The 2025-25 college basketball season tipped off Monday morning with actual games played. Illinois was a 29 1/2-point favorite in its opener

against Jackson State, so beat writer Scott Richey got in his weekly time in the podcast booth ahead of tipoff. Up for debate? How good this Illinois team might be — particularly when it's at as full strength as possible. Richey discussed that and more, including how he caught a stray

from Brad Underwood, in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.

Illinois will play its season opener in exactly one week — a Nov. 3 date with Jackson State at State Farm Center. College basketball is here! Beat

writer Scott Richey discusses exhibition/scrimmage season (a perfect time for overreactions), Kylan Boswell as an All-Big Ten caliber player and recruiting (always) in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Did our Scott Richey call David Mirkovic the Montenegrin Draymond Green after his performance in the exhibition win against Illinois State? You bet. That's what you do during exhibition season. Overreact. Even if the

Illinois freshman looked the part of a big time Big Ten contributor. Richey discusses Mirkovic's performance, what's next on the "secret

scrimmage" front and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Illinois will officially (but without consequence) tip off its 2025-26 season Sunday afternoon at State Farm Center with an exhibition game against Illinois State. Brad Underwood, Kylan Boswell and Co. will do so as the No. 17 team in the country and likely more than a bit short handed.

Beat writer Scott Richey discusses the preseason ranking, the state of the roster and more in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.

The Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll will come out next week. Our Scott Richey had to submit his ballot at the end of last week — the end result of an intensive process to narrow about 40 teams down to 25. Rosters were scoured. Opinions were formed. And Illinois wound up in the same spot they held on Richey's "too early" ballot this summer. He discusses that process and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

The deadlines for preseason All-Big Ten ballots and the preseason Associated Press Top 25 ballot are this week, and Illinois beat writer

Scott Richey is tinkering away to produce his best effort. Will someone — or some fan base — take offense? Without a doubt, but it's as difficult as

ever to sort through an 18-team Big Ten that could resume its role as the top conference in the country (or at least the deepest). Narrowing 365

Division I teams down to 25 isn't any easier. Before he hits submit, Richey discusses his ballots and more in this week's Inside Illini

Basketball.

The 2025-26 Illinois basketball season officially got underway Monday with the first practice of the season. A practice that didn't feature Ty Rodgers or Andrej Stojakovic as they continue to recover from their respective knee injuries. Stojakovic projects to return in a couple more weeks. Rodgers' timetable is less clear. Throw in Mihailo Petrovic's not yet receiving full eligibility clearance, and there are some question marks with the season on the horizon. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

The 2025-26 college basketball season begins next week with the first official practices. The biggest sign hoops is here? Emails have gone out

to beat writer Scott Richey to get his AP Top 25 ballot ready and to start thinking about how he'll rank the Big Ten teams from 1-18. Basketball in

the fall also means visit season to Champaign, and Richey discusses it all in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.

Illinois is two weeks out from the start of practice and will continue its fall workouts, for the time being, without Andrej Stojakovic. But the rest

of the team is still preparing for the 2025-26 season, where expectations for the program remain as high as ever. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more — including recruiting — in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

This week's special holiday edition of Inside Illini Basketball — a solo run by beat writer Scott Richey — touches on the program's past (the

2004-05 team's reunion), present (workouts back underway this week) and future (visitors on their way). Richey also throws down the gauntlet for

inclusion in any future episodes of College Basketball Jeopardy from Basket Under Review.