2026-27 Outlook
LangIndex projects Western Illinois at #284 nationally for the 2026-27 college basketball season with a projected efficiency margin of -2.8 points per 100 possessions. That's a major climb from #370 a season ago, one of the bigger projected rises in the country. This projects as a development year.
Only 0% of last season's minutes return, so this roster will look very different. Expect some early-season volatility while new pieces settle in.
Last Season (2025-26)
Western Illinois finished 2025-26 at 2-26, ranked #370 in the final LangIndex ratings with adjusted offense of 85.0 and adjusted defense of 128.6 points per 100 possessions.
How LangIndex Rates Western Illinois
Western Illinois's power rating of -2.8 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 -2.8 means Western Illinois projects to lose to a neutral-court average team by about 2 points on a typical night. The full live version updates every morning during the season.
Western Illinois Rating History
Season-by-season LangIndex power rating and national rank. Western Illinois's rating has slipped compared to a few seasons ago. Their best finish in this window was #172 in 2021-22.
| Season | Power Rating | Nat. Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2025-26 | -15.8 | #362 |
| 2024-25 | -9.1 | #302 |
| 2023-24 | -1.3 | #187 |
| 2022-23 | -2.9 | #205 |
| 2021-22 | -0.4 | #172 |
| 2020-21 | -12.5 | #305 |