Illinois Basketball's Top 3 Regular Season Games

Recapping the Illini's best performances in the 2025-26 season

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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With the regular season now complete, we take a look back at the three best games for the Illinois basketball team in 2025-26. The Illini finished with a 24-7 record and 15-5 in Big Ten play, their best conference showing since 2021-22. The top performances included blowing out Missouri, getting revenge on Nebraska, and a historic 46-point game by freshman Keaton Wagler to beat Purdue on the road.

Why it matters

Illinois had a very successful regular season, setting them up well for postseason play. Reviewing their top games provides insight into the team's strengths, development, and key contributors throughout the year.

The details

The Illini's third-best game was an impressive 91-48 rout of Missouri in St. Louis, where Illinois' defense stifled the Tigers' normally potent offense. Their second-best game was a 78-69 road win at Nebraska, where the team bounced back from an earlier home loss to the Cornhuskers. And the top game was freshman Keaton Wagler's 46-point explosion in a 78-69 win at Purdue, setting a record for most points scored by an opponent at Mackey Arena.

  • On December 14, 2025, Illinois blew out Missouri 91-48 in St. Louis.
  • On February 1, 2026, Illinois defeated Nebraska 78-69 on the road.
  • On January 24, 2026, Illinois beat Purdue 78-69 at Mackey Arena.

The players

Keaton Wagler

A freshman guard for Illinois who scored a career-high 46 points in the Illini's win at Purdue.

Brad Underwood

The head coach of the Illinois basketball team, who has led the Illini to a strong 24-7 record and 15-5 mark in Big Ten play.

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What’s next

The Illini will now turn their attention to the postseason, where they hope to build on their successful regular season and make a deep run.

The takeaway

Illinois basketball has had an impressive 2025-26 campaign, showcasing their ability to win in a variety of ways against top competition. The Illini have established themselves as one of the top teams in the Big Ten and will look to carry that momentum into the postseason.