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Welcome to “Good Morning, Illini Nation,” your daily dose of college basketball news from Illini beat writer and AP Top 25 voter Scott Richey. He’ll offer up insights every morning on Brad Underwood’s team and college basketball at large:
The rest of Illinois’ 2025-26 schedule should be published in the next two weeks. Why it takes the Big Ten increasingly longer each offseason to get this done remains a mystery. Until then, we’ll take a look at the other teams the Illini will face this season:
Texas Tech
When the Red Raiders are on the schedule: Nov. 11, State Farm Center
Last year’s finish: 28-9, 15-5 Big 12 (Second)
Most important returning player: Most teams would be thrilled if Christian Anderson was their top returning player. The sophomore guard played a key role on Texas Tech’s Elite Eight team last season and was a star for Germany at the FIBA U19 World Cup this summer. But he’s not JT Toppin. The 6-foot-9 junior forward was the Big 12 Player of the Year last season and earned consensus Second Team All-American honors after averaging 18.2 points, 9.4 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. If Purdue guard Braden Smith isn’t preseason national player of the year, it almost assuredly will be Toppin.
Best offseason acquisition: Grant McCasland’s efforts in the portal were clearly based on surrounding his two stars — Toppin and Anderson — with capable role players. A collection of mostly veteran transfers that includes Tyeree Bryan (Santa Clara), LeJuan Watts (Washington State), Luke Bamgboye (VCU), Donovan Atwell (UNC Greensboro) and Josiah Moseley (Villanova). Watts is the most intriguing. The 6-6 forward put up 13.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.4 assists per game last season while shooting 42 percent from three-point range.
Projection for 2025-26: Texas Tech did lose five of its top seven players from last season, but building around Toppin and Anderson is a strong starting point. How well the numerous transfers fit in — and how effective and productive they can be around the Red Raiders big two — will be instrumental in outplaying the current projection as the sixth-best team in the Big 12.