Brad Underwood Richmond Family Endowed Men’s Head Basketball Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Brad Underwood Richmond Family Endowed Men’s Head Basketball Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Illinois will begin the 2025-26 men’s basketball season ranked No. 17 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. This marks the fifth time under Head Coach Brad Underwood that the team has appeared in the AP preseason rankings, with previous starts at No. 8 in 2020-21, No. 11 in 2021-22, No. 23 in 2022-23, and No. 25 in 2023-24.
The program has now been ranked in the AP preseason poll for the 21st time in its history. Illinois is one of six Big Ten teams included in this year’s rankings, joining Purdue (No. 1), Michigan (No. 7), UCLA (No. 12), Michigan State (No. 22), and Wisconsin (No. 24).
Illinois’ non-conference schedule will feature matchups against four other top-20 teams: UConn (No. 4), Texas Tech (No. 10), Alabama (No. 15), and Tennessee (No. 18).
The team will make its season debut on Sunday by hosting Illinois State in an exhibition game at State Farm Center at 2 p.m., which is included as part of the season ticket package. Single-game tickets for this matchup are also available for purchase.
For the second consecutive year, all public season ticket inventory has sold out, and student season tickets have sold out for a fifth straight season—this year setting a record by selling out within just eighteen minutes.
Mini-plan ticket packages remain on sale ahead of regular single-game ticket sales, with five-game Illini Orange mini-plans still available to fans.
Single-game tickets will be offered to I FUND members starting October 20 and to the general public beginning October 24.
"Fighting Illini Basketball has high expectations once again in 2025-26, with the team returning three starters from a 22-win campaign, NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance, and final kenpom ranking of 17th last season."
Over the past six years under Underwood’s leadership, Illinois has recorded more Big Ten wins than any other team and claimed conference championships three times in five seasons.
During this period, Illinois is among only four programs nationwide to achieve six consecutive regular seasons with at least twenty wins and is one of thirteen schools to make five straight NCAA Tournament appearances. The Illini are also the only Big Ten team to maintain a winning league record each of the last six years.
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