CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– The first piece of what promises to be another rigorous non-conference schedule for Coach Brad Underwood's Fighting Illini is in place, as Illinois will face Alabama on Wednesday, Nov. 19 at the United Center in Chicago.

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This is a return game from last season in Birmingham, where the No. 8 Crimson Tide defeated the No. 25 Illini, 100-87. Alabama went on to advance to the NCAA Elite Eight, while Illinois made it to the NCAA Second Round.

This marks the return of a marquee appearance in Chicago for the Illini program. Illinois played at least one regular season game at the United Center from 1994 through 2018, along with multiple Big Ten Tournaments and an NCAA Tournament trip as well.

In total, Illinois has played 56 games at the UC, owning a 38-18 record. The Illini are 19-9 in regular-season games at the UC, including an 18-8 mark against non-conference teams.

Illinois' last visit to the United Center was for the 2023 Big Ten Tournament. The Illini last played a regular season game there during the 2018-19 season, and last played a non-conference regular season game at the UC in 2017-18.

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All 2025-26 season content goes here.

For the 2026 recruiting class according to Rivals. We still have some big fish still on the board. I think if we get 5 more 4 star players we could end up with the highest class ever. BB and his staff are killing it. Keep it up coaches.

Any rumblings about IL pursuing this guy?

Sherrone Moore is going to be suspended for two games by Michigan for his role in trying to cover up the sign stealing in 2023 -- when Michigan won the National Championship. Of course, they are suspending him for games 3 and 4 so he will not miss their opener or their game against Oklahoma.

Meanwhile the NCAA may still impose further sanctions. They could start with revoking the 2023 National Championship.

Player dies from injury in Cleveland area high school lacrosse match.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Head coach Brad Underwood announced Monday that David Mirkovic (DAH-vid MIHR-ko-vitch) has signed a Big Ten Athletics Aid Agreement with the University of Illinois.

Mirkovic is a 6-foot-9-inch, 255-pound power forward from Niksic, Montenegro. He joins the Fighting Illini after two seasons with SC Derby, a member of the Adriatic League First Division (ABA) that also produced Illini twins Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. Mirkovic boasts extensive international experience representing his home country as a member of the Montenegro National Team at both the youth and senior levels.

"David Mirkovich is a talented forward with a tremendous skill set who plays with great effort and physicality," Underwood said. "He has perimeter skills and shooting ability to go along with that frame, and he'll be a great complement to our other frontcourt players. David fits well into our offensive scheme and will also provide us with rebounding and a needed physicality and presence defensively."

In 50 career ABA games for SC Derby, Mirkovic averaged 7.8 points and 5.2 rebounds. In 2024-25, Mirkovic saw his production increase across the board in his second ABA season, averaging 8.6 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game. He also posted 11 of his 16-career double-digit scoring games for SC Derby this past season, with five games of 10+ rebounds and four double-double efforts.

In addition to his top-tier ABA experience with SC Derby, Mirkovic has competed for the club in the U19 ABA League Championship in each of the last four years. This season in three appearances he averaged 23.3 points, 14.0 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 3.3 blocks, and 1.0 steals per contest, while knocking down 42.9% from 3-point range (9-21).

Internationally, Mirkovic represented Montenegro in FIBA youth tournaments in 2022 and 2023, and in 2024 made his debut for the Montenegro Senior National Team at the FIBA EuroBasket Qualifier. At the 2022 FIBA U16 European Championship, He averaged 22.1 points and 10.3 rebounds in seven contests. The following year, he averaged 8.9 points and 4.1 rebounds over seven games as the youngest player at the 2023 U20 European Championship and posted 15.8 points and 9.0 rebounds per game at the U18 European Championship Division B that same year.

In 2023 and 2024, he drew attention in the NBA's Basketball Without Borders (BWB) and Adidas Next Gen showcases, and he most recently competed for the World Select Team at the 2025 Nike Hoop Summit in Portland on April 12, totaling eight points and three rebounds in 15 minutes.


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Was committed to Truman St. Lefty PG

Any chance he comes in and knocks some 3’s down? Wasn’t sure how he compares to Jake Davis?

According to SI (5/4/25) Dame Sarr is being hotly pursued by Oregon and Kansas. So, we may see the 6-6 to 6-7
guard in conference play.

I predict Kansas gets him as I think they need him more. Not sure how much NIL money they still have to spend…

Really interesting team and can’t wait for the season to start. One of the things that’s sticks out to me is that up until this roster I have always felt that BU was re-fighting the last battle. We couldn’t shoot so we got shooters, then we weren’t long enough so we got length, then we weren’t athletic enough, then we couldn’t shoot again. But this roster feels a like a different paradigm. Maybe teams react to Illinois not the other way around. In the last article from Doug BU sells AP on him being the missing piece on a national title team. Is that our ceiling and if not what is this team still missing? Anyone out there that fills that need?

Any money left? Is Dame Sarr still in play? Anybody else we can get?

Well, he just made the "schlit list" for the Illini. Evidently picked up the Illinois cap, put it on, then tossed it aside? Immature, stupid move.

Edit...just read he said he was "staying home" before he tossed it? what a colossal A hole.

Illinois No. 13.

Gonzaga.

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Illinois #20.

He has Humrichous starting at the 4. That seems unlikely.

Staring a new portal thread. The window is open until April 25, 2025.

Texass is budgeting to have an NIL budget for this fall of between 35,000,000 and $ 40,000,000 !

Visited Illinois and Kansas. Signed with Illinois today.

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