CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – Illinois men’s and women’s basketball hosted its annual in-house media day on Thursday ahead of the 2025-26 seasons.

Head coaches Shauna Green and Brad Underwood started the afternoon off with press conferences before Illini men’s basketball players met with reporters.

“I love this team. I love this group,” Green said. “They’re they’re working extremely hard. They’re really, really together. We’re just inexperienced. So trying to gain some experience or some adversity that I have to create in practice.”

“Excited for our group, excited for the challenges in front of it,” Underwood said. “And like I said, very, very high and very big on this group’s leadership and where this has been after, you know, ten, 11 days of practice.”

Illini men’s basketball opens up with an exhibition game against Illinois State on Oct. 19, followed by the regular season opener vs Jackson State on Nov. 3.

Illinois women’s basketball has an exhibition against Maryville on Oct. 30 before its regular season opener on Nov. 4 against SEMO.