Vaaks from
Providence was eighth in scoring in the Big East last season at 15.8
points per game. The top recruit is Quentin Coleman, a 6-foot-4
freshman guard who played for the U.S. Men’s U18 National Team this
summer at the FIBA AmeriCup.
[to top of second column] |
Illinois forward David Mirkovic celebrates after scoring
against VCU during the second half in the second round of the NCAA
college basketball tournament, March 21, 2026, in Greenville, S.C.
(AP Photo/Chris Carlson, File)
Top games
Illinois opens at home Monday against Fairleigh Dickinson. Seven AP
Top 25 teams are on the schedule, including four in the Big Ten.
Illinois will play at No. 19 Texas Tech on Nov. 10 and No. 2 Duke on
Nov. 17 and face No. 4 UConn on Dec. 4 in Chicago before starting
conference play Dec. 8 at Minnesota. The Illini will play host to
Big Ten rivals No. 22 UCLA on Feb. 2 and No. 6 Michigan State on
Feb. 5 then travel to No. 16 Michigan on Feb. 9 in three straight
games between preseason ranked teams. No. 21 USC will visit the
State Farm Center on Jan. 27.
Facts and figures
Stojakovich scored in double figures 19 times last year, had eight
games of at least 20 points and was 103 of 128 at the free throw
line. ... Illinois averaged 83.2 points last season, second in the
Big Ten. ... Illinois is one of four programs nationally with seven
straight regular seasons of at least 20 wins. ...The entire
allotment of 3,000 student season tickets for Illinois home games
was purchased in one minute.
All contents © copyright 2026 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
