| PROBABLE STARTERS (projected) |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
23 |
Keaton Wagler |
6-6 |
185 |
Fr. |
17.9 |
4.8 |
4.4 |
B1G Freshman of the Year; All-B1G 1st Team |
| G |
4 |
Kylan Boswell |
6-2 |
215 |
Sr. |
13.2 |
4.0 |
3.3 |
All-Big Ten HM; B1G All-Defensive Team |
| F |
15 |
Jake Davis |
6-6 |
215 |
Jr. |
5.8 |
2.2 |
0.8 |
1st nationally in offensive rating at 145.8 |
| F |
0 |
David Mirkovic |
6-9 |
250 |
Fr. |
13.4 |
7.8 |
2.6 |
All-Big Ten HM; B1G All-Freshman Team |
| C |
13 |
Tomislav Ivisic |
7-1 |
255 |
Jr. |
10.0 |
5.5 |
1.6 |
98 3FG, most in NCAA by 7-footer since '24-25 |
| OFF THE BENCH |
| Pos. |
No. |
Name |
Ht. |
Wt. |
Yr. |
PPG |
RPG |
APG |
Note |
| G |
1 |
Brandon Lee |
6-4 |
195 |
Fr. |
1.6 |
0.4 |
0.2 |
Career-high 5 points, 3 rebounds vs. Southern |
| G |
2 |
Andrej Stojakovic |
6-7 |
215 |
Jr. |
13.4 |
4.6 |
1.0 |
1,161 career pts entering first NCAA Tourn. |
| F |
3 |
Ben Humrichous |
6-9 |
235 |
Gr. |
6.1 |
4.1 |
0.8 |
1st nationally in turnover rate at 4.2% |
| G |
5 |
AJ Redd |
6-3 |
170 |
Sr. |
1.4 |
0.4 |
0.0 |
Career-high 5 pts on Senior Night vs. Oregon |
| G |
8 |
Blake Fagbemi |
6-0 |
180 |
Fr. |
0.2 |
1.2 |
0.4 |
Has played in nine games |
| F |
9 |
Toni Bilic |
6-8 |
210 |
So. |
- |
- |
- |
Midseason addition; will redshirt |
| G/F |
20 |
Ty Rodgers |
6-6 |
210 |
r-Jr. |
- |
- |
- |
Out indefinitely following knee surgery |
| C |
31 |
Jason Jakstys |
6-10 |
225 |
r-Fr. |
1.3 |
1.9 |
0.2 |
Out for season |
| F/C |
44 |
Zvonimir Ivisic |
7-2 |
250 |
Jr. |
7.0 |
4.8 |
0.3 |
4th nationally in block rate at 12.9% |
| G |
77 |
Mihailo Petrovic |
6-2 |
180 |
So. |
1.8 |
0.7 |
1.2 |
Season-high 12 points vs. UTRGV on Nov. 24 |
Career Record: 298-136 (.687), 13th year
At Illinois: 189-109 (.634), 9th year
Big Ten: 107-71 (.601)
NCAA Tournament at Illinois / All-Time: 6-5 (.545) / 8-9 (.471), 10th appearance
Illinois NCAA Tournament History
Appearances / Streak: 36th / 6
Record: 46-36 (.561)
Final Four Appearances / Last: 5 / 2005
Series History - NCAA Tournament First Round
PENN (14 SEED)
Series Record / Streak: Illinois leads 6-0 / Illinois W-6
Record at Neutral Site / Streak: Illinois leads 3-0 / Illinois W-3
Last Meeting: #2 Illinois 78, Penn 71 (Nov. 22, 2001 at Las Vegas)
Record in the NCAA Tournament: Illinois leads 1-0
Last Meeting in the NCAA Tournament: 4 Illinois 78, 13 Penn 68 (First Round, March 17, 2000 at Winston-Salem, N.C.)
