Illinois head coach Brad Underwood yells during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Wisconsin in the championship of the Big Ten Conference tournament Sunday in Minneapolis.
After last season’s breakthrough run to the Elite Eight, Illinois coach Underwood had to start over almost from scratch in Champaign.
His roster features an army of newcomers fighting to earn roles. It’s not surprising, then, that the Fighting Illini looked out of sorts during their charity exhibition game at Ole Miss.
The Rebels lit them up during a 91-74 victory. Ole Miss raced to a 29-10 lead and kept control throughout.
That sent the Illini back to practice with a lengthy to-do list. Guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn stood out with his 15 points off the bench, but otherwise there weren’t many highlights for Underwood's squad.
“We needed this and I expected this,†Underwood said. “I mean, I was gonna be shocked if there was a different outcome just simply because when you practice against yourself and we got 10 new guys and we've got a lot of youth, you get comfortable with what you go against. When you see that other piece and what that looks like, it can be an eye-opener for us.
People are also reading…
“Now, we can hone-in and focus.â€
Expect Underwood to focus defense during the early weeks of the season. Ole Miss shot 12-for-23 from 3-point range against the Illini.
“I'm really frustrated on the defensive side,†Underwood said. “As bad as our offense was today, (the Rebels) had a lot to do with it, I'm really frustrated on the defensive side that we haven't had more leadership step up. I haven't got them there yet. You can't win giving up 12 threes.â€
Elsewhere in the region, SLU and Missouri staged mismatch exhibitions while tuning up for the real games. First-year Billikens coach Josh Schertz and Tigers coach Dennis Gates have yet to subject their squads to a serious stress test.
That will change for Missouri when it opens its season at Memphis.
Here is how the region’s Division 1 basketball teams stack up heading into their season openers:
ILLINI
Ty Rodgers and Gibbs-Lawhorn are back from last year’s team, but otherwise the playing rotation features assorted newcomers. Underwood gathered impressive talent in the transfer portal and with his freshman class, so media types picked the Illini fourth in the Big Ten preseason poll. Among the transfers, Kylan Boswell (Arizona) adds defensive toughness, Ben Humrichous (Evansville) brings perimeter shooting, Tre White (Louisville) brings rim-attacking ability and Carey Booth (Notre Dame) adds another shooter up front. Among the freshmen, 6-foot-6 Kasparas Jakucionis can run the offense and power forward Morez Johnson Jr. is ready to bang bodies in the Big Ten. Skilled 7-foot-1 import Tomislav Ivisic is the biggest X-Factor for this club. The Illini were thrilled to get him through the NCAA eligibility process ahead of their season opener against Eastern Illinois.
SLU
The Billikens return standout Gibson Jimerson and contributors Kellen Thames and Larry Hughes II from last season, so Schertz inherited a decent base. He brought center Robbie Avila and guard Isaiah Swope with him from Indiana State. That nucleus earned SLU second place in the Atlantic 10 preseason poll. Kobe Johnson (West Virginia), AJ Casey (Miami) and Josiah Dotzler (Creighton) transferred in from bigger conferences seeking more playing time. SLU hammered Division II Maryville 106-65 in an exhibition game with Thames (17 points), Johnson (16), Avila (12), Swope (11) leading the way. SLU’s non-conference slate features mostly lay-ups, so we won’t learn much about the Billikens until A-10 play.
MISSOURI
Gates retooled his roster after last season’s disastrous 8-24 finish, which included an epic 0-18 failure in the Southeastern Conference. Gates will test the team’s new look when Missouri takes on Memphis in a challenging opener. Experience won’t be an issue with transfers Mark Mitchell (11.6 points, 6.0 rebounds per game at Duke), Tony Perkins (14.0 points 4.6 assists at Iowa) and Josh Gray (South Carolina) will play key roles. Mitchell scored 22 points in the 90-45 exhibition victory over Division II Lincoln University. The 7-0, 260-pound Gray will give the Tigers the strength and experience they lacked inside last season while Perkins will run point. Tamar Bates (13.5 points) is the team’s top returning scorer while guard Caleb Grill could have a big impact coming back from a season-ending wrist injury. He had 20 points and six rebounds against Lincoln. The Tigers have lots to prove, which is why they were ranked 13th in the SEC preseason media poll.
SIU CARBONDALE
First-year coach Scott Nagy did nice work in the transfer portal, landing productive players Elijah Elliott (16.6 points per game at Texas Rio Grande Valley), Davion Sykes (11.2 points, 6.9 rebounds per game at Texas State) and Ali Dibba (15.5 ppg at Abilene Christian) from low-major conferences. Damien Mayo Jr. and Tyler Bey came over from Missouri State and incumbents Jarrett Hensley and Kennard Davis II should stick in the playing rotation. Given all the unknowns, the Salukis ranked seventh in the Missouri Valley Conference’s preseason poll. Dibba and Davis were voted to the preseason All-MVC Third Team. In a 106-71 exhibition victory over North Park, Elliott had 21 points, four rebounds and three assists while Davis and Hensley scored 13 each.
MISSOURI STATE
The Bears are playing their farewell season in the MVC before jumping over to Conference USA, in a move dictated by the school’s climb to the FBS level in football. First-year coach Cuonzo Martin cobbled together a new roster in his return to Springfield, landing transfers Vincent Brady II (IUPUI), Dez White (Austin Peay), Wesley Oba (Delaware State) and Allen Udemadu (Morgan State). JUCO transfer Michael Osei-Bonsu is a 6-foot-4, 280-pound bulldozer. Martin’s son Chase, who saw limited action in four years at Purdue, is also on the squad. Missouri State was picked 11th in the preseason MVC poll. In an exhibition against neighboring Southwest Baptist, Osei-Bonsu scored 17 points and White and Chase Martin each scored 11.
SIU EDWARDSVILLE
Guard Ray’Sean Taylor stayed home for his college career, overcame serious knee injuries and became an historic figure in the Cougars program. He rose to fifth on the school’s all-time scoring list last season while averaging 15.3 points per game. Taylor poured in 23 points as SIU Edwardsville handled Missouri Baptist 87-56 in exhibition play. Brian Taylor II, Ray’Sean’s cousin, scored 11. The former DeSmet star is a breakout candidate in his third college season. Barton Community College transfer Myles Thompson adds heft at power forward. After enjoying back-to-back winning seasons at the Division I level for the first time, SIU Edwardsville ranked third in the preseason Ohio Valley Conference poll.
SEMO
Fromer CBC star Rob Martin will run point again after averaging 11.9 points and 3.5 assists last season. Teddy Washington Jr., a former Moberly Area College star, will be one of his backcourt mates after transferring from Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The Redhawks will again have plenty of size, with 7-foot Elliot Lowndes transferring from John A. Logan College to compete with incumbent 7-footers David Idada and Mason Hanback. After last season’s difficult 9-22 campaign, the Redhawks were picked seventh in the preseason OVC poll. SEMO faces a massive challenge off the top by visiting MVC favorite Butler in its season opener.
LINDENWOOD
The Lions return rotation players Jeremiah Talton and Jaylon McDaniel . Transfers Markeith Browning III (8.0 points, 4.0 rebounds at Milwaukee) and Reggie Bass (8.0 points per game at Kent State) should be key contributors. So will Division II star Anias Futrell. New Madrid’s Jadis Jones, the 2023-24 Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year, headlined the freshman class. Lindenwood was picked ninth in preseason OVC poll. In an exhibition against Hannibal LaGrange, Futrell scored 15 points and McDaniel and Browning added 14 in an 81-45 victory. Next up: Oklahoma on the road to open the season. Buckle up!
