In this series, we’ll look ahead at Missouri’s opponents in the upcoming 2024-25 season. We’ll continue by previewing the Illinois Fighting Illini.
Date & Location: Dec. 22 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis
2023-24 Record: 29-9, 14-6 Big Ten
2024 NCAA Tournament Finish: Defeated No. 14-seed Morehead State in Round of 64, defeated No. 11-seeded Duquesne in Round of 32, defeated No. 2-seeded Iowa State in Sweet 16, lost to No. 1-seeded UConn in Elite Eight
Torvik Preseason Rank: 20
KEY RETURNERS
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (2.4 ppg, 0.9 rpg, 0.4 apg), Ty Rodgers (6.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.0 apg)
KEY LOSSES
Dain Dainja (transferred), Marcus Domask (graduated), Luke Goode (transferred), Quincy Guerrier (graduated), Amani Hansberry (transferred), Justin Harmon (graduated), Sencire Harris (transferred), Coleman Hawkins (transferred), Nicolo Moretti (transferred), Terrence Shannon Jr. (drafted)
KEY INCOMING TRANSFERS
Kylan Boswell (Arizona, 9.6 ppg, 2.3 rpg, 3.6 apg), Carey Booth (Notre Dame, 6.4 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 0.5 apg), Jake Davis (Mercer, 9.0 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 1.1 apg), Ben Humrichous (Evansville, 14.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 1.9 apg), Tre White (Louisville, 12.3 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.3 apg)
KEY INCOMING FRESHMEN (rankings from Rivals.com)
William Riley (No. 12), Morez Johnson Jr. (No. 27), Tomislav Ivisic (N/A), Jason Jakstys (N/A), Kasparas Jakucionis (N/A)
OUTLOOK
Illinois had a lot to overcome last offseason. The Fighting Illini had no “true” point guard in its starting lineup, instead leaning on a group that featured five players listed over 6-foot-6 who all did their part to make plays for each other. Terrence Shannon Jr. was also charged with a crime he was eventually acquitted of but had a pending trial looming over his head throughout the year.
Head coach Brad Underwood managed to navigate his team through the obstacles en route to the best season of his career, leading Illinois on the program’s first run to the Elite Eight since 2005. Just two players remain from that roster heading into this year, though. To avoid taking a significant step back, the Illini are banking on a few bounceback transfer portal candidates and some high-upside freshmen.
The orange and blue’s frontcourt is entirely new. Tomislav Ivisic will likely be a rare plug-and-play freshman at center. The 7-foot-1 twin brother of Arkansas’ Zvonimir Ivisic, the 21-year-old enters his first season of college after spending the past three seasons playing for SC Derby in the Adriatic League First Division and gaining experience with the Croatian National Team at both the youth and senior levels. Underwood will have a few options to choose from at the four: Ben Humrichous brings the most experience after leading Evansville scoring 14.7 points per game and shooting 41.4% from the 3-point line as a senior. Carey Booth, the son of former NBA player and current Denver Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth, could have some breakout potential after previously being ranked No. 82 in the Class of 2023 and growing into a starting role with the Fighting Irish as a freshman last year. Four-star freshman Morez Johnson Jr., the Illinois Gatorade Player of the Year, could compete for the job as well. Whoever isn’t chosen should still find plenty of minutes backing up Tomislav and the other starter, with three-star freshman Jason Jakstys joining the group as a depth piece.
Underwood added a more traditional starting point guard through the portal in Kylan Boswell, who didn’t necessarily have standout stats as a sophomore but started in 35 games for an Arizona team that reached the Sweet 16. There’s a possibility he’ll be joined by a pair of rookies on the perimeter in Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley. Jakucionis, a 6-foot-6 guard from Lithuania, averaged 19.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.6 steals while shooting 48% overall, 38% from 3-point range, and 88% from the free throw line in 19 games playing for FC Barcelona’s second team and also saw limited action with the senior team. Riley, a 6-foot-8 wing who put up 21.9 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists on the Nike EYBL circuit, retained his five-star status after reclassifying from the 2025 cycle and is Illinois’ highest-rated recruit in the internet era. Ty Rodgers, the team’s lone returning starter, will push the rookies and compete to retain his spot in the first five as a high-energy rebounder and secondary playmaker, as will Tre White, who’s been a productive full-time starter in each of his first two years at USC and Louisville. Returning sophomore Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn and Mercer transfer shooter Jake Davis will round out the rotation in the backcourt.
Mizzou is 1-1 in the Braggin’ Rights Game since head coach Dennis Gates took over the program. Both the Tigers and the Illini will need several new pieces to mesh to come out on top in this year’s tie-breaker.
READ THE REST OF THE 2024-25 OPPONENT PREVIEWS
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