Illinois basketball is almost here, and the preseason buzz already has a familiar wrinkle attached to it.
Brad Underwood’s team opens exhibition play tomorrow against Cincinnati, even if fans won’t be able to watch it for reasons not explained. The bigger talking point, though, is the latest sophomore rankings from Andy Katz of the Big Ten Network and the NCAA, where Illinois star David Mirkovic landed at No. 2.
Mirkovic still got plenty of recognition. He enters the season as a preseason first-team All-American, and his numbers from last year back up the hype: 13.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He also shot 37.5% from three-point range.
But Katz put UConn guard Braylon Mullins at No. 1.
That choice is hard to square if you go by production alone. Mullins averaged 12.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game, and he shot 33.5% from deep. His biggest moment came with the game-winner against Duke in the NCAA tournament, but one shot doesn’t tell the whole story.
The matchup also fits a pattern Illinois fans know too well. UConn has been a problem for the Illini in the Brad Underwood era.
Illinois has played the Huskies three times under Underwood, all on neutral courts, and has come away empty every time. The first meeting came in the Elite 8, when Illinois stayed in it early before UConn blew the game open. Last season, Illinois again hung around early but still lost by double digits.
Then came the Final Four in April, with a trip to the national championship game on the line. Illinois couldn’t break through there either, as UConn controlled the game and won by nine.
That history makes Katz’s top-two call feel a little suspicious. There’s at least a case that head-to-head results had something to do with it, because on the stat sheet and with the eye test, Mirkovic looks like the better player.
The next chance for Illinois to settle things with UConn comes on December 4, when the Illini get round four of this lopsided series. Maybe that’s the night Mirkovic finally makes the case on the court.
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Illinois Just Found Out How Real Its New QB Test Is
Freshman quarterback Michael Clayton II did not ease into the job so much as get thrown into it and respond like a veteran. After Katin Houser went down against Michigan State, Clayton took over for Illinois and helped lead the team to a win, finishing 6 of 8 for 88 yards with two touchdowns. The biggest throw came in overtime, when he delivered the game-winning touchdown and gave the Illini a jolt of confidence at a position that can change everything.
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Illinois Is Already Tracking A Future Wing Fans Should Know
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Ganaway does not yet have an Illinois offer, but his profile is already the sort that keeps recruiting staff busy and fans curious. ESPN has him ranked No. 22 in his class, a strong early marker for a prospect whose recruitment is still in its opening chapter, and this visit gives Illinois a closer look at whether he could become a name to follow down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Opens Exhibition With Two Injury Situations Fans Will Track
Illinois will head into its exhibition game against Cincinnati without one of its biggest frontcourt pieces, as Brad Underwood said David Mirkovic will sit out while continuing to recover from foot surgery. The matchup is still a useful tune-up before the regular season begins, but it will have a different feel with one of the teams star forwards unavailable.
Jake Davis adds another layer of uncertainty after injuring his ankle in practice and landing as a game-time decision. For a team trying to use the exhibition as a clean early checkpoint, both situations are worth watching closely, since this is the first real chance to see how the roster looks once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]