Underwood vs. Penn: First meeting
FIGHTING ILLINI UNDER HEAD COACH BRAD UNDERWOOD
- Big Ten's winningest team in conference play over the last seven seasons
- One of four schools nationally with seven straight 20-win regular seasons
- Six straight NCAA Tournament appearances (seventh precluded by COVID-19 cancelation in 2020)
- One of 10 schools to appear in each of the last six NCAA Tournaments
- NCAA Tourney wins in four of the previous five years
- 2024 NCAA Elite Eight; Illinois' first appearance since advancing to 2005 national title game
- 2021 NCAA Tourney No. 1 seed (fourth in school history)
- 96 wins in Big Ten play since 2019-20, the most in school history over a seven-year period
- Only team with winning Big Ten record in each of the last seven seasons
- Five Top-25 finishes in last seven years, including two in the Top 10
- Five All-Americans (three consensus)
- 22 All-Big Ten selections (eight first team)
- 2024 Big Ten Tournament Champions
- 2022 Big Ten Regular Season Champions
- 2021 Big Ten Tournament Champions
- Led Big Ten in wins in 2021
FIGHTING ILLINI NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES
- Illinois is making its 36th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and sixth* straight (*seventh precluded by cancellation of 2020 Tournament due to COVID-19).
- Illinois is tied for 18th among all schools, and fifth of B1G schools, for most NCAA Tournament appearances.
- Illinois is one of only three Big Ten teams – and one of just 10 teams nationally – to earn a bid in each of the last six NCAA Tournaments. Illinois' six-year streak is tied for the nation's seventh-longest active streak.
- Brad Underwood is just the second head coach in school history to lead Illinois to at least six straight NCAA Tournaments, joining Lou Henson (eight straight from 1983-90).
- Illinois' active streak of six straight NCAA Tournament appearances is its longest since participating eight years in a row from 2000 through 2007.
- Illinois has compiled a 46-36 (.561) record all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
- Illinois' 46 NCAA Tournament wins rank tied for 20th among all schools.
- Illinois' 46 NCAA Tournament wins are third-most among teams yet to win a national championship, trailing Purdue (51), and Gonzaga (47).
- Since 1975, when the field was increased to 32 teams, Illinois has advanced to the Sweet 16 nine times, the Elite Eight five times, and the Final Four twice.
- Illinois has made five all-time appearances in the NCAA Final Four, finishing as the national runner-up in 2005, placing third in 1949, 1951 and 1952, and tying for third in 1989.
- Illinois' five Final Four appearances are second-most among teams yet to win a national title, trailing only Houston (7), and tied with Oklahoma.
- Illinois has 10 all-time Elite Eight appearances, and 12 total Sweet 16 appearances. The Illini most recently played in both of those rounds in 2024.
- Head Coach Brad Underwood has brought Illinois back among the nation's elite college basketball programs.
- His rebuild in Champaign brought success during Year 3 of his tenure, leading the Illini to a top-25 finish and what would have been an NCAA Tournament bid before the 2020 postseason was canceled due to COVID-19.
- Underwood directed Illinois to a Big Ten Tournament title and #1 seed in 2021, as Illinois played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013.
- Underwood guided the Illini to a Big Ten Regular Season Championship and #4 seed in 2022, advancing to the Round of 32 for the second straight season.
- In 2023, Underwood guided the Illini to the NCAA tournament for a third straight season as a #9 seed.
- Illinois earned its fourth straight NCAA Tournament bid in 2024 after capturing the Big Ten Tournament title. As a #3 seed, Illinois advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight for the first time since 2005 behind star Terrence Shannon Jr., who averaged 23.3 points, the highest NCAA Tournament scoring average in school history.
- Underwood's NCAA streak extended to five in a row in 2025. As a #6 seed, the Illini earned an 86-73 win in Round 1 vs. #11 seed Xavier. It marked the fourth season in the previous five years with an NCAA Tournament win for the Fighting Illini.
- Brad Underwood is making his 10th trip to the NCAA Tournament with his third program in 13 seasons as a Div. I head coach. He previously led Stephen F. Austin to three consecutive appearances from 2014-2016, advancing to the Round of 32 in 2014 and 2016. He then took Oklahoma State to the Tournament in his lone season in Stillwater in 2017. Underwood owns an 8-9 career record in the NCAA Tournament, with a 6-5 mark at the helm of the Fighting Illini.
