Illinois @ Cincinnati Exhibition Preview

November is creeping up on us, and the best time of the year is nearly here. Illinois Basketball is almost ready to get started on The Road to Detroit and The Final Four.

Today, we get our first sneak peek at what this squad looks like in action. Well, sort of. Unless you're physically in Cincinnati, you're out of luck, because apparently streaming an exhibition game in any form in 2026 is still too much to ask, but I digress. You can listen to it on the radio or from the Cincinnati athletics' page so I know that will be in the background as I consume a great college football slate.

I also just want to get out ahead of this point out that exhibitions are largely meaningless, at least based on what the final score says. Cincinnati has already played an exhibition, where they beat Ohio State, so they probably have better chemistry already. Bottom line, I really could not care less what the score of this game ends and being, and you should not too. Trevor Vallese from the Field of 68 sums it up pretty well, so I'll just share what he said:

Exhibition games are fun because basketball is almost back, but you can't put too much stock into the results. Any takeaways are better viewed through a player-focused lens. Last season, David Mirkovic had a great first showing against Illinois State, giving fans an early glimpse of what would unfold throughout his freshman season.

Speaking of Mirkovic, he will not play today after recently returning to practice following a foot injury suffered in July. The good news is that he appears to be on track for Illinois' season opener, so things are looking positive on that front.

Jake Davis is a game-time decision after suffering an ankle injury in practice. The injury does not appear to be serious, but it is probably best for the staff to err on the side of caution. Of all the players in Illinois' rotation, Davis is the one I'm least concerned about missing some time and still finding his role.

This means Illinois' freshman class will get plenty of playing time. This is one of the most compelling and unique freshman classes I have ever seen, so I am dying to see what they look like in their first action.

Which freshman shows up is the question I can't wait to see be answered most. I think we all know that Quentin Coleman will be one of them, but the other five freshmen will be competing for minutes, and all of them have a case to earn these minutes.

How does Illinois' lone spring transfer portal addition look like? Stefan Vaaks in Illinois' systems seems like a perfect fit. How much does Illinois utilize him in ball screen actions? Has he improved defensively? Is he ready to take on a bigger role as a facilitator? He had to the guy at Providence because there was no one else around him. In Illinois, he has plenty of guys to rely on. I am also curious if we see Illinois' tempo rise. Brad always wants to get out and run, but last season he had to make an exception when a generational talent in Keaton Wagler runs the offense better at a slower pace. I think Vaaks being one of the team's main ball handlers will help the Illini pick up the tempo at least a little bit. I'm excited to see what Vaaks brings in his debut.

Does Illinois' defense become more aggressive? Illinois assistant coach Camryn Crocker was the unsung hero in Illinois' Final Four run from last season. His defensive gameplan against Houston in the Sweet 16 was a masterclass. The Illini's defensive intensity went up in March, but we would all like to see that beginning now. I know we probably won't see the entire playbook and intricacies in this exhibition, but I do think we will see if there are any changes to this defense.

We won't see the entire story unfold on Saturday, but at least we can get a preview of what's to come. College basketball is almost back, and this exhibition takes us one step closer.