Is Indiana Men’s Basketball Better Than Illinois?

In this series, Hoosiers On SI examines where Indiana basketball stands against its Big Ten foes. Today, we look at how the Hoosiers stack up against the Fighting Illini.

Illinois Fighting Illini forward Ty Rodgers (20) drives the ball between Indiana Hoosiers forward Payton Sparks (24) and guard Anthony Leal (3) during the first half at State Farm Center. / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – This story is part of a series that will continue through October. Is Indiana better than each of its Big Ten opponents?

Nine categories were chosen. There will be no ties in individual categories. Think of it like you would the Supreme Court.

The categories: Point guard play, free throw shooting, inside scoring, perimeter shooting, rebounding, perimeter defense, rim protection, how much proven Power Five talent is on the roster, and intangibles.

The daily series will cover both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, and it will alternate between the teams.

The Illinois men are next … you’d better get a scorecard.

Gone from Illinois’ Elite Eight team that lost 77-52 to eventual champion Connecticut are all-everything point guard Terrance Shannon, forwards Marcus Domask, Quincy Guerrier and Coleman Hawkins, center Dain Dainja and, of course, guard Luke Goode, who is a Hoosier.

Despite that, national experts still believe in Illinois, coach Brad Underwood and the Fighting Illini. Illinois just missed being in the preseason top 25 as they re-loaded in the minds of many.

Here’s how the battle between the Hoosiers and the Fighting Illini shakes out.

Arizona Wildcats guard Kylan Boswell (4) reacts after defeating the Dayton Flyers in the second round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena-Delta Center. / Gabriel Mayberry-Imagn Images

• Point guard play – Illinois has a number of options. Arizona transfer Kylan Boswell (9.6 ppg, 3.6 apg) has the capability to run the show. Illinois also brings freshman Kasparas Jakucionis from Lithuania. He averaged 5.3 assists on FC Barcelona’s second team in Spain.

Illinois will probably be good here, but Indiana has more evidence to suggest it will be good. Myles Rice, Trey Galloway and Gabe Cupps form a more settled crew for Indiana. Edge: Indiana.

• Free throw shooting – Mercer transfer Jake Davis (84.8%), Boswell (79.5%), Evansville transfer Ben Humrichous (75.7%) and Louisville transfer Tre White (75.2%) all top what few 70-%-plus free throw shooters Indiana has at its disposal. Jakucionis also shot 88% for Barcelona. Edge: Illinois.

• Inside scoring – Illinois has potential to be dangerous in the paint, but it’s based on true freshmen Will Riley and Morez Johnson becoming immediate standouts. Notre Dame transfer Carey Booth is also in the mix. Indiana is much more assured in the lane with Malik Reneau (15.4 ppg) and Oumar Ballo (12.9 ppg). Edge: Indiana.

• Perimeter shooting – The infusion of new talent at Illinois includes plenty of shooters. Humrichous (41.4% at Evansville), Jakucionis (38% at Barcelona), Davis (38.7% at Mercer) and Boswell (37.9% at Arizona) can all fill it up from the arc. Save Boswell, the only question is whether they can do it against Big Ten defenses. Indiana did hit Illinois directly by prying Goode (38.7%), a Fort Wayne native, away from Champaign, but Indiana’s can’t quite match what Illinois brings to the perimeter. Edge: Illinois.

• Rebounding – Ty Rodgers is a big guard at 6-foot-6 and he averaged 5.3 rebounds in 2024, but everyone else on the Illini roster is all potential and little proven product. Not so for Indiana as Ballo (10.1 rpg) and Reneau (6 rpg) are enough proven producers to put Illinois in the shade. Edge: Indiana.

• Perimeter defense – Boswell (1.4 spg) was disruptive for Arizona and Rodgers can guard all of the backcourt spots and beyond. Some of Illinois’ strength here depends on how much White improves after playing for an abysmal Louisville team in 2024. Also, how much progress Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn makes in his game overall. Illinois’s unproven roster hurts it when it comes to these comparisons, especially when Indiana has so much veteran talent. Edge: Indiana.

Evansville's Ben Humrichous (13) dribbles up court as the University of Evansville Purple Aces play the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles at Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023. Evansville won, 82-51. / MaCabe Brown / Courier & Press / USA TODAY NETWORK

• Defense at the rim – Hawkins, Rodgers, Domask and Dainja made Illinois a challenge in the paint, but only Rodgers returns. If the Illini are to remain stingy at the rim, they’ll need Booth to make the next step as well as have Humrichous and Johnson figure things out in the Big Ten quickly. Ballo and Reneau have more experience with the Power Five wars. Edge: Indiana.

• Proven Power 5 ability on roster – The standard here is whether a player averaged 25 minutes or more at the Power Five level at their current or former school.

Given the players who moved out, Illinois isn’t going to fare well here. White (at Louisville) and Boswell are the only qualifiers in orange-and-blue. Indiana’s six-pack of Power Five proven producers (Kanaan Caryle, Mackenzie Mgbako, Ballo, Galloway, Reneau and Rice) takes this category easily. Edge: Indiana.

Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood reacts during the second half against the Iowa Hawkeyes at State Farm Center. / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

• Intangibles – This is fairly simple. Illinois is hoping to make a stew based on transfers plus a spoonful of highly-touted freshmen. It might work, but the range of performance for Illinois in 2025 is really wide. They could be great. They could finish out of the top 10 in the Big Ten. Indiana is not free of its own question marks, but it’s range of possible outcomes doesn’t seem to be near as vast it could be for the Illini. Edge: Indiana.

• Verdict – Indiana wins 7-2. Illinois could very well be better than this margin suggests, but they have so many unproven pieces, it’s hard for the Illini to win a preseason comparison battle against a team with Indiana’s experienced pieces.

Previous Is Indiana Better Than Men's Basketball Results

Oregon – Indiana 7-2.

Rutgers – Indiana 7-2.

Maryland – Indiana 6-3.

USC – Indiana 6-3.

Penn State - Indiana 5-4.

Minnesota - Indiana 6-3.

Michigan - Indiana 6-3.

UCLA - UCLA 5-4.

Ohio State - Indiana 7-2.

Iowa - Indiana 5-4.

Michigan State - Indiana 5-4.

Washington - Indiana 8-1.

Wisconsin - Indiana 7-2.

Northwestern - Indiana 5-4.

Nebraska - Indiana 6-3.

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