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Illinois Basketball Grades: Evaluating the Illini Against Purdue

Illinois Basketball Grades: Evaluating the Illini Against Purdue

Any reasonable up-to-the-moment evaluation of Illinois basketball, winners of nine straight – including Saturday's 88-82 instant classic over Purdue at Mackey Arena – has to go something like: "Hey, those guys are great.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 25
Illinois Basketball Boosts NET Ranking With Top-Five Win at Purdue

Illinois Basketball Boosts NET Ranking With Top-Five Win at Purdue

Let’s rewind the clock to Dec. 13, 2025, when then-No. 23 Nebraska visited Champaign to take on 13th-ranked Illinois. With the score knotted at 80 apiece, an eager, albeit nervous, energy spread over the State Farm Center crowd.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 24
Illinois Reaches Unprecedented Status in KenPom After Win Over Purdue

Illinois Reaches Unprecedented Status in KenPom After Win Over Purdue

Illinois didn’t just beat Purdue – it broke the basketball calculator. Somewhere deep in the spreadsheets, a formula quietly blinked, sighed and accepted reality: Illinois basketball now owns the most efficient offense in KenPom history.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / EasySportz / January 24
Keaton Wagler Delivers a Night for the Ages as No. 12 Illinois Stuns No. 4 Purdue on the Road

Keaton Wagler Delivers a Night for the Ages as No. 12 Illinois Stuns No. 4 Purdue on the Road

There are great performances, and then there are nights that become part of college basketball lore. On Saturday in West Lafayette — widely considered

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 24
Illinois Football Offers Fast-Rising Edge Rusher From Florida

Illinois Football Offers Fast-Rising Edge Rusher From Florida

With the season officially in the books, momentum around Illinois football hasn’t slowed one bit. The Illini capped a strong 9-4 campaign and followed it up by signing a historic 2026 recruiting class, setting the tone for what the program wants to be moving forward.

Keaton Wagler delivers historic performance in No. 11 Illinois road win

Keaton Wagler delivers historic performance in No. 11 Illinois road win at No. 4 Purdue

Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler had a game for the ages in Saturday's 88-82 win at No. 4 Purdue Boilermakers (17-3, 7-2 in Big Ten).

No. 2 UConn survives upset bid from Villanova in overtime
No. 7 Nebraska's historic start continues after latest comeback win over Minnesota
No. 12 Texas Tech spoils record-setting performance from Kingston Flemings in thrilling win over No. 6 Houston
No. 22 UNC storms back, earns huge road win over No. 14 Virginia
The 'Most men's NCAA Tournament appearances' quiz
Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 24
Illinois Football Offers Florida Quarterback and Texas Linebacker – What It Means

Illinois Football Offers Florida Quarterback and Texas Linebacker – What It Means

The transfer portal is closed (except for national championship game combatants Indiana and Miami), and Bret Bielema and the Illinois football staff have turned their recruiting focus to high school underclassmen with an offer to sophomore quarterback Brycen Marbrey, of Florida, and junior linebacker Anthony James, of Texas, on Wednesday.

Kylan Boswell News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 21
Andrej Stojakovic Is Illinois' Answer to Kylan Boswell's Absence vs. Maryland

Andrej Stojakovic Is Illinois' Answer to Kylan Boswell's Absence vs. Maryland

Illinois cannot recreate the impact of Kylan Boswell . It’s impossible. Players can be similar, but they’re never identical. That is the beauty of basketball.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 21
Social Media Reacts to Illinois Basketball's Blowout Win Over Maryland

Social Media Reacts to Illinois Basketball's Blowout Win Over Maryland

The wagon just keeps rolling for the Illini, and at this point it may need a police escort. Illinois moved to 16-3 overall and 7-1 in Big Ten play with its eighth straight victory, pulling away from Maryland for an 89-70 win after an early stretch of discomfort.

Preview: Illinois WBB vs. No. 24 Nebraska

Illinois is back on the road, and the travel grind continues with a trip to Nebraska for the Illini’s third away game in their past four outings. After

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 21
Is Illinois Basketball's Jake Davis Ready for His Moment?

Is Illinois Basketball's Jake Davis Ready for His Moment?

Jake Davis isn't No. 1 on the call sheet. He isn't the guy with the ball in his hands at the end of a tight game. But chances are, you've overlooked what he brings to the party at Illinois.

College Football News / Yardbarker / December 30
Illinois staves off Tennessee on walk-off field goal to win Music City Bowl

Illinois staves off Tennessee on walk-off field goal to win Music City Bowl

The win is the second straight bowl win for Bret Bielema and Illinois.

The 25 greatest players in SEC football history
The 'College nicknames that don't end in s' quiz
Illinois Fighting Illini News / CFB-HQ on SI / December 29
Tennessee vs. Illinois prediction: Who wins the Music City Bowl, and why?

Tennessee vs. Illinois prediction: Who wins the Music City Bowl, and why?

The latest offering from college football bowl season brings us a notable SEC vs. Big Ten clash from Nashville as Tennessee and Illinois face off in the 2025 Music City Bowl game.

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