Illinois is bringing in a freshman wing who checks a lot of the boxes Brad Underwood likes, and Zavier Zens arrives in Champaign with a résumé built on winning, shooting and production.
At 6-foot-7, Zens gives Illinois a versatile offensive option with the kind of size that fits the program’s wing mold. His best calling card is his perimeter shot - he hit 42 percent of his three-pointers as a senior at Wisconsin Lutheran - but that’s only part of what makes him intriguing.
He can put the ball on the floor, get to the rim and finish through contact with his strong frame. He also has a workable midrange game and doesn’t try to do too much, which helps explain why he’s viewed as a difficult cover when he’s scoring at all three levels.
There’s more to his game than offense, too. Zens has the physical tools to become a dependable defender, though his lateral quickness may be challenged by the more athletic players he’ll see in the Big Ten.
Rebounding is another area where he can grow, especially for a player with his size. Still, his toughness, feel for the game and willingness to play physically should help him make the jump.
His high school track record is hard to ignore. Zens helped Wisconsin Lutheran win three straight state championships and finish 88-2 over his final three seasons. As a sophomore, he shared the floor with future NBA player Kon Knueppel, his cousin, on an undefeated state title team.
He kept climbing from there. As a junior, Zens averaged 22.2 points, 6.1 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game while earning All-State honors and helping the Vikings win another state championship.
Then he closed his prep career with his strongest season yet, putting up 23.4 points, 5.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game while shooting 62 percent from the field and 42 percent from deep. Wisconsin Lutheran went 30-0 and won its third consecutive state title, and Zens was named Wisconsin Mr.
Basketball and Gatorade Wisconsin Player of the Year before committing to Illinois.
Brad Underwood made clear what stood out about him after the signing. “Zavier, first and foremost, is a winner.
He is an extremely high-IQ player who has been well-coached and brings a championship pedigree to the table, winning three straight state titles. He fits our recruiting mold as a 6-foot-7 versatile wing who can score at all three levels and process the game.”
The challenge now is cracking a deep Illinois rotation. Andrej Stojakovic, Jake Davis and Stefan Vaaks are all ahead of him on the depth chart, so Zens will need to earn whatever minutes come his way.
That said, his early preseason work has already turned heads. In the exhibition win over UIC, he scored 10 points on 4-for-7 shooting, knocked down two threes and handed out three assists in 22 minutes.
That kind of stat line hints at the role he can fill right away: a low-maintenance offensive weapon who can help without needing the ball in his hands all the time. If Zens keeps hitting open shots, holds up defensively and chips in on the boards, he has a real chance to work his way into Underwood’s rotation. Even if the minutes are slow to come at first, Illinois has a freshman with the shooting touch, basketball IQ and winning background to become a meaningful part of the program’s future.
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That September 20 meeting in 2024 was a tight one, with Illinois edging Nebraska 31-24 in overtime after a game that featured strong showings from Luke Altmyer and Dylan Raiola. This rematch comes with the same kind of stakes and a little extra edge, because both programs know how thin the margin was the first time around and how quickly a Friday night can turn into a season-shaping result. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Gets Nebraska At The Perfect Time After Another Collapse
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The Big Ten landscape around them has been just as uneven, with Rutgers falling narrowly to Michigan and Iowa handling Wisconsin in the latest round of conference play. Nebraska still has more chances ahead to steady itself, but the timing of this one gives Illinois a chance to catch a vulnerable team before it finds its footing. In a league where momentum can turn quickly, the Illini may have drawn the Cornhuskers at exactly the right moment. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Rhule's Emotional Nebraska Moment Adds Tension Before Illinois Matchup
Matt Rhule opened up this week about a painful moment away from the field, saying a fan directed profanity at his 13-year-old daughter after Nebraskas loss to Washington. The Nebraska coach said he intends to keep coaching through it, even as the pressure around the program has grown with the Cornhuskers mired in a rough stretch and trying to steady themselves in conference play.
Now Nebraska turns to Illinois after dropping three straight Big Ten games, and the backdrop around the matchup is more complicated than the standings alone. Rhules comments add a human layer to a team already searching for traction, with the next game carrying both the usual urgency of a conference test and the added weight of a program trying to move forward amid frustration. [Read more 🡒]