It only counts in the scrapbook, but it sure looked like a real game. Illinois went into Fifth Third Arena on Saturday, played a hungry Cincinnati team in front of 6,347 people, and walked out with a 105-96 exhibition win in the first look at the 2026-27 Illini.
They did it without David Mirkovic, who sat out as he works back from foot surgery. Jake Davis played on a sore ankle Underwood didn't even expect him to play on. And the freshmen didn't play like freshmen. Six Illini scored in double figures, two of them freshmen, and Quentin Coleman came within two assists of a triple-double.
By the Numbers
Illinois shot 52.9% from the field and 42.4% from three, making 14 threes, and got to the line 24 times. The ball moved too: 19 assists on 36 made baskets. The Illini also won the glass 39-32 and turned Cincinnati's mistakes into 20 points.
The not-so-pretty part was the 15 turnovers and a defense that gave up 96 points and 42 in the paint. Cincinnati shot 48% and made 12 threes. Underwood used a first-half timeout to get pointed with his team about defense, according to the News-Gazette. Expect that to be the theme in practice this week.
Stojakovic Takes Over
If anybody was worried about Andrej Stojakovic's knee after his summer scope and surgery, this should help. He led everyone on the team with 24 points in 28 minutes, going 8-for-15 from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 at the line.
The interesting part is how he got them. He didn't attempt a single three. Every point came from attacking the rim, scoring in the paint, and getting fouled, which is exactly the version of Stojakovic that was so efficient in March. Late in the first half, Cincinnati went on a run to take a 37-33 lead, and he answered by scoring twice in the paint and setting up an Ethan Brown three to spark a 12-0 Illini burst.
Andrej Stojakovic — 24 PTS · 8/15 FG · 8/8 FT
Twenty-four points without a single three-point attempt. Stojakovic lived at the rim and the free-throw line, which is exactly what Illinois needs from him with Mirkovic still out.
Quentin Coleman Nearly Gets a Triple-Double in His Debut
The five-star freshman started at point guard and played a team-high 31 minutes. He finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists. The News-Gazette pointed out that his rebound-and-push transition game was a big part of Illinois' offense, and that when the Illini went cold late, Coleman scored 10 straight points to steady things.
He did have three turnovers, which is to be expected in a first college game. But a freshman who grabs the board, pushes the pace, and makes the right pass is exactly what Illinois needs to play the faster style Stojakovic talked about at Big Ten Media Days.
The Full Lineup
Underwood started Coleman and Ethan Brown in the backcourt with Stojakovic, Jake Davis, and Tomislav Ivisic up front. Stefan Vaaks came off the bench. Twelve players got in, and twelve had played before the first half was even eight minutes old.
The Rest of the Bench
Landon Davis 3 pts, 1 ast, 1 blk (1-1 3PT in 11 min) · Zvonimir Ivisic 3 pts, 1 blk (1-1 3PT in 10 min) · Zavier Zens 2 pts, 3 reb (0-4 3PT in 11 min) · Lincoln Williams 2 pts, 2 reb, 1 stl (7 min) · Jason Jakstys 3 reb, 1 ast (6 min) · Lucas Morillo 1 reb (5 min) · David Mirkovic DNP (foot)
Five Takeaways
1. Stefan Vaaks is a bucket-getter
Coming off the bench, the Providence transfer scored 19 in only 19 minutes. He was 7-for-13 from the field and had 11 points before the first half was half over. The free throws (3-for-6) and three turnovers need work, but a point-per-minute scorer off the bench is a luxury.
2. The freshmen scored 36 points
Brown, Coleman, Landon Davis, Zens, Williams, and Morillo combined for 36 points. Brown in particular looked like the shooter we profiled earlier today: 15 points, 3-for-7 from three, five rebounds, two steals, and zero turnovers in 25 minutes. Landon Davis hit a corner three off a Jakstys assist and added a block in only 11 minutes.
3. Tomislav's March shot is still here
Tomi was 5-for-7 from the field and 3-for-4 from three for 13 points in 23 minutes. The rebounding (two boards) was the knock, and Illini Inquirer's live blog flagged it at halftime. But the pick-and-pop game looks ready.
4. Jake Davis is tough
On Friday, Underwood said Davis rolled his ankle in practice and probably wouldn't play. He started anyway, played 24 minutes, and had 10 points and five rebounds. According to the News-Gazette, Davis pushed to play. He didn't start the second half, which makes sense with a sore ankle in a game that doesn't count.
5. The defense needs a lot of work
Cincinnati's Tylen Riley torched Illinois for 31 points on 10-for-18 shooting, and the Bearcats scored 96 with an equal number of paint points. Without Mirkovic, and with so many lineups getting tried out, some of that is expected. Plenty of fans in the Illinois Loyalty postgame thread said the same thing: this team has to guard better before Big Ten play.
"How We React to Situations"
Before the game, Underwood said the point of the exhibition was to see how his team reacts to situations and what its principles look like in a game. For the freshmen, he said, it's about finding a pace that lets the game slow down for them.
Mission mostly accomplished. Cincinnati punched back more than once and Illinois answered every time. The freshmen played fast without looking rushed. Now the defense has to catch up.
Up Next: Baylor Comes to Champaign
Illinois returns home for its second exhibition on Friday, October 23, at 7 p.m. CT against Big 12 opponent Baylor at State Farm Center, streaming on B1G+. Then it's UIC on Wednesday, October 28, before the regular-season opener against Fairleigh Dickinson on Monday, November 2 on BTN.
Keep an eye on Mirkovic's status this week. Underwood said he had another exam coming after media day, and every update on his foot changes what this team looks like. For now, though, it's hard to complain about a 105-point night without him.
I-L-L. 🧡Reporting compiled from the official FightingIllini.com box score and recap, The News-Gazette, 247Sports (Illini Inquirer live blog), Sports Illustrated, and fan discussion on IllinoisLoyalty.com.