- The Illinois enter the 2026 NCAA Tournament with a roster that features much more experience than last year's squad. According to kenpom, last year's Illini ranked third-lowest in D-1 experience (1.08 yrs) and fourth-lowest in minutes continuity (3.8%) among the 68-team field. This year, the Illini are 38th in the tourney field in D-1 experience (1.63), and 19th in minutes continuity (38.8%).
- Kylan Boswell will play in his fourth straight NCAA Tournament, and his second consecutive at Illinois after competing in the tourney during his time at Arizona in 2023 and 2024. During last year's tournament he, averaged 19 points, four rebounds and four assists to lead the Illini. For his career, Boswell owns NCAA Tournament averages of 11.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists.
- Tomislav Ivisic, Ben Humrichous, and Jake Davis are all back after being a part of the Illini's NCAA Tournament team in 2025. Ivisic averaged 19.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 3.0 blocks vs. Xavier and Kentucky last year. Humrichous also played in both games, pulling down 4.5 rebounds per contest, while Davis logged two minutes in the team's Round 2 matchup vs. Kentucky.
- Transfers Zvonimir Ivisic and Andrej Stojakovic are slated to see their first NCAA Tournament action as Illini. Ivisic will play in his third straight NCAA Tournament after competing in 2024 while at Kentucky, and returning last year to help Arkansas to a Sweet 16 appearance. Stojakovic will make his NCAA tournament debut, having missed out on the Field of 68 during his freshman season at Stanford in 2024, and his sophomore campaign at Cal in 2025.
- AJ Redd is making his fourth-straight NCAA tournament appearance with the Illini. As a sophomore during the Elite Eight run he played in two tournament games, closing out first- and second-round wins over Morehead State and Duquesne.
- Illinois' all-time scores vs. first- and possible second-round opponents:
- vs. Penn (6-0) - 14 Seed
- 11-22-2001 W, 78-71 Las Vegas, Nev. (Las Vegas Invitational)
- 3-17-2000 W, 68-58 Winston-Salem, N.C. (NCAA Tournament 1st Round)
- 12-26-1962 W, 98-66 New York, N.Y.
- 12-22-1950 W, 75-65 Champaign, Ill.
- 12-18-1948 W, 80-61 Champaign, Ill.
- 12-20-1947 W, 70-44 Philadelphia, Pa.
- vs. North Carolina (4-4) - 6 Seed
- 11-30-2010 W, 79-67 Champaign, Ill. (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
- 11-29-2005 W, 68-64 Chapel Hill, N.C. (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
- 4-4-2005 L, 70-75 St. Louis, Mo. (NCAA Tournament National Championship Game)
- 12-2-2003 L, 81-88 Greensboro, N.C. (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
- 12-3-2002 W, 92-65 Champaign, Ill. (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
- 12-19-1987 L, 74-85 Champaign, Ill.
- 12-20-1986 L, 77-90 Chapel Hill, N.C.
- 12-20-1951 W, 86-66 Champaign, Ill.
- vs. VCU (1-0) - 11 Seed
- 12-3-2016 W, 64-46 Miami, Fla. (Hoophall Miami Invitational)
- Illinois has earned a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth time in school history, last coming in as a No. 3 seed during the Elite Eight run in 2024. The Illini hold an all-time record of 6-4 as a No. 3 seed:
- 2024 First Round (Omaha, Neb.) – #3 Illinois 85, #14 Morehead State 69
- 2024 Second Round (Omaha, Neb.) – #3 Illinois 89, #11 Duquesne 63
- 2024 Regional Semifinal (Boston, Mass.) – #3 Illinois 72, #2 Iowa State 69
- 2024 Regional Final (Boston, Mass.) – #1 Connecticut 77, #3 Illinois 52
- 1988 First Round (Cincinnati, Ohio) – #3 Illinois 81, #14 UTSA 72
- 1988 Second Round (Cincinnati, Ohio) – #6 Villanova 66, #3 Illinois 63
- 1987 First Round (Birmingham, Ala.) – #14 Austin Peay 68, #3 Illinois 67
- 1985 First Round (Atlanta, Ga.) – #3 Illinois 76, #14 Northeastern 57
- 1985 Second Round (Atlanta, Ga.) – #3 Illinois 74, #6 Georgia 58
- 1985 Regional Semifinal (Providence, R.I.) – #2 Georgia Tech 61, #3 Illinois 53
- The Illini were the No. 10 overall seed in the full NCAA Tournament seed list released by the selection committee.
