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Illinois’ 2025–26 offense under Underwood is built on what made them dangerous last year: lots of ball screens – they led the league in ball screens last year – spacing, and pace but with Kylan Boswell as a lead guard rather than the two-guard role be played last season, the Fighting Illini should become more dynamic in how they run those actions. Instead of just running standard P&R sets to fire threes, they can go “inside-out,” let Boswell drive or make plays off switches, use Stojakovic or Wagler as a scoring wing, and mix in pick-and-pop looks with their four forwards and bigs that tip the scales between six-foot-nine and seven-foot-two, sometimes playing three of these guys together.
While causing turnovers has never been a signature of Brad Underwood’s defenses, this year’s 2025–26 defense is built around being more proactive, aggressive, and disruptive, with an increased emphasis on forcing turnovers (although their initial metrics still look paltry on the turnover side) and using length and athleticism to pressure the ball. With new defensive coordinator Camryn Crocker, Illinois is pushing to create more chaos, fuel transition offense, and play at a faster pace while still maintaining structure and discipline. Underwood has stressed strong communication, rebounding, and shot contesting as core principles, aiming to balance risk with sound rotations. Although his teams have historically been more reliable offensively than defensively, this season’s roster gives him the versatility to trap, switch, and recover more effectively, making his revamped defense both more dynamic and more connected.
If Tarris Reed cannot play, this group really scares me based on how much skilled size Illinois boasts and it starts with arguably the most dynamic member of Illinois’ “Balkin Five”, David Mirkovic. As a kid, Mirkovic was a point guard, but now at six-foot-nine and 250 pounds Mirkovic just kept growing. Underwood compares him to Alperen Şengün – point guard skills while also being a double-double threat every game. With great feet, elite motor and an ability to shoot, Mirkovic fits Illinois’ five-out offense very well and with both Ivisic twins back healthy, Mirkovic is a beast to guard as their 4. He’s also a two-hand downlow, below-the-rim beast. Defensively, Mirkovic is solid and ranks as Illinois’ fourth-best defender, per EvanMiya.com, and third best starter.
UConn was in on Andrej Stojakovic earlier in the offseason, but, in terms of volume, Stojakovic is the most potent scorer in the Balkin Five. Starting at the 3, Stojakovic is more athletic and stronger after adding 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason. Reading up in the Blue Ribbon report, Underwood considered Stojakovic’s role this year similarly to what Terrance Shannon provided as the team’s “head-rammer”, thanks to his ability to finish with both hands in transition and low-post settings. A volume three-level scorer, Underwood also wants to expand Stojakovic’s facilitating game and Underwood also thinks Stojakovic’s lateral quickness can help him develop into a more capable defender, even though he currently ranks as the team’s second worst defender, per EvanMiya.com
After two seasons apart, the Ivisic twins are making their North American debut as teammates. Ranked as the team’s two best defenders, per EvanMiya.com, Underwood has mentioned in various previews that he is excited by the prospect of both seven-footers playing together, they have not yet.
In the Blue Ribbon preview, Brad Underwood calls Tomislav Ivisic Illinois’ “cheat code” and the most crucial player to Illinois’ ceiling thanks to his highly intelligent processing on both sides of the floor, understanding spacing and angles at a high level. He’s an efficient and skilled all-around big who many pundits peg as the guy with the team’s highest NBA potential. The Big Ten’s top returning rebounder, Ivisic added fifteen pounds of muscle over the offseason and that has allowed his body to move quicker and more strongly this season. Missing three games earlier this season due to a bone bruise, Tomislav Ivisic did not play in Illinois’ win over Texas Tech, so considering that he has only played against cupcakes, he’s been eased his way back, he should be 100% on Friday.
After spending two seasons with Calipari, Zvonimir Ivisic is a little less dynamic in terms of versatility, skill and playmaking compared to his brother, but Zvonimir Ivisic is a gifted long-distance shooter and finished last season with the SEC’s highest block rate. Between the twins, Zvonimir is arguably more dangerous in the pick-and-roll.
Starting 27 games last season, sixth-year senior Ben Humrichous gets close to starter’s minutes as Illinois’ backup combo forward. A high-efficiency offensive player who shoots well and also has the ability to play off the bounce, Humrichous is one of Underwood’s favorite guys to exploit matchups with either as a very big 3, backup 4, and at times last year small-ball five. Underwood has also said that Humrichous has had the team’s best offseasons in terms of changing his body and learning how to truly compete at the Big Ten level following three years at the NAIA level and two seasons at Evansville, spots where his attention to defense wasn’t as important as it is now.
