5 Key Stats From Illinois Basketball’s Exhibition Win Over Cincinnati

Illinois opened its 2026-27 season with an exhibition win on the road at Cincinnati on Saturday. It wasn’t pretty – the Illini won a barnburner 105-96 – but a win is a win. And at the end of the day, the final outcome of exhibition games don’t carry much weight.

But there are bits and pieces from the action that can say a lot. Here are five key stats from the game and what each means moving forward for Illinois as the 2026-27 regular season quickly approaches:

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5 stats to know from Illinois basketball’s exhibition win at Cincinnati

Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts after a play against the UConn Huskies during the first half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the men’s 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Illinois’ three-point percentage: 42.4 percent

Threes, please. We knew this Illini team was going to be able to shoot, but 14 made triples and 42.4 percent to open the season – albeit in an exhibition matchup – is huge. Mind you, this came against a Cincinnati team with a defense projected to be top-20 in the country (per KenPom).

Seven Illinois players hit at least one three and five had multiple threes – led by three apiece from big man Tomislav Ivisic and freshman guard Ethan Brown. Once again, shooting will be a massive strength for the Illini.

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The rebounding disparity in the Illini’s favor: 7

The Bearcats obliterated Ohio State on the glass in their first exhibition game. So Cincinnati appears to be no slouch on the boards. Winning the rebounding battle in this game, and by seven, was encouraging.

That said, yielding 12 offensive rebounds and a subsequent 12 second-chance points means there is work still to be done. Expect Illinois, which is held to a tremendously high standard on the boards by coach Brad Underwood, to polish that up as the season nears.

Cincinnati guard Tylen Riley’s points + assists: 44

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/5-key-stats-illinois-basketballs-154904536.html

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Publish date : 2026-10-18 15:49:00

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