2026-27 Outlook
LangIndex projects Illinois at #10 nationally for the 2026-27 college basketball season with a projected efficiency margin of +17.8 points per 100 possessions. That's roughly in line with last season's #7 finish. LangIndex classifies this roster as a national contender.
About 45% of last season's production returns, a middle-of-the-road continuity number. The incoming class is headlined by 5-star Quentin Coleman, part of a 6-commit group.
Last Season (2025-26)
Illinois finished 2025-26 at 24-8, ranked #7 in the final LangIndex ratings with adjusted offense of 129.3 and adjusted defense of 97.2 points per 100 possessions.
How LangIndex Rates Illinois
Illinois's power rating of +17.8 is an adjusted efficiency margin: the points per 100 possessions the model expects them to outscore an average Division I team by, once you strip out schedule strength. It combines adjusted offensive efficiency, adjusted defensive efficiency, and pace into one number, so a rating of +17.8 means Illinois projects to beat a neutral-court average team by about 12 points on a typical night. The full live version updates every morning during the season.
Illinois Rating History
Season-by-season LangIndex power rating and national rank. Illinois has been fairly steady in the LangIndex ratings over this stretch. Their best finish in this window was #7 in 2025-26.
| Season | Power Rating | Nat. Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | +25.9 | #7 |
| 2024-25 | +12.3 | #37 |
| 2023-24 | +17.3 | #16 |
| 2022-23 | +12.1 | #41 |
| 2021-22 | +13.9 | #27 |
| 2020-21 | +19.5 | #9 |