Spooky season is over, but Illinois didn't fail to surprise us here in early November. There weren't any jump scares - except for the opponent, perhaps - in the Illini's dominant season-opening win over Fairleigh Dickinson. But even after showing plenty in three exhibition games, Illinois still had some unexpected developments in store Monday in Champaign.
Nov 2, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood before the tip off against the Fairleigh Dickinson Knights at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Here's an admittedly broad (but accurate) description of Illinois' defense last season: no fouling . The Illini had the lowest free-throw rate allowed in the country in 2025-26 ... but they were dead last in forced turnover rate.
Coach Brad Underwood is aiming to strike more of a balance this season. Illinois forced only 12 turnovers Monday vs. FDU, but it wasn't due to a lack of aggressiveness. (And for what it's worth, the Illini forced 12 or more turnovers just once after the turn of the New Year a season ago.)
Quentin Coleman (three steals) was jumping passing lanes. Stefan Vaaks clamped down with a double team. So did Landon Davis. Some of the doubles were ill-advised, but it was interesting to see Illinois switch it up. They also brought occasional full-court pressure, tossed in a run-and-jump defense and even zoned FDU at times.
Illinois isn't going to throw out the kitchen sink at, say, Duke, but even just testing out different coverages and wrinkles against the Knights speaks volumes. The Illini are willing to tinker and experiment. And if they find a changeup they like, it may pay dividends down the road when everyone least expects it.
Apr 4, 2026; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Zvonimir Ivisic (44) shoots the ball against the UConn Huskies during the first half of a semifinal of the Final Four of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Take this: Per EvanMiya, Zvonimir Ivisic entered the 2026-27 campaign as one of college basketball's top 20 players . And per anyone with a pair of eyeballs and a room-temperature-or-better hoops IQ, Big Z is one of the best reserves in the country. Underwood was seemingly happy with Ivisic's offseason .
Yet among Illinois' active players on Monday (not including the injured Jake Davis), Big Z's 11 minutes ranked third-to-last on the team, ahead of only Blake Fagbemi and Quentin McCoy. And the curiosity wasn't just the number of minutes he spent on the floor - it was also when he checked in.
Ivisic first came into the game at the 12-minute mark, and he was the fifth Illini off the bench. Junior big man Jason Jakstys was the first frontcourt reserve to enter the game. Ivisic came in to give Jakstys a breather.
If Big Z's head - which he hit in the exhibition game vs. Baylor - was bothering him, he likely wouldn't have played at all. Maybe Underwood was still just testing out lineups and, by mere chance, happened to put Ivisic in later in the game than expected.
But early-game subs in regular-season play - even in a blowout - often give hints about what a rotation will look like in competitive games. It would be truly shocking if Ivisic, an elite shot blocker and an ideal rim runner in Illinois' new up-tempo scheme, is slipping out of the front of the rotation.
Nov 2, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Zavier Zens (22) drives the ball against Fairleigh Dickinson Knights forward Travis Torain (22) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
We know: Illinois played fast in their exhibition games. But Monday night was something different. The pace was likely partially circumstantial. If the coaching staff is urging the players to "go, go, go" and there isn't a soul on the FDU roster who can stop a rim-attacking Andrej Stojakovic or prevent another Illini from getting behind the defense, then a shot is typically going up fewer than five seconds into the shot clock.
Against any high-major team, it won't be that easy and Illinois will be forced to use more clock on a possession-by-possession basis. But, still, come on . Monday night was a clinic.
Every coach says it: The ball moves faster on the fly than on the dribble. We saw why that classic hoops adage in action against the Knights. The Illini whipped the ball around all night, seemingly embracing an "0.5 offense" - popularized by the San Antonio Spurs and predicated on split-second decisions of pass, shoot or drive.
It was great vs. FDU, but that was FDU. It'll be very interesting to see how that offense fares against the best of the best - especially Duke and UConn, a pair of exceptionally well-coached squads, each with a top-five defense in the country.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/illinois as 3 Surprises From Illinois Basketball's Season-Opening Win Over FDU .