- Illinois is 3-2 all-time against the No. 14 seed in the NCAA Tournament:
- 2024 First Round (Omaha, Neb.) – #3 Illinois 85, #14 Morehead State 69
- 1997 Second Round (Charlotte, N.C.) – #14 Tennessee-Chattanooga 75, #6 Illinois 63
- 1988 First Round (Cincinnati Ohio) – #3 Illinois 81, #14 Texas-San Antonio 72
- 1987 First Round (Birmingham, Ala.) – #14 Austin Peay 68, #3 Illinois 67
- 1985 First Round (Atlanta, Ga.) – #3 Illinois 76, #14 Northeastern 57
- Illinois is 34-16 as a higher (better) seed in the NCAA Tournament.
- Illinois is 26-9 all-time when playing its opening game of the NCAA Tournament and has won its first game in six of its last seven NCAA Tournament appearances (2011, 2013, 2021, 2022, 2024 & 2025).
- Illinois is playing in Greenville, S.C. for just the third time in program history, and the first time in the NCAA Tournament. On Dec, 29, 1998, Illinois defeated No. 14 Clemson, 67-50, at what was then known as the BI-LO Center. On Dec.11, 1975, Furman defeated the Illini, 75-73, at the Greenville Memorial Auditorium.
- Illinois played a total of 16 games against 14 teams in the 2026 NCAA Tournament field, plus a preseason scrimmage against defending national champion Florida. The Illini were 8-8 vs. NCAA Tournament teams:
- Oct. 25 vs. #3 Florida - Closed Scrimmage (Orlando, Fla.)
- Nov. 11 vs. #11 Texas Tech - W, 81-77 (Champaign, Ill.)
- Nov. 19 vs. #11 Alabama - L, 86-90 (United Center, Chicago, Ill.)
- Nov. 22 vs. LIU - W, 98-58 (Champaign, Ill.)
- Nov. 28 vs. #5 UConn - L, 61-74 (SentinelOne Showdown, New York, N.Y.)
- Dec. 6 vs. #13 Tennessee - W, 75-62 (Music City Madness, Nashville, Tenn.)
- Dec. 9 at Ohio State - W, 88-80 (Columbus, Ohio)
- Dec. 13 vs. #23 Nebraska - L, 80-83 (Champaign, Ill.)
- Dec. 22 vs. Missouri - W, 91-48 (McBride Homes Braggin' Rights, St. Louis, Mo.)
- Jan. 11 at #19 Iowa - W, 75-69 (Iowa City, Iowa)
- Jan. 24 at #4 Purdue - W, 88-82 (West Lafayette, Ind.)
- Feb. 1 at #5 Nebraska - W, 78-69 (Lincoln, Neb.)
- Feb. 7 at #10 Michigan St. - L, 82-85 (OT) (East Lansing, Mich.)
- Feb. 10 vs. Wisconsin - L, 90-92 (OT) (Champaign, Ill.)
- Feb. 21 at UCLA - L, 94-95 (OT) (Los Angeles, Calif.)
- Feb. 27 vs. #3 Michigan - L, 70-84 (Champaign, Ill.)
- March 13 vs. #23 Wisconsin - L, 88-91 (OT) (Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinal, Chicago, Ill.)
- The Big Ten has tied its conference record with nine teams in the 2026 Field, matching 2021 and 2022.
- There are six former Illinois coaches and three former Illini players participating in this year's NCAA Tournament:
- Former head coaches Bill Self (Kansas head coach) and John Groce (Akron head coach)
- Former assistant coaches Chin Coleman (Arkansas associate coach), Dustin Ford (Akron associate coach), Stephen Gentry (Gonzaga assistant coach) and Jamall Walker (Ohio State assistant coach)
- Former players Skyy Clark (UCLA), Morez Johnson Jr. (Michigan) and Tre White (Kansas).
