{"id":286678,"date":"2025-10-08T14:02:13","date_gmt":"2025-10-08T14:02:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/286678\/"},"modified":"2025-10-08T14:02:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T14:02:13","slug":"illini-mbb-projected-to-finish-fourth-for-2025-26-season","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/286678\/","title":{"rendered":"Illini MBB projected to finish fourth for 2025-26 season"},"content":{"rendered":"

Illinois<\/a><\/b> men’s basketball is projected to finish fourth in the Big Ten for the 2025-26 season, according to a poll of 28 Big Ten reporters, including Illini Inquirer, conducted by the Columbus Dispatch and Indy Star.<\/p>\n

Purdue<\/a><\/b> is projected to win the Big Ten, earning 25 of 28 first-place votes, and Michigan<\/a><\/b>\u00a0is projected to finish second, receiving the other three first-place votes.<\/p>\n

UCLA<\/a><\/b> was projected to finish third, earning 417 points, just ahead of Illinois, which earned 411 points.<\/p>\n

The Illini’s highest projected finish was second (by four reporters), while the lowest Illinois was projected to finish was eighth (by two reporters).<\/p>\n

No Illinois player was named to the preseason All-Big Ten First or Second Teams as Tomislav Ivisic<\/a><\/b> and Cal transfer\u00a0Andrej Stojakovic<\/a><\/b> were left just outside the top-10 spots, earning the 11th- and 12th-most points. Illini guard Mihailo Petrovic<\/a><\/b>, a 22-year-old from Serbia,\u00a0received one vote for Freshman of the Year.<\/p>\n

After winning 22 games and advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, Illinois returns three potential starters from last season: All-Big Ten center\u00a0Tomislav Ivisic<\/a><\/b>, senior guard Kylan Boswell<\/a><\/b> and senior forward Ben Humrichous<\/a><\/b>. The Illini also added top-45 transfer Andrej Stojakovic<\/a><\/b> (Cal) and Zvonimir Ivisic<\/a><\/b> (Arkansas), and continued its Baltic pipeline by adding Serbian guard Mihailo Petrovic<\/a><\/b> and Montenegrin forward David Mirkovic<\/a><\/b>. Illinois\u00a0is also excited about the potential of freshman guard Keaton Wagler<\/a><\/b>.<\/p>\n

Why it matters: Brad Underwood<\/a><\/b><\/strong>‘s program continues to be held in high regard despite constant churn to the roster. Illinois now has been\u00a0projected to finish in the top four of the Big Ten media preseason in six straight seasons. Illinois largely has backed that up, finishing outside of the top five just once (finishing tied for seventh last season with a 12-8 conference record, one win behind a tie for fourth place) and finishing in the top-two three times. After a down decade, Illinois is clearly a top-tier Big Ten team expected to be in contention in each of the last six seasons. That’s some serious staying power through expansion and pay-for-play\u00a0in a deepening, loaded Big Ten.<\/p>\n

Illini predicted finishes with actual finishes<\/strong><\/p>\n\nYear<\/strong><\/td>\nProjected<\/strong><\/td>\nActual<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2025-26<\/strong><\/td>\n4th<\/td>\n???<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2024-25<\/strong><\/td>\n4th<\/td>\nT-7th<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2023-24<\/strong><\/td>\n4th<\/td>\n2nd<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2022-23<\/strong><\/td>\n2nd<\/td>\nT-5th<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2021-22<\/strong><\/td>\n3rd<\/td>\nT-1st<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\n2020-21<\/strong><\/td>\n1st<\/td>\n2nd*<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

*- Illinois won the most games in the Big Ten (16-4), but Michigan (14-3) was awarded the Big Ten title despite playing three fewer games because the Wolverines had a higher winning percentage<\/p>\n

Big Ten media poll projected standings<\/b><\/p>\n