Even though Illinois’ strength is their depth of skilled size, their backcourt is damn good even with Ty Rodgers still recovering for nearly two years following a knee injury and highly touted sophomore import Mihailo Petrovic still getting eased in slowly to the college level. If and when these two guys get going, they make Illinois’ ceiling sky high.
With that being said, senior guard Kylan Boswell has had an amazing start, continuing his amazing stretch in the last month of last season when he averaged 17.6 points and 4.6 assists per game. Like AJ Dybantsa and Jaden Bradley earlier this season, Boswell is another big facilitator UConn will face who can draw fouls. Playing his first season at Illinois as a 2-guard, Boswell is back at PG for the first time since his last season at Arizona. One of the best on-ball defenders in the NCAA, Boswell’s got the size and physicality to compete against big guards like Demary.
Entering this season as a top-150 prospect, Keaton Wagler has surprised as one of the best freshmen in the country. A skinny big combo guard who “bulked up” to 185 pounds this season, the bouncy Wagler is an all-around dangerous offensive player thanks to his creativity, efficiency and ability to draw fouls and get to the line. While his offensive profile has impressed, he has yet to make a strong impression on the defensive end.
Following a late eligibility ruling a few days before October, Serbian import Mihailo Petrovic has been eased in by Underwood the last three games and had his best game yet on Monday scoring 12 points and dishing 4 assists in 16 minutes against UT Rio Grande Valley. At 22 years old, Petrovic has the same agent as Jokic and has been a pro on the same team Jokic played for where Petrovic earned the nickname “Mr. Clutch”. A point guard with great speed, Petrovic can finish smoothly with pace and he’s got a deep bag of floaters in his game. An off-the-guy bench for now, it would not surprise if he eventually starts for Illinois later this season.
Similar to Wagler, Mercer transfer Jake Davis is a high-efficiency big guard who can be a liability on defense. Backing up at the 2 and the 3, Davis has lost weight in two straight offseasons to transform his body from an undersized power forward mold into more of a guard-style build. A very infrequent dribbler, if the ball is in his hands, Davis is either shooting or passing.
Hate to beat a dead horse, but there’s a lot about Illinois that makes me feel…doomed. If Reed plays, then UConn’s got their guy who can battle with the Ivisic twins and Mirkovic, but can a combo of Reibe/Koroma hold down the fort with a team with this much skill…but then also add in the fact that they’ve got a damn good backcourt? Anything can happen, but even a post-Thanksgiving tryptophan high might not be enough to ease my unease prior to taking the train into NYC.
While causing turnovers has never been a signature of Brad Underwood’s defenses, this year’s 2025–26 defense is built around being more proactive, aggressive, and disruptive, with an increased emphasis on forcing turnovers (although their initial metrics still look paltry on the turnover side) and using length and athleticism to pressure the ball. With new defensive coordinator Camryn Crocker, Illinois is pushing to create more chaos, fuel transition offense, and play at a faster pace while still maintaining structure and discipline. Underwood has stressed strong communication, rebounding, and shot contesting as core principles, aiming to balance risk with sound rotations. Although his teams have historically been more reliable offensively than defensively, this season’s roster gives him the versatility to trap, switch, and recover more effectively, making his revamped defense both more dynamic and more connected.
If Tarris Reed cannot play, this group really scares me based on how much skilled size Illinois boasts and it starts with arguably the most dynamic member of Illinois’ “Balkin Five”, David Mirkovic. As a kid, Mirkovic was a point guard, but now at six-foot-nine and 250 pounds Mirkovic just kept growing. Underwood compares him to Alperen Şengün – point guard skills while also being a double-double threat every game. With great feet, elite motor and an ability to shoot, Mirkovic fits Illinois’ five-out offense very well and with both Ivisic twins back healthy, Mirkovic is a beast to guard as their 4. He’s also a two-hand downlow, below-the-rim beast. Defensively, Mirkovic is solid and ranks as Illinois’ fourth-best defender, per EvanMiya.com, and third best starter.
UConn was in on Andrej Stojakovic earlier in the offseason, but, in terms of volume, Stojakovic is the most potent scorer in the Balkin Five. Starting at the 3, Stojakovic is more athletic and stronger after adding 15 pounds of muscle over the offseason. Reading up in the Blue Ribbon report, Underwood considered Stojakovic’s role this year similarly to what Terrance Shannon provided as the team’s “head-rammer”, thanks to his ability to finish with both hands in transition and low-post settings. A volume three-level scorer, Underwood also wants to expand Stojakovic’s facilitating game and Underwood also thinks Stojakovic’s lateral quickness can help him develop into a more capable defender, even though he currently ranks as the team’s second worst defender, per EvanMiya.com
After two seasons apart, the Ivisic twins are making their North American debut as teammates. Ranked as the team’s two best defenders, per EvanMiya.com, Underwood has mentioned in various previews that he is excited by the prospect of both seven-footers playing together, they have not yet.
