While the Chicago Bulls move one step closer to a complete roster, the Illinois men’s basketball team faces a key loss due to injury. And there are some Top 25 college basketball matchups on the horizon this week.
Every Tuesday, Tribune writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead — for the Bulls, Sky and local college basketball teams. Want more? Sign up for our Tribune sports newsletter.
Coby White practices with the Windy City Bulls
The Bulls moved a step closer to regaining star guard Coby White on Monday.
After missing the first 10 games of the season with a calf strain, White practiced with the Windy City Bulls — the team’s G League affiliate — at the Advocate Center before rejoining the first team to sit on the bench for Monday’s game against the San Antonio Spurs. Coach Billy Donovan said White was able to participate fully in scrimmaging and underwent the entire practice without any complications.
The next step for the Bulls is to wait. The team will not know how White handled this increased activity until Tuesday morning. The guard previously felt discomfort the day after attempting to return to practice, which resulted in a two-week extension of his recovery program. If White feels comfortable after practicing with Windy City this week, the Bulls expect the guard to return to practice Thursday following the team’s road game against the Detroit Pistons.
White has not played basketball since mid-August, when he sustained the injury. The guard is still working to regain his fitness to play at full speed in an NBA game, but Donovan praised him for his work to maintain his weight and fitness despite these months-long limitations.
“To his credit, I think he’s kept himself in pretty good shape,” Donovan said. “Considering the fact that he hasn’t played very many games, he’s done a good job taking care of himself. Right now, everything seems to be progressing in the right direction.”
Donovan hopes that White will be cleared to return to play at some point during a three-game West Coast road trip next week that includes stops in Utah (Nov. 16), Denver (Nov. 17) and Portland (Nov. 19).
In the meantime, Chicago is getting accustomed to playing shorthanded. The Bulls played without White and fellow guard Josh Giddey — who suffered an ankle sprain in a loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers — against the Spurs.
Illini down one Ivišić
Illinois Fighting Illini center Tomislav Ivišić celebrates after making a shot during the first half against the Kentucky Wildcats in round two of the NCAA tournament at Fiserv Forum on Sunday, March 23, 2025, in Milwaukee. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
No. 14 Illinois battled health issues all preseason, including guard Andrej Stojaković (knee) and guard Mihailo Petrović (hamstring) missing time.
Now, as the Illini prepare to face No. 11 Texas Tech on Tuesday at State Farm Center, they’re dealing with another absence. Coach Brad Underwood announced Friday, after a 113-70 win over Florida Gulf Coast, that junior center Tomislav Ivišić will miss time with a knee injury he suffered in practice.
Underwood said the injury is not season-ending.
How Illinois’ ‘Balkan Five’ came together — and are giving the No. 17 Illini a new sound
It’s the latest in a string of health challenges for Ivišić, who missed practice time in October after having his tonsils removed. Last season, his first at Illinois, he had mononucleosis and an ankle injury.
“The one thing I know about Tomi, he’s maybe as tough as any kid that I’ve coached,” Underwood told reporters at his postgame news conference. “And he’s going to do everything in his power to be back as soon as he can.”
Stojaković, following his recovery, made his debut Friday with nine points, five rebounds, three assists and three turnovers. Underwood said the Cal transfer guard was anxious in the first half but settled down to find a rhythm in the second. Petrović is working his way back and could dress for Tuesday’s game, Underwood told reporters Monday, though it’s unclear if he would see any time on the floor.
The Illini have frontcourt depth even without Ivišić. His 7-foot-2 twin brother Zvonimir Ivišić had 16 points, nine rebounds and seven blocks and 6-foot-9 freshman forward David Mirković had 17 points and 11 rebounds Friday.
Irish step up competition Saturday
Notre Dame Fighting Irish guard Cassandre Prosper battles TCU Horned Frogs guard Madison Conner for a loose ball in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Ala., on Saturday, March 29, 2025. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune)
Notre Dame coach Niele Ivey opted to play her starters deep into the 116-58 blowout of Chicago State on Sunday. She wasn’t trying to run up the score on the Cougars, who are in their second season under coach Corry Irvin.
Ivey just wanted to continue to develop the chemistry of a largely retooled group led by preseason All-American Hannah Hidalgo — and get their cardio conditioning up too. Cassandre Prosper (28 points, seven rebounds, eight steals) and KK Bransford (21 points, 13 rebounds) came up big behind Hidalgo in the second easy win of the season.
Prosper played in 34 games with four starts last season for the Irish team that made the Sweet 16, but she is seeing an increased role this year after five key players either graduated or transferred. Bransford is back after missing last season with a lower leg injury.
The No. 18 Irish face Akron on Wednesday but then will see a significant step up in competition. They play No. 14 Michigan in Detroit on Saturday before hosting No. 8 USC on Nov. 21.
Number of the week: 44.7
Chicago Bulls guard Kevin Huerter drives to the basket during the first quarter of the home opener against the Detroit Pistons at the United Center on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025, in Chicago. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)
One crucial factor is helping to power the Bulls in their early-season success — the bench.
The Bulls bench averaged 44.7 points per game in the first nine games of the season. This is the third-largest bench production in the entire NBA behind only the Miami Heat (49.7) and the Memphis Grizzlies (49.5).
This prolific outpouring from the bench is reflective of the Bulls’ offensive ethos this season. Rather than relying on one or two stars, the Bulls are balancing their scoring across the entire roster. Six players currently average double-digit scoring. Two of those players — Kevin Huerter (13.1) and Ayo Dosunmu (14.6) — came off the bench for the entirety of the season.
It’s still too early to make any bold predictions, but the Bulls could be on track to beat their franchise record for bench scoring averages if this output holds. Their current production easily outpaces the top bench scoring in team history since 1970-71, with the previous benchmark set at 41 points per game in the 2017-18 season.
Week ahead: Bulls
- Wednesday: at Pistons, 6 p.m. (CHSN)
- Sunday: at Jazz, 7 p.m. (CHSN)
- Monday: at Nuggets, 8 p.m. (CHSN)
Week ahead: Best college basketball games
- Tuesday: Men’s basketball, No. 11 Texas Tech at No. 14 Illinois, 7:30 p.m. (FS1)
- Friday: Men’s basketball, Northwestern at DePaul, 7:30 p.m. (truTV)
- Saturday: Women’s basketball, No. 18 Notre Dame vs. No. 14 Michigan at Wayne State Fieldhouse, Detroit, Mich., 3 p.m. (NBC)
What we’re reading today
Quotable
“I wish I could take credit for it, but I can’t. I think it’s their upbringing, their coaching they’ve had throughout. It’s a basketball feel and sense that sometimes you’re born with. But they’re very much mature beyond their years. (They play with) the right pace. They just don’t get sped up. That’s very unusual for freshmen. They both have great body control and incredible vision. And they’re great teammates because they’re very willing passers.” — Brad Underwood on the play of David Mirković and guard Keaton Wagler, both freshmen.