Illinois Fighting Illini NCAA Basketball Betting
Last season was a remarkable one for the Illinois Fighting Illini. After nearly a decade in college basketball’s abyss and then three years of NCAA Tournament missteps, Illinois finally broke through in the Big Dance and advanced to the Elite Eight. It was a magical run where the program cashed in on players like Terrence Shannon. The question is now whether the squad can keep things rolling with a significantly overhauled roster.
Last season was a remarkable one for the Illinois Fighting Illini. After nearly a decade in college basketball’s abyss and then three years of NCAA Tournament missteps, Illinois finally broke through in the Big Dance and advanced to the Elite Eight. It was a magical run where the program cashed in on players like Terrence Shannon. The question is now whether the squad can keep things rolling with a significantly overhauled roster.
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Perhaps the most impressive part of Illinois’ run was how well the team took care of business. Illinois utterly dominated the easier part of its slate. Of the team’s nine overall losses, six came against teams ranked 16th or better on KenPom, including four against teams ranked fifth or better. Doing that against a Big Ten schedule is quite an accomplishment.
Of course, the star of the show was Shannon, who dealt with a lot on (and off) the court. He finished with a 124.8 offensive rating and ranked in the top 10 in the league in usage, which are massive numbers considering the players around him in the lineup. Dain Dainja was also a monster upfront, and Marcus Domask helped carry the effort in the backcourt. It was a star studded lineup that lived up to the hype.
Illinois experienced a massive roster overhaul this offseason. The team lost 11 players in Dain Dainja, Marcus Domask, Luke Goode, Quincy Guerrier, Amani Hansberry, Justin Harmon, Sencire Harris, Coleman Hawkins, Niccolo Moretti, Terrence Shannon, and Max Williams. The most significant were certainly Domask, Hawkins, and Shannon, who led the team in minutes last season. Notably, Illinois lost its top four in total minutes from last season and seven of its top eight. Those are incredible losses, even in the transfer era.
The good news is that Illinois brings in a lot to replace them. Illinois brings in 10 players in Carey Booth, Kylan Boswell, Jake Davis, Ben Humrichous, Tomislav Ivisic, Jason Jakstys, Kasparas Jakucionis, Morez Johnson, Will Riley, and Tre White. They are split evenly between high school prospects and transfers.
It’s hard to pick any particular newcomer as a standout. Riley is the highest-rated prospect and a five-star, but three others (Jakucionis, Johnson, and Ivisic) are also rated as top 50ish players. Nearly all of the transfers are rated as four stars as well, though Bowell is receiving the most acclaim by 247Sports. It’s reasonable to expect three or maybe even four of the newcomers to get into the starting lineup this season.
However, that doesn’t mean this team won’t be good. Illinois still has more than enough pieces to finish near the top of a down Big Ten and make another NCAA push. Boswell and Rodgers should be a really dynamic backcourt duo. The team has a plethora of new wins, and Ivisic and Booth should be good enough on the boards to keep opponents honest.
Perhaps the most interesting thing will be to see how this team grows. Illinois should get better and better as the season continues, and these players get more comfortable playing with one another. But when do things start to “click” for Illinois? If it’s in January, this could be another special year. However, if it takes until March, things could get a bit underwhelming. It should be fun to follow.
Illinois has a proud history that will sustain its success.
Latest NCAA Tournament Results
| YEAR |
RESULT |
| 2024 |
Lost Elite Eight vs. (1) UConn 52–77 |
| 2023 |
Lost First Round vs. (8) Arkansas 63–73 |
| 2022 |
Lost Second Round vs. (5) Houston, 53–68 |
| 2021 |
Lost Second Round vs. (8) Loyola–Chicago, 58–71 |
| 2013 |
Lost Sweet 16 vs. (2) Miami (FL), 59–63 |
| 2011 |
Lost Sweet 16 vs. (1) Kansas, 59–73 |
| 2009 |
Lost First Round vs. (12) WKU, 72–76 |
2024-2025 NCAA Basketball Top Teams
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