On Sunday, the Illinois basketball team is going up against a pesky Iowa squad that is ready to notch their first ranked win of the season.
The Hawkeyes have started the 2025-26 season hot, but they haven’t secured a quality win just yet. The Illini would be one of those wins if they can secure their home court.
Illinois has a tough task to contain Bennett Stirtz, as he is Iowa’s best player. But the Illini have enough defensive dogs to get the job done. With that being said, there are some things I will be keeping an eye on throughout the game.
Here are three key questions for the Illinois basketball team against Iowa
1. Can Illinois keep up this great defensive run?
Illinois had some good defensive moments early on in the season, but for the most part, we haven’t been anything to write home about on that end of the court.
Through the Nebraska game on December 13, Illinois was giving up 71.5 points per game, which ranked No. 112 in the country. This was coming off back-to-back games where the Illini gave up at least 80 points in each contest.
Over the last four games, the Illini have cranked up the defensive intensity. Can that change in defense continue against one of the most potent offenses in the Big Ten?
So, since that Nebraska game when we gave up 83 points, Illinois hasn’t given up more than 65 points in each of the last four games. This includes two contests giving up 55 points and one only allowing 48 points.
For those counting at home, that means over the last four games, the Illini averaged allowing just 55.8 points per game. That is a wild number. With that, we now give up 67.3 points per game for the season, which ranks No. 37 in the country.
The Iowa game is going to be a true test to see where the Illinois defense is at right now. They can score in bunches, so it will be a fun measuring stick game.
2. Will Iowa stay hot from three-point range?
In the same vein as the previous section, while Illinois’ defense is a hot topic, so is Iowa’s ability to knock shots down from three-point range.
The Illini have only played one team that has shot just as well as Iowa from deep this season, and that was Texas Tech. Interestingly enough, Illinois beat the Red Raiders, so hopefully that is the same result on Sunday.
Iowa can stroke it from three-point range, though. They are hitting from beyond the three-point arc at a clip of 37.5%, which ranks No. 31 in the country. Even with that, they aren’t the top team in their own state, as Iowa State is No. 3 in the country at 41.3%. What is in the water in Iowa? I digress.
Another interesting note is that Iowa has struggled from three-point range in the last three contests. They have shot 28.6%, 30.8%, and 26.9% in that stretch of games. Illinois getting those three-point shooting percentages out of the Hawkeyes would mean a win for the Orange and Blue.
3. What does Brad Underwood do with Bennett Stirtz?
The second section ties in with the first section of this article. And now the third section ties in with the second section.
Iowa goes as Stirtz goes. He is the lifeblood of this program, and when he is off, the team will struggle greatly.
What will Brad Underwood do defensively to help keep Stirtz in check, though? That is something that will be intriguing to watch.
Iowa has three losses this season: Minnesota, Iowa State, and Michigan State. In those three losses, Stirtz is 13-of-38, 34.2%, from the field and 8-of-26, 30.8%, from three-point range. In the other 12 games the Hawkeyes have won, Stirtz has shot 54.3% from the field and 45% from three-point range.
Illinois is going to have their hands full with Stirtz. He is a ball-dominant guard who has an incredible shot and can create for others. He is one of the best players in the Big Ten.
What worries me the most is that Stirtz likes to use screens to create space. Illinois, under Underwood, has not been great with screens.
Let’s see what Underwood does with Stirtz early on. It wouldn’t shock me to see Kylan Boswell on him to start the game, but then Keaton Wagler ends up on him later on due to the size. Regardless, Iowa uses a ton of screens, so the entire Illini squad will need to be ready to help and cover.