Illinois opened the season with a dominant win over Fairleigh Dickinson, but the bigger takeaway from Monday night in Champaign was how much the Illini already seem willing to explore.
Brad Underwood’s group did not just cruise past FDU. It mixed in different defensive looks, moved the ball with real urgency and even offered a few rotation clues that stood out in a lopsided game. For a team that spent last season avoiding fouls but rarely forcing turnovers, that alone was notable.
Illinois forced only 12 turnovers against the Knights, but the pressure was there. Quentin Coleman picked off three steals while jumping passing lanes.
Stefan Vaaks helped create chaos with a double team, and Landon Davis did the same. Some of the doubles were risky, but Illinois clearly spent time trying out different wrinkles.
The Illini sprinkled in occasional full-court pressure, used a run-and-jump defense and even zoned FDU at times.
That kind of experimentation may not be the menu every night. Illinois is not going to empty the playbook against Duke. Still, the willingness to test different coverages in the opener says something about where this team is right now: Underwood is looking for options, and if one of those changeups sticks, it could matter later when opponents least expect it.
The rotation brought its own intrigue. Zvonimir Ivisic entered the season as one of college basketball’s top 20 players, according to EvanMiya, and he also looks like one of the best reserves in the country.
Underwood seemed pleased with his offseason work. Even so, Ivisic played only 11 minutes Monday, which ranked third-to-last among Illinois’ active players, ahead of only Blake Fagbemi and Quentin McCoy, not counting the injured Jake Davis.
The timing was just as interesting as the total. Ivisic checked in for the first time at the 12-minute mark and was the fifth Illini off the bench. Junior big man Jason Jakstys was the first frontcourt reserve to enter, with Ivisic coming on to give him a breather.
If the head injury Ivisic suffered in the exhibition game against Baylor was still an issue, he probably would not have played at all. It is also possible Underwood was still sorting through combinations and simply landed on that substitution pattern by chance.
But in regular-season games, even ones that get out of hand, those early substitution patterns usually reveal something about the pecking order. It would be a surprise if Ivisic, an elite shot blocker and a natural rim runner in Illinois’ new up-tempo setup, is truly sliding down the rotation.
The pace was another eye-opener. Illinois had already shown speed in the exhibitions, but Monday felt even faster.
Some of that came from the matchup itself. When the staff is pushing “go, go, go” and FDU can’t keep anyone in front of an attacking Andrej Stojakovic or stop another Illini from getting behind the defense, possessions can end in a hurry.
That won’t look the same against high-major competition, where Illinois will have to work deeper into the clock. But against FDU, the ball was flying.
The Illini kept it moving, and the offense looked a lot like the kind built on split-second decisions - pass, shoot or drive - that has been popularized as “0.5 offense.” It worked beautifully in the opener.
The real test comes next. Against teams like Duke and UConn, both top-five defenses and both exceptionally well-coached, Illinois will find out how much of Monday night’s pace, pressure and ball movement can travel.
In Other News...
Illinois Blowout Came With A New Injury Concern Fans Will Hate
Illinois put together a lopsided win over Fairleigh Dickinson, rolling to a 120-45 victory that never left much doubt once the game got going. The night was supposed to be about a dominant performance and another chance to build momentum, but it also brought an unwelcome turn when Jake Davis went down with a shoulder injury and did not return.
Brad Underwoods postgame update did little to ease the concern, saying the injury did not sound good even though the full diagnosis was still unknown. For a team coming off such a runaway result, the bigger question now is how long it might have to manage without Davis and what the setback means as Illinois moves forward. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Just Got More Proof This Roster Is Nationally Respected
Illinois keeps collecting signs that the rest of the sport is paying close attention, and the latest comes from the Atlanta Tipoff Club. Tomislav Ivisic, David Mirkovic and Andrej Stojakovic were all named to the Jersey Mikes Naismith Trophy Mens College Player of the Year Watch List, another reminder that this roster is being viewed through a national lens before the season even gets rolling.
For Illinois, the recognition also speaks to how much talent is packed into a group that helped fuel last seasons run to the Final Four. Ivisic, Mirkovic and Stojakovic each bring a different rsum and skill set, but the common thread is clear: the Illini are not just hoping to be good, they are carrying the kind of individual star power that puts them in the same conversation with the countrys top programs. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Is Still Waiting On A Key Offensive Piece
Illinois is still sorting through the status of forward David Mirkovic, whose offseason has been interrupted by more than one health issue. Brad Underwood said Mirkovic recently underwent a laparoscopic appendectomy after a setback during his recovery from a foot injury, a development that adds another layer to an already delayed ramp-up for the Illinois forward.
The good news is that the appendix did not burst, which could shorten the recovery window, but Mirkovic still has to work his way back through foot rehabilitation and conditioning before he is ready to contribute. Underwood has been upbeat about what Mirkovic can eventually bring to the offense, but for now the Illini are left waiting on a key piece whose return remains uncertain. [Read more 🡒]