College Basketball Preview: Illinois and North Carolina Look to Make a Splash

The 2024-25 Illinois basketball roster is looking deeper than ever, with a new squad emerging after losing all but two scholarship players from the Elite 8 team. This season, Brad Underwood and his coaching staff have shaped a roster that could be the deepest since his era at Illinois. With a mix of new bodies and familiar faces, the Illini are set to send weapon after weapon at opponents.

_ The Illinois basketball team is expected to be a strong contender this season.

Underwood has traditionally played a lot of players each season, believing in fresh legs and bodies. This style of play is run-and-gun, scoring in transition, and using the depth of the roster to outlast opponents. Last season, Illinois had nine players averaging at least 10 minutes per game, and the year before, 10 players averaged at least 10 minutes per game.

This season, the number of players averaging at least 10 minutes per game could be the highest we’ve ever seen. Ben Humrichous, a transfer, won’t get fewer than 10 minutes per game. Ty Rodgers started every game last season, and he won’t get less than 10 minutes on the court each night. Kylan Boswell, a big-time transfer portal guard, is a star, and Tre White averaged 28.8 minutes per game in his first two seasons in college. He isn’t going to take a diminished role.

Carey Booth averaged 19.9 minutes as a freshman, so he isn’t going to take less than 10 minutes at Illinois. Morez Johnson Jr. is the projected starter, and he was a monster recruit. Kasparas Jakucionis and Will Riley are also coming into the program, both projected first-round NBA Draft picks. There’s no way they’ll see fewer than 10 minutes per game.

The wildcard is Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn, Jake Davis, and Tomislav Ivisic. Gibbs-Lawhorn got 7.1 minutes per game last season but could easily get to over 10 minutes per game. Davis averaged 28.6 minutes per game as a freshman but will be coming off the bench at Illinois. Ivisic is a 7-foot-1 big man who will spell minutes at the No. 5 spot, playing around 10 minutes per game.

When you lay it all out, you can legitimately see 11 players getting at least 10 minutes per game in 2024-25. That is something I don’t think I’ve ever seen before.

Outside of Illinois, the UNC Basketball team is also making waves with their new squad set to debut in November. The Tar Heels are returning ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis, along with Elliot Cadeau, Jae’Lyn Withers, Seth Trimble, Jalen Washington, and Zayden High from last year’s group.

The Tar Heels will most likely roll out a much smaller lineup in 2024-25 with one of the most talented backcourts in the country. There won’t be an Armando Bacot or Harrison Ingram down low, though. It’s shaping up to be another top-heavy year in the ACC, and as always, in the entirety of college hoops. - Jack Morris (@jackmorrisUNC)

UNC Basketball is looking strong this season.

Expectations are high in Chapel Hill, but the turnover from a year ago is significant and leaves numerous question marks. The Tar Heels will most likely roll out a much smaller lineup in 2024-25 with one of the most talented backcourts in the country.

UNC Basketball is receiving national respect, with CBS Sports positioning them at No. 4 nationally. Coming in behind just Kansas, Alabama, and Houston, their updated rankings praise the potential compounding of strong recruiting, returners, and transfers in Chapel Hill.

_ The Tar Heels are receiving national respect this season.

The Rothstein 45 has North Carolina at No. 7 with a projected starting lineup of Cadeau, Davis, Jackson, Withers, and Lubin. ESPN and Jeff Borzello mark the Tar Heels in the No. 10 spot, while On3 isn’t far behind, putting Hubert Davis’s group at No. 11.

It’s early, but North Carolina is receiving praise and high hopes. Hubert Davis, who is entering year four at the helm, is still looking to have regular season success align with the postseason. 2024-25 is a perfect opportunity to create that tandem, as the Tar Heels are still yet to find legitimate tournament success since the Final Four run in 2022.

For both Illinois and North Carolina, it’s shaping up to be an exciting season in college basketball. With deep rosters and high expectations, fans are surely in for a treat.