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.

Mihailo Petrovic arrived on campus over the weekend, officially putting the final piece to the Illinois puzzle in place ahead of the 2025-26. There's work to be done to get the 22-year-old Serbian point guard up to speed, but the fact he's here is seriously good news for a team that pursued another playmaker for a reason. Beat writer Scott Richey discussed that and more in this week's episode of Inside Illini Basketball.

College basketball never really stops — it's truly 24/7/365 — but it does slow down occasionally. Like in mid-August when summer workouts have concluded and classes haven't started yet. That's the sweet spot Illinois has hit, with players left to their own devices before they return to campus and start prepping in earnest for the 2025-26 season. Beat writer Scott Richey tackles the basketball slow down with discussion about the season ahead and never-ending recruiting talk in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Our Scott Richey spent his Saturday night in Robinson where Illinois basketball and country music collided with Meyers Leonard's debut concert. Meanwhile, back in Champaign, summer workouts are coming to their conclusion with most of the team on campus. The wait for Mihailo Petrovic's arrival continues, which is a decidedly important for the 2025-26 season. Richey discusses all that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Last week was an eventful one for Illinois, with Mihailo Petrovic officially signing, David Mirkovic finally arriving in Champaign and Class of 2026 guard Ethan Brown committing. The confluence of events begs the question: How will Brad Underwood assemble rosters moving forward in an ever-changing college basketball landscape. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Summer workouts are nearing their conclusion at Illinois, with classes set to start for the fall semester in less than a month. Summer workouts that have, of course, not included the entire Illini team with David Mirkovic and Mihailo Petrovic still in Europe. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more — including recruiting and scheduling — in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Big Ten football media days (and vacation) might have taken beat writer Scott Richey to Las Vegas, but there's always basketball to discuss. From NBA Summer League to Peach Jam to the fact Illinois still doesn't have its entire roster on campus as the end of July approaches. Richey discusses that and more in this week's on location version of Inside Illini Basketball.

There's never a day where there's not something going on at least tangentially related to college basketball. Dog days of summer? Not anymore. So that's why beat writer Scott Richey had plenty to discuss in this week's Inside Illini Basketball from NBA Summer League to FIBA events to getting the 2025-26 schedule in bits and pieces.

The 2025 NBA Draft is in the books. Summer League rosters are starting to fill out. Las Vegas in July is going to have a solid Illinois presence. Just like Europe does right now with the FIBA U19 World Cup underway in Switzerland. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses the draft, summer league, international basketball, recruiting and the return of EA Sports' college basketball video game in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Illinois began its summer workouts Monday without its full complement of players and was notably without veteran wing Ty Rodgers, who suffered a knee injury that will require surgery. Not an ideal start to the summer. Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.

Illinois has operated in a peculiar space for a few weeks, with its roster set for the 2025-26 season but still waiting on summer workouts to begin. But there's always something happening like scheduling news (home-and-home with Texas Tech) and on the recruiting trail (some new 2026 offers). Beat writer Scott Richey discusses that and more in this week's Inside Illini Basketball.