Sport: Basketball Country: United States Category: Scores & Results

Illinois men's basketball opens season ranked No. 3 ahead of Fairleigh Dickinson

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Oct 28, 2026, 9:30 AM

Last updated Oct 28, 2026

Illinois men's basketball opens season ranked No. 3 ahead of Fairleigh Dickinson

Summary

The No. 3 Illinois men's basketball team prepares for their season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday. Following a memorable postseason run that culminated in a Final Four appearance, the Illini return key players David Mirković and Andrej Stojaković, despite recent injury concerns. Mirković is expected to miss some regular-season games after undergoing foot surgery, and several teammates suffered injuries in a recent exhibition loss to Baylor. Coach Brad Underwood relies on a mix of returning stars and promising newcomers to build on last year's success.

Source Links

Yahoo Sports

By the Numbers

•Illinois finished last season with a Final Four appearance.
•David Mirković is recovering from foot surgery and will miss early games.
•Four players were injured in an exhibition game against Baylor.
•Freshman Quentin Coleman is expected to make an impact this season.
•The team is preparing for a faster-paced offense.

Latest Updates

9:30 AMYahoo Sports — Can the No. 3 Illini men meet sky-high expectations? What to know about Illinois basketball this season.

What they're saying

"
CHICAGO — When David Mirković thought back to the Illinois men’s basketball team’s postseason run in the spring, his favorite experience off the court was deboarding the plane at Willard Airport after the Elite Eight win over Iowa. The Illini had just made their first Final Four in 21 years, and people came out en masse to celebrate the team led by the freshman duo of Keaton Wagler and Mirković. ...
— Yahoo Sports

Related Teams & Leagues

Basketball