Illinois basketball is BACK 🏀

Sunny Verma previews the 2025–26 Illinois season opener vs. Jackson State, highlighting what Illini fans should look for as Brad Underwood’s team officially tips off the year. With Mihailo Petrovic out and Andrej Stojaković a game-time decision, Illinois will already test its depth early. 🏀 In this episode: Injury updates: Petrovic OUT, Stojaković questionable, Ty Rodgers still sidelined How Brad Underwood might handle a shortened rotation Why this game matters less for the score and more for chemistry and conditioning Early Big Ten outlook and how Illinois stacks up nationally Football side note: Illinois’ back-to-back bowl eligibility and why Bielema’s program is in a historic stretch

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Welcome to Locked On Illini, your one-stop show for all things Illinois Fighting Illini football and basketball! Join host Sunny Verma as he brings you in-depth analysis, game previews, post-game breakdowns, and exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and insiders. Whether you're a die-hard Illini fan or just looking to stay updated on the latest in college sports, this is the podcast for you. Tune in on YouTube and your favorite audio platforms for fresh episodes and all the insights you need to stay ahead of the game. Get ready to be Locked On Illini! Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth coverage of Illini basketball and football! Email us at: talkillini@gmail.com FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564192637267 TALK ILLINI DISCORD: https://discord.gg/cN9XCg9S Follow Sunny's personal account: @theSunnyV Follow us on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/lockedonillini.bsky.social Article Referenced: For your next listen, check out the Locked On College Football podcast! From NIL deals to never ending conference realignment rumors, Spencer McLaughlin gets you ready for an exciting season on the gridiron! Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

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It’s officially Illinois Basketball Season Preview time! 🏀 Sunny Verma is joined by Greg Waddell from Sleepers Media to break down everything Illini fans need to know heading into the 2025–26 season — from roster strengths and potential pitfalls to how Brad Underwood’s new look team stacks up in the Big Ten and nationally.

🎙 In this episode: Greg Waddell’s national perspective on the 2025–26 Illini Why Illinois’ international core (Ivišić, Petrovic, Mirkovic, Stojaković) might be the best frontcourt in the Big Ten How Kylan Boswell’s leadership sets the tone for the offense Keaton Wagler’s development and what he brings defensively Can Illinois’ depth finally match its talent? What the analytics say vs. what the eye test shows Waddell’s bold prediction for Illinois’ Big Ten finish Why the Illini have one of the highest ceilings in the nation — if healthy And what Brad Underwood has learned from past tournament exits

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Welcome to Locked On Illini, your one-stop show for all things Illinois Fighting Illini football and basketball! Join host Sunny Verma as he brings you in-depth analysis, game previews, post-game breakdowns, and exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and insiders. Whether you're a die-hard Illini fan or just looking to stay updated on the latest in college sports, this is the podcast for you. Tune in on YouTube and your favorite audio platforms for fresh episodes and all the insights you need to stay ahead of the game. Get ready to be Locked On Illini! Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth coverage of Illini basketball and football!

Email us at: talkillini@gmail.com

FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564192637267

TALK ILLINI DISCORD: https://discord.gg/cN9XCg9S

Follow Sunny's personal account: @theSunnyV

Follow us on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/lockedonillini.bsky.social

Article Referenced:

For your next listen, check out the Locked On College Football podcast! From NIL deals to never ending conference realignment rumors, Spencer McLaughlin gets you ready for an exciting season on the gridiron! Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Illinois Football is Bowl Eligible once again! 🎉 Sunny Verma reacts live as the Fighting Illini take down Rutgers 35–13 in Champaign, marking their third bowl appearance in four years under Bret Bielema. This postgame episode captures the emotion, the turnaround, and the growth of this program — from Illinois’ efficient offensive execution to Barry Lunney Jr.’s play-calling masterclass and Aaron Henry’s bounce-back performance on defense. 🏈 In this episode: What Illinois’ 6th win means in the big picture Why Luke Altmyer’s performance might be his best yet (235 passing yards, 4 TDs, 88 rushing yards) Hudson Clement’s breakout moment and WR chemistry developing Defensive adjustments finally showing results Why younger fans shouldn’t take bowl eligibility for granted Big-picture talk: What 9–3 or even back-to-back 10-win seasons would mean Fan expectations vs. reality — how good this Illinois team actually is 📈 Illinois is 6–3, 3–3 in the Big Ten, and still in control of its own destiny.

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Welcome to Locked On Illini, your one-stop show for all things Illinois Fighting Illini football and basketball! Join host Sunny Verma as he brings you in-depth analysis, game previews, post-game breakdowns, and exclusive interviews with players, coaches, and insiders. Whether you're a die-hard Illini fan or just looking to stay updated on the latest in college sports, this is the podcast for you. Tune in on YouTube and your favorite audio platforms for fresh episodes and all the insights you need to stay ahead of the game. Get ready to be Locked On Illini! Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more in-depth coverage of Illini basketball and football!

Email us at: talkillini@gmail.com

FOLLOW OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564192637267

TALK ILLINI DISCORD: https://discord.gg/cN9XCg9S

Follow Sunny's personal account: @theSunnyV

Follow us on Blue Sky: https://bsky.app/profile/lockedonillini.bsky.social

Article Referenced:

For your next listen, check out the Locked On College Football podcast! From NIL deals to never ending conference realignment rumors, Spencer McLaughlin gets you ready for an exciting season on the gridiron! Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.