It may not be an official one, but Illinois secured its first victory of the 2026-27 season Saturday night, defeating Cincinnati 105-96 behind an offense with a wide array of star power. Six Illini scored in double figures in the contest, showing that this roster truly has the versatility that head coach Brad Underwood has preached across the offseason. 

Senior wing Andrej Stojaković exploded offensively to kick off his second season with Illinois, leading the team in scoring with 24 points on 8-for-15 shooting from the field alongside a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. To back up Stojaković, sophomore guard Stefan Vaaks and freshman guards Ethan Brown and Quentin Coleman all impressed in their Illini debuts. 

However, the win didn’t come without unveiling clear signs for improvement, specifically on the defensive side. From communication errors to allowing a double-double eruption from one player, Illinois’ defense wasn’t nearly as sound as it could have been. Underwood said acknowledging and correcting those inconsistencies is what these exhibition games are for, though. 

“The best thing we did today was see a different uniform and a team that ran a lot of great offense,” Underwood said. “And you know, it’s (about) awareness, it’s experience.” 

Offense runs through Stojaković

It may not have happened from the moment the ball tipped off, but Stojaković picked up where he left off last season and showed how he can thrive with the new pieces surrounding him. Instead of forcing scoring opportunities, which he did at times last year, Stojaković patiently waited to have the ball back in his hands and attack. 

“I wouldn’t even call it taking over,” Stojaković said. “I think it’s just the flow of the game. Playing this fast allows myself to thrive in transition … I think I found some rhythm.” 

To find his rhythm initially, Stojaković got to the free-throw line and didn’t miss a single attempt. While he wasn’t finishing those aggressive drives to the rim off the bat, it was clear he figured out how his strengths could exploit Cincinnati’s defense within the framework of Illinois’ offense. 

Luckily for Stojaković, the Illini’s offensive philosophies match his skillset to a T. Stojaković fully got into his groove when Illinois began to push pace and get out in transition, as it allowed him to use his athleticism to get downhill in the open floor. He also used his size to exploit mismatches, finishing in the paint with ease for an efficient 24 points in his unofficial senior year debut. 

With the number of options available for Illinois offensively, it may not be Stojaković’s turn to take over every night, but if the opening exhibition showed anything, it’s that he remains a dependable scoring option. 

Newcomers show glimpses of future roles

Whether the nerves were there or not for all of Illinois’ offseason additions Saturday, the top scorers out of the newcomers played with a poise that didn’t reflect nervousness. Coleman, Brown and Vaaks led the Illini in scoring behind Stojaković, and each played a different role in the team’s overall offensive performance. 

While it took Coleman some time to settle into his first game as an Illini, he showed why many were so high on him before the year started. The freshman filled nearly every category of the stat sheet, scoring 14 points on 5-for-9 shooting, grabbing 7 rebounds and dishing out 8 assists. 

“When I came out for shootaround today, I was telling all the freshmen and everybody like, ‘Bro, I’m nervous. Like, I don’t know how this is going to go,’” Coleman said. “But everybody just had the mindset … if we play hard and just do what we do, no matter the outcome, that’s just what we’re going to do for our first game.” 

When he played on the ball, Coleman was a facilitator by attacking the paint to draw Cincinnati defenders and kicking out to open 3-point shooters. Coleman also wasn’t afraid to shoot the three himself either, as he knocked down key triples in the second half that helped the Illini keep a confident lead over the Bearcats. 

As for the other half of the Illini’s starting freshman backcourt, Brown put up solid numbers across the board in his debut as well. Brown was Illinois’ third-leading scorer with 15 points, which included three triples, while recording 5 boards and 2 assists. When the Illini struggled to rebound in the first half, Brown stepped up by grabbing 2 offensive boards. Between his 3-point shooting and offensive rebounding, Underwood said he was pleased with Brown’s contributions.

“The ball moves with him in,” Underwood said. “It doesn’t stick. He’s an elite shooter … he has a nose for the ball, and he’s very deserving.” 

Although the freshmen got the starting spots in the backcourt, that didn’t stop Vaaks from making an immediate impact himself. The transfer from Providence put up 19 points on 7-for-13 shooting from the field in 19 minutes of play against Cincinnati. His ability to make quick decisions offensively served him well, and his strength near the basket allowed him to score in ways other than from the 3-point line. 

Based on his performance from Saturday, Vaaks is a versatile scoring option for Illinois to turn to. However, Underwood said he wants to see Vaaks impact the game in other ways in the rest of these exhibition games, like he has seen in practice as of late. 

“His best practice of the year was a practice he was 2 for 11,” Underwood said. “It was two days ago or three days ago, and he was really good. He was really dialed in defensively … He’s making winning plays.” 

Riley, supporting cast unveil Illini defensive weaknesses 

The offensive end didn’t have too many weaknesses to point out in the exhibition win, but Illinois struggled defensively, especially in defending the perimeter. The Illini gave up a 31-point, 13-assist double-double to senior guard Tylen Riley, who was the driving force behind the Bearcats’ offense. 

As the primary ball handler when he was in the game, Riley penetrated the paint against Illinois’ perimeter defenders and would either finish the play himself at the rim or kick out to 3-point shooters. He also wasn’t afraid to let it fly from 3-point range when Illinois gave him the chance. While multiple Illini defenders took their turn on Riley, none could seem to find the answer to limit him from keeping the Bearcats within arm’s length of the Illini on the scoreboard.

“He’s got great touch,” Underwood said. “I give him props because we were going under him and daring him to shoot threes, and he made those … He’s proven he can elevate others … I think he will be one of the better guards in the Big 12.” 

According to Stojaković, for Illinois to improve on the defensive end of the floor, it comes down to increasing communication, which is what the experience of these exhibition games is for. 

“I think communication is one thing where we have gotten better throughout the summer, but can always continue to get better,” Stojaković said. “I think we did a poor job, especially freshmen, which is usual, but some of the flex cuts or flex screens on the weak side, something coach Cam kind of harped on, but we just got to be better at communicating.” 

The other defensive area that Illinois struggled to stay consistent in throughout the full 40 minutes was defensive rebounding. Underwood said the effort to crash the glass wasn’t there in the first half, but his team started to play with more effort in that area as the game went on. However, for the Illini to find success when the regular season rolls around, they can’t give up the offensive rebounds that they did against the Bearcats. 

“That’s the stuff that can’t happen,” Underwood said. “And we have to be much more dynamic, much tougher than that in those moments.” 

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