Last season changed the expectations around Illinois basketball.

For the first time in 21 years, the Illini reached the Final Four. They won 28 games, established themselves as one of the best teams in the country and came within two wins of a national championship.

Now comes the difficult part: doing it again.

What makes this Illinois team so interesting is that it is not starting over. Five of the team's eight leading scorers from last season are returning, giving Brad Underwood something that has become increasingly valuable in college basketball: continuity.

David Mirković, Andrej Stojaković, Tomislav Ivišić, Zvonimir Ivišić and Jake Davis are all back for another season. That experience gives Illinois a foundation most teams entering a new season simply do not have.

But Underwood does not want this group to spend the year trying to recreate last season.

He wants it to become something different.

The Lessons of a Final Four Run

The returning players have something that cannot be replicated in practice: they know what it takes to make a deep NCAA Tournament run, and they know how quickly that run can end.

Illinois' season ultimately ended two wins short of a national championship. For the players who were there, that experience can serve as both motivation and perspective.

Underwood has described his returning players as hungry, pointing to the work several of them put in during the offseason. Jake Davis underwent surgery after playing through a knee injury late last season, while Zvonimir Ivišić added significant weight entering his second season. Underwood has also praised the offseason work of Tomislav Ivišić and Mirković.

That does not guarantee another deep tournament run, but it does mean Illinois enters the season with players who understand the standard required to compete at that level.

They are no longer trying to figure out whether they belong.

They have already shown that they do.

Illinois' Size Could Shape Its Identity

The most obvious place to start is the frontcourt.

Mirković and the Ivišić twins give Illinois an unusual combination of size, skill and experience. Tomislav averaged 10.4 points and 5.6 rebounds last season while shooting 73 percent from two-point range, while Zvonimir averaged 6.4 points and 4.5 rebounds and blocked 72 shots.

Mirković, meanwhile, emerged as one of the team's most important offensive pieces during his freshman season.

The next step is figuring out how much better that trio can become together.

Illinois has the personnel to play through its size, but it also has the versatility to use that size in different ways. Its big men can score around the basket, facilitate offense and stretch the floor, while their defensive presence can give the Illini another advantage on the other end.

If everything comes together, the frontcourt could become one of the defining characteristics of this team.

Stojaković Gives the Offense Another Proven Option

Stojaković's return is just as important.

After transferring to Illinois from Cal Berkeley, he became an important part of last year's Final Four team and showed that he could handle the pressure of high-level competition. Now he enters his second season in Champaign with a better understanding of the program and an experienced frontcourt around him.

That combination could give Stojaković more opportunities offensively.

If Illinois' big men command attention inside, Stojaković should have opportunities to attack from the perimeter, create his own shot and make plays for others. His ability to complement the frontcourt could be one of the biggest factors in determining how dynamic this offense becomes.

More importantly, Illinois does not need him to become last year's version of himself.

It needs him to become a better one.

The New Additions Have a Vital Role

Continuity may be the biggest storyline surrounding Illinois, but the newcomers still have an important role.

The Illini added Stefan Vaaks from Providence and brought in a highly regarded freshman class, including highly praised player Quentin Coleman, giving Underwood another group of players who will have to learn his system and adjust to the demands of Big Ten basketball.

That process could determine how quickly Illinois finds its rhythm.

The returning players already understand what Underwood expects. The newcomers have to learn those expectations while simultaneously adjusting to a new level of competition.

Eventually, those two groups have to become one team.

That may be the biggest challenge of the first few months.

This Team Has to Build Its Own legacy

The comparisons to last season are inevitable.

Every big win will bring another reminder of the Final Four team. Every difficult loss will lead to questions about whether Illinois has taken a step backward.

But constantly chasing last year's team would miss the point.

Underwood has emphasized that this group needs to develop its own identity rather than spend the season trying to recreate what came before it.

That is important.

Last year's team earned its place in Illinois basketball history. This year's team has to earn its own.

The foundation is certainly there. Illinois has experienced players who have already performed on the biggest stage, a talented frontcourt, a proven scorer on the wing and a recruiting class capable of adding another layer to the roster.

And unlike last year, nobody on this team has to wonder what Illinois is capable of.

They have already seen it.

Now the challenge is finding out how much further they can take it.