The Big Ten’s preseason media poll has named Illinois the conference’s top contender for the 2026 college basketball season. The Illini sit at No. 1 in the poll, despite the loss of former No. 5 overall NBA draft pick Keaton Wagler. Illinois is also No. 3 in the Associated Press preseason Top 25, marking its first Final Four appearance since 2005.
Coaching and roster outlook
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood highlighted the blend of veteran leadership and new talent, saying, “We’ve got a nice group of veterans back that we’re building this thing around, yet still have an anticipation and a hunger that at the end of the day, as nice as last year was, we didn’t get accomplished what we wanted to.” Underwood added that the team’s hunger will be tested by the high expectations surrounding the program.
Michigan enters the season under first‑year head coach Mike Boynton, who was officially hired after the interim tag was removed in July. Boynton brings continuity after Dusty May departed for the Dallas Mavericks. The Wolverines, ranked No. 16 in the AP preseason poll, return nine freshmen from a top‑five recruiting class and a transfer class ranked in the top ten.
Other conference favorites
Tom Izzo returns for his 32nd season at Michigan State, which is positioned at No. 6 in the preseason poll, second only to Illinois and ahead of Michigan. The Spartans’ Jeremy Fears, the preseason player of the year, leads the team with 15.2 points per game and tops the nation with 9.4 assists per game.
Key players highlighted across the conference include:
- David Mirkovic (Illinois) – 13.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
- Stefan Vaaks (Illinois) – 15.8 points per game at Providence last season.
- Pryce Sandfort (Nebraska) – 18.1 points per game, 42% from three‑point range.
- Pharrel Payne (Maryland) – 17.5 points and 7.2 rebounds before injury.
Recent tournament performance
In the 2026 NCAA Tournament, Michigan captured the national championship, while Illinois fell in the semifinals after a 71‑62 loss to Connecticut. Illinois finished the regular season tied for second in the Big Ten, four games behind Michigan, and exited the conference tournament in the quarterfinals.
Both programs look to build on their recent success, with Illinois aiming to translate its preseason ranking into a deep tournament run and Michigan seeking to sustain its championship momentum under new leadership.
Original reporting: Capitol City Now (WTAX 1240 Springfield) — read the source article.
