Illinois basketball moves up to 11 in week 11 AP Poll

Illinois basketball moved up two spots in this week’s AP poll after winning a game at Northwestern and at home vs Minnesota. The Illini are in the midst of a seven-game win streak and appear to have settled into their identity. They have some veteran composure and poise in the midst of some very nice road wins over Iowa and Northwestern.  This week, they will face the Maryland Terrapins at home on Wednesday evening before heading to Mackey Arena for a crack at the 4th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers. Illinois basketball also continues to sit well in all analytic sites. Trilly Donovan and the staff at Basket under review posts a very comprehensive “composite” ranking including the AP Poll, Net rankings, and rankings from all major analytic sites (KenPom, Bart Torvik, Haslem, and Evan Miya). In Trilly’s composite ranking list, the Illini sit at number 8.

Weekly Composite Rankings!

– Duke down to 11th in Torvik
– UConn up to 2nd in AP Poll
– Texas Tech not getting love from the metrics
– Ranked Billikens! pic.twitter.com/AKuvDPbCLN

— Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) January 19, 2026

Time for a real test

Despite winning seven in a row, it will be nice for Illinois basketball to face a real test vs Purdue, one of the best teams in the nation. This will be a good litmus test for the Illini as they approach the midpoint of their season. Afterward, Illinois will also play Nebraska, Michigan State, and Michigan within a span of a few weeks. This game vs the Boilermakers should give Illinois some film to work on and fans should certainly hope that their team is competitive in an environment as tough as Mackey.

Illinois beat Purdue at home last year during the 2024-2025 season, and Purdue essentially ran that same roster back this year. If you are Illinois, it is a chance to plant your flag as a surefire national championship contender.

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