Illinois basketball was on the court on Saturday, and we were able to start things off on the right foot.
The Illini went into Cincinnati and put up triple digits, beating the Bearcats 105-96. This was a good start to what should be a great season.
With any exhibition game come some truths and lies from what we see or read in the box score. Illinois has a lot of good players, but there are some things that need to be cleared up after the win over Cincinnati.
Here are the truths and lies from the Illinois basketball win over Cincinnati
Truth: Andrej Stojakovic is that guy
There are many truths and lies an exhibition game can tell, but a certain truth from the win over Cincinnati is that Andrej Stojakovic is what the numbers show.
Stojakovic isn't a three-point shooter who lights it up from outside. He finished the game against the Bearcats with 24 points on 8-of-15 shooting from the field and 8-of-8 from the free throw line. He didn't take a single three-point attempt. This is the box score I expect out of him this season.
Lie: Ethan Brown starting for Illinois
It is fun to see what Brad Underwood does with lineups in exhibition games and even early in the season.
Ethan Brown got the start on Saturday afternoon. That isn't going to happen in the regular season, though. Brown is a true freshman who will see time but not starting time. David Mirkovic is going to get healthy, and there are other bench players who will likely get minutes and starts over Brown. He had a good performance, but I highly doubt he will get a start this season.
Truth: Quentin Coleman has a similar role to Keaton Wagler
I love what I see out of Quentin Coleman's stat line. He is the five-star guard coming into the program, and his first action was promising. He had 14 points in 31 minutes on the court.
What I love the most is that he can stat-stuff. Keaton Wagler was the same. Coleman had eight assists and seven rebounds to go along with his solid scoring night. If he can fit into the Wagler mold, the country better watch out.
Lie: Brad Underwood having Stephen Vaaks off the bench
Again, Underwood does funny things when the games don't count. He can mess with lineups and get players more action and experience. That is why I think Stephen Vaaks was on the bench.
Vaaks was Illinois' big transfer portal addition. The selling point for him to come to Champaign wasn't "you are going to be our sixth man." Illinois is likely to start Vaaks this season, and I expect him to be one of our big-time players in the scoring department.
Truth: Illinois three-point shooting is going to be lights out
Illinois was a solid three-point shooting team last season. We averaged 34.5% from three-point range, which was good enough for No. 142 in the country. On Saturday, the three-point ball was dropping.
The Illini buried Cincinnati with three-pointers. We were 14-of-33, 42.4%, from distance. This was impressive considering so many new bodies were on the court. Illinois was also missing Mirkovic, who was one of our best three-point shooters last season. I don't think the great shooting game from the Orange and Blue was a mirage.
Lie: Extended bench play for Illinois
Underwood got a chance to see nearly the entire Illinois roster play on Saturday. This was a great opportunity to see who can play and which rotations worked best together. That doesn't mean all of these players will play in the regular season, though.
Zavier Zens and Landon Davis each got over 10 minutes. Jason Jaksysts got seven minutes. I don't think those three will average that many minutes this season. Underwood is going to eventually cut down his bench, and the rotations will be tighter. It is fun watching these guys get time, though.
Today's best reads
- 3 Illinois basketball preseason All-Big Ten snubs who could crash the party
- 3 biggest surprises in the Illinois basketball win over Cincinnati
- Early Illinois National Championship odds builds even more hype for Brad Underwood's team
- Projected Illinois basketball lineup to start the 2026-27 season
- 3 Illinois basketball players who could help fill the David Mirkovic void if he misses time
This article was originally published on www.writingillini.com as Filtering the Illinois basketball truths and lies from the exhibition win over Cincinnati.