Illinois Finds Its Identity After Early Setback, Now in Thick of Big Ten Title Race
Back on December 13, Illinois took a gut punch at home. An 83-80 loss to Nebraska - a game where the Illini gave up 1.31 points per possession - felt like more than just a bad night.
It raised real questions about whether this team, with all its talent and ambition, had what it takes to be a serious contender in the Big Ten. At the time, it looked like a missed opportunity.
In hindsight, it may have been the moment that changed everything.
That Nebraska team, by the way? They didn’t just sneak out of Champaign with a win - they went on to win their first 20 games and now sit comfortably inside the top 10.
So yeah, that loss stung, but it didn’t age poorly. And more importantly, it lit a fire under Illinois.
Since that night, the Illini have rattled off 10 straight wins. That’s their longest streak since the 2012-13 season and their best Big Ten start since the 2004-05 squad that made it all the way to the national title game.
January? A perfect 8-0.
Not since that same ’04-05 season has Illinois run the table in the first month of the year. This group has found its rhythm - and maybe, its identity.
Ask freshman forward David Mirkovic what changed, and he doesn’t hesitate: “The Nebraska loss started it all. We changed our mentality after that,” he said.
“Coach was - I mean, we deserved that he got to be mad at us after that loss, and we just changed our mentality, started living for each other, playing harder defense, communicating more. When we give our best and then try to play hard as possible, it's just points find us and we win.”
That mentality shift has shown up in every phase of the game. Illinois is defending with urgency, sharing the ball, and playing with the kind of edge that separates good teams from great ones. Head coach Brad Underwood used that December loss as a turning point, pushing his team through a month of grueling practices that tested - and ultimately solidified - their commitment.
Now, the Illini (18-3, 9-1 Big Ten) find themselves smack in the middle of one of the most competitive Big Ten races in recent memory. Four teams - No.
9 Illinois, No. 2 Michigan, No.
5 Nebraska, and No. 7 Michigan State - are tied atop the conference standings, all looking like legitimate Final Four threats.
And don’t sleep on No. 12 Purdue, who’s just two games back and very much in striking distance.
This is the kind of race that makes Big Ten basketball special - a grind-it-out, every-possession-matters, no-nights-off gauntlet. And Illinois is right in the thick of it.
What makes this team particularly dangerous is its depth. Even with Kylan Boswell sidelined by a broken hand, the Illini have continued to roll.
When he returns, Underwood could have his deepest and most versatile rotation since arriving in Champaign. This group is talented, battle-tested, and hungry - and they’ve already shown they can respond to adversity.
That Nebraska loss? It might’ve felt like a step back at the time. But now, with Illinois surging and the Big Ten crown up for grabs, it’s starting to look like the moment this team truly came together.