Our biggest questions for Underwood and Illinois in 2027

On paper, Illinois projects as one of the most talented and intriguing teams in college basketball. Returning roughly 60% of its total minutes from last year’s Final Four run, the Illini have most certainly turned heads across the country. Yet, beneath the off-season hype and a loaded roster, no team is bulletproof.

As Brad Underwood looks to build on his success of years prior, we must look past the preseason hype for a bit and ask: where is this roster vulnerable?

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Perimeter Defense

The consistent perimeter defense that defined Illinois’ identity just a year ago will look much different this season. Last year, Underwood had the privilege of rolling out All-Big Ten Defensive selection Kylan Boswell, a relentless Keaton Wagler, and the versatile combination of Ben Humrichous and Andrej Stojakovic. With Stojakovic being the lone returner of that core group, a heavy portion of the perimeter defensive burden will now fall on his shoulders.

While this 2026-27 roster brings length and offensive upside that rivals any team in the country, the defensive blueprint will require a shift in style. Both Ivisic twins provide Illinois with elite rim protection and interior presence, but asking 7-footers to extend those skills out to the three-point line is a big order against modern offenses. We saw flashes of this challenge last year when David Mirkovic was tested on the perimeter. While his high basketball IQ and feel for the game allowed him to hold his ground, matching up against explosive guards on the outside is a high expectation.

A similar dynamic applies to Jake Davis and Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks. Both are highly skilled, passionate players, but they don’t possess the raw lateral quickness needed to keep up with elite scorers. Freshman 5-star Quentin Coleman offers some defensive upside. With positional size and a quick first step, Coleman may carry some of the weight on the defensive side of the ball. During his senior campaign at Principia, Coleman…

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Publish date : 2026-06-19 02:23:00

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