Illinois basketball: Illini ranked No. 3 in Preseason AP Top 25 poll
247Sports • • sports
Key Points:
- Illinois basketball is ranked No. 3 in the Preseason AP Top 25 for the 2026-27 season, marking their highest preseason ranking since 2001-02 and the highest ever at No. 2 in 1984-85.
- The Fighting Illini return five of eight rotation players from last season's Final Four team, accounting for 65.4% of their scoring, despite losing key players like Keaton Wagler to the NBA.
- Illinois added top-15 transfer Stefan Vaaks and five-star freshman Quentin Coleman, bolstering a roster already favored to win the Big Ten, receiving 19 of 29 first-place votes in a conference media poll.
- The Big Ten has six teams in the preseason AP Top 25, with Illinois leading at No. 3, followed by Michigan State (6), Michigan (16), USC (21), and UCLA (22).
- Head coach Brad Underwood has set high expectations, aiming for a national title, reflecting the strong preseason rankings which historically correlate with NCAA Tournament success.