In the Blue Ribbon preview, Brad Underwood calls Tomislav Ivisic Illinois’ “cheat code” and the most crucial player to Illinois’ ceiling thanks to his highly intelligent processing on both sides of the floor, understanding spacing and angles at a high level. He’s an efficient and skilled all-around big who many pundits peg as the guy with the team’s highest NBA potential. The Big Ten’s top returning rebounder, Ivisic added fifteen pounds of muscle over the offseason and that has allowed his body to move quicker and more strongly this season. Missing three games earlier this season due to a bone bruise, Tomislav Ivisic did not play in Illinois’ win over Texas Tech, so considering that he has only played against cupcakes, he’s been eased his way back, he should be 100% on Friday.
After spending two seasons with Calipari, Zvonimir Ivisic is a little less dynamic in terms of versatility, skill and playmaking compared to his brother, but Zvonimir Ivisic is a gifted long-distance shooter and finished last season with the SEC’s highest block rate. Between the twins, Zvonimir is arguably more dangerous in the pick-and-roll.
Starting 27 games last season, sixth-year senior Ben Humrichous gets close to starter’s minutes as Illinois’ backup combo forward. A high-efficiency offensive player who shoots well and also has the ability to play off the bounce, Humrichous is one of Underwood’s favorite guys to exploit matchups with either as a very big 3, backup 4, and at times last year small-ball five. Underwood has also said that Humrichous has had the team’s best offseasons in terms of changing his body and learning how to truly compete at the Big Ten level following three years at the NAIA level and two seasons at Evansville, spots where his attention to defense wasn’t as important as it is now.
Even though Illinois’ strength is their depth of skilled size, their backcourt is damn good even with Ty Rodgers still recovering for nearly two years following a knee injury and highly touted sophomore import Mihailo Petrovic still getting eased in slowly to the college level. If and when these two guys get going, they make Illinois’ ceiling sky high.
With that being said, senior guard Kylan Boswell has had an amazing start, continuing his amazing stretch in the last month of last season when he averaged 17.6 points and 4.6 assists per game. Like AJ Dybantsa and Jaden Bradley earlier this season, Boswell is another big facilitator UConn will face who can draw fouls. Playing his first season at Illinois as a 2-guard, Boswell is back at PG for the first time since his last season at Arizona. One of the best on-ball defenders in the NCAA, Boswell’s got the size and physicality to compete against big guards like Demary.
Entering this season as a top-150 prospect, Keaton Wagler has surprised as one of the best freshmen in the country. A skinny big combo guard who “bulked up” to 185 pounds this season, the bouncy Wagler is an all-around dangerous offensive player thanks to his creativity, efficiency and ability to draw fouls and get to the line. While his offensive profile has impressed, he has yet to make a strong impression on the defensive end.
Following a late eligibility ruling a few days before October, Serbian import Mihailo Petrovic has been eased in by Underwood the last three games and had his best game yet on Monday scoring 12 points and dishing 4 assists in 16 minutes against UT Rio Grande Valley. At 22 years old, Petrovic has the same agent as Jokic and has been a pro on the same team Jokic played for where Petrovic earned the nickname “Mr. Clutch”. A point guard with great speed, Petrovic can finish smoothly with pace and he’s got a deep bag of floaters in his game. An off-the-guy bench for now, it would not surprise if he eventually starts for Illinois later this season.
Similar to Wagler, Mercer transfer Jake Davis is a high-efficiency big guard who can be a liability on defense. Backing up at the 2 and the 3, Davis has lost weight in two straight offseasons to transform his body from an undersized power forward mold into more of a guard-style build. A very infrequent dribbler, if the ball is in his hands, Davis is either shooting or passing.
Hate to beat a dead horse, but there’s a lot about Illinois that makes me feel…doomed. If Reed plays, then UConn’s got their guy who can battle with the Ivisic twins and Mirkovic, but can a combo of Reibe/Koroma hold down the fort with a team with this much skill…but then also add in the fact that they’ve got a damn good backcourt? Anything can happen, but even a post-Thanksgiving tryptophan high might not be enough to ease my unease prior to taking the train into NYC.
