Illinois Fighting Illini: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Brad Underwood's Simple (If Not Easy) Fix for Keeping Illinois' Top Scorers Happy

One word has become synonymous with Illinois basketball – particularly when it comes to its offensive attack – throughout the 2025-26 campaign: balance.

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Preview: No. 25 Illinois WBB vs. Northwestern

After a tough road loss at Michigan, Illinois women's basketball is back home – and with little time to dwell on the result, and with even less margin for error in the follow-up.

Brad Underwood News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 16

Illinois Lands In-State 2027 Sharpshooter Mason Martin: What Does He Bring?

Illinois’ Brad Underwood is a man who knows what he wants. And his wish list generally consists of two must-haves: positional size and shooting – both of which the latest Illini commit has in spades.On Friday, Underwood and Illinois received a commitment from class of 2027 in-state wing Mason Martin.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 16

Three Observations From Illinois Women's Basketball's 85-69 Loss at Michigan

Road games in the Big Ten are never gentle, and a trip to Ann Arbor is especially unforgiving when Michigan is rolling. That reality hit the Illinois women’s basketball on Thursday night as the Illini fell 85-69 to the Wolverines at Crisler Center.

Watch: Illinois at Michigan | HIGHLIGHTS | Big Ten Women's Basketball | 01/15/2026

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 15

Illinois' Dominance During Win Streak Reflected in Bart Torvik Data

Nebraska, which knocked off Illinois in Champaign earlier this year, is 16-0 and 6-0 in Big Ten play. Purdue has won eight straight, is 16-1 overall and the only other college hoops club that still holds an unblemished Big Ten record.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 15

Northwestern's Jayden Reid Explains Illinois' Keaton Wagler's Breakout

It’s hard to believe Illinois freshman guard Keaton Wagler has so quickly turned into a high-volume scorer on a night-to-night basis that he can pour in a team-high 22 points in a Big Ten victory on the road and we don’t bat an eye.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 15

Illinois' Tomislav Ivisic Reemerges in Victory vs. Northwestern – Is He Back?

Illinois men's basketball's seemingly infinite array of scoring weapons can be a double-edged sword. The benefits are relatively straightforward: multiple options that work alongside one another, each only strengthening one another’s skill set.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 14

Social Media Reacts to Illinois Basketball's Hard-Scrabble Win at Northwestern

Illinois finally exorcised one of its more annoying recent demons on Wednesday night, knocking off Northwestern 79-68 in Evanston and snapping a three-game losing streak in Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 14

Three Instant Observations From Illinois Basketball's 79-68 Win at Northwestern

Chicago's northern suburbs have been a strange stumbling block in recent years for Illinois, which had entered Wednesday's road matchup against Northwestern having lost of each of its past three at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Watch: Illinois at Northwestern | HIGHLIGHTS | Big Ten Women's Basketball | 01/14/2026

Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 14

Former Illini Update: Morez Johnson Jr., Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn Erupt, Plus More

There’s no way around it: Illinois men's basketball losing key pieces to the transfer portal during the Brad Underwood era has become an almost annual affair.

Ca'Lil Valentine News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 14

Illinois Running Back Ca'Lil Valentine to Return to Champaign in 2026?

A big concern surrounding Illinois football heading into this offseason was the possibility – and maybe even likelihood – of a handful of impact players with eligibility remaining opting to bail on the program ahead of what can only be characterized as a transition year.

Brad Underwood News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 13

Illinois' Midseason Addition Set to Arrive: Brad Underwood Details Expectations

Illinois made waves in December when it signed international forward Toni Bilic as a midseason addition to its roster. But although Bilic, a 6-foot-8 Croatia native, signed with the Illini on Dec.

Kylan Boswell News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 12

Iowa's Bennett Stirtz Explains How Illinois' Kylan Boswell Ruined His Sunday

Iowa guard Bennett Stirtz was a preseason All-Big Ten selection by the media and is considered a future NBA first-round draft prospect – maybe even a lottery pick.

Brad Underwood News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 12

Illinois' Brad Underwood Compares David Mirkovic to Former Iowa State All-American

Illinois' David Mirkovic doesn’t fit into a prototypical hoops category. A 6-foot-9 forward, he isn’t exactly a stretch 4. He’s certainly not solely a post-up player – although not quite a point forward.

Illinois Fighting Illini News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 12

Iowa Coach Ben McCollum Reveals What Sets Illinois' Offense Apart

Everyone has heard the adage: The whole is greater than the sum of its parts. In any group setting – business, sports, etc. – to reach that status is the goal of every entity.

Watch: Illinois at Iowa | HIGHLIGHTS | Big Ten Basketball | 01/11/2026

Luke Altmyer News / Larry Brown Sports / December 31

Illinois QB Luke Altmyer runs over a referee during Music City Bowl

Luke Altmyer left a referee with tire marks all over his face during Tuesday’s bowl game. The senior quarterback Altmyer and Illinois squared off against Tennessee in the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl.

College Football News / Yardbarker / December 30