Illinois made its 2024-25 debut in the Associated Press Top 25 on Monday at No. 25. Just in time for its biggest game of the season to date. This

week's trip to Birmingham, Ala., to face now No. 8 Alabama will shine a bright light on exactly where this Illinois team stands in mid-November. A

litmus test, if you will, for where the program needs to be headed with a couple early Big Ten games looming. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.