Illinois’ starting five players are indicated with an asterisk (*).
The basketball season ended for the men in Milwaukee Sunday evening, just missing a trip to the Sweet Sixteen. No. 3 seed Kentucky (24-11) pulled ahead early behind sloppy basketball from No. 6 seed Illinois (22-13) and won 84-75. The Illini were nowhere near as consistent as their opening-round victory, so here are the final player grades of the 2025 season.
*Kylan Boswell (A-): Though slightly optimistic considering the circumstances, junior guard Kylan Boswell ended his first season in Champaign on a high note. The box score proved it, with Boswell scoring 23 points on 9-14 shooting with six assists and three rebounds. However, to truly gauge Boswell, watching him play was key.
Boswell scrambled all over the court in both tournament games, guarding whoever he had to. He consistently guarded opponents’ top options on offense throughout the year, no matter their position. That continued on Sunday as Boswell tried to slow down multiple talented Kentucky guards.
His mentality also changed down the stretch on both ends. The Champaign native was assertive and aggressive, making a point to have the ball in his hands often and take it to the rim. He helped keep Illinois in the game late in the first half. After the Wildcats took a 25-15 lead, Boswell scored eight of the Illini’s next 10 points in four minutes to get the deficit to five by the half.
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This leap into a leadership role with the Illini also carried over to his three-point shooting. Boswell finished the season with some solid performances from beyond the arc. This improvement was just a glimpse into next year, as Sunday night Boswell announced his intentions to return.
*Kasparas Jakučionis (C-): After a tremendous two months where his stock shot up to one of the top picks in the 2025 NBA Draft, freshman guard Kasparas Jakučionis’s play fluctuated throughout the second half of the season.
He ended on a lackluster note in what was almost certainly his final collegiate game. The Lithuanian shot just 2-9 from distance and turned it over six times in the loss. The majority of his turnovers came early in the opening 10 minutes and were largely unforced.
Whether the ball slipped out of his hands or he made an ill-advised pass without a chance of success, Jakučionis played a role in an early double-digit deficit. He still showed flashes of excellence and could have gotten a better whistle in his final contest as an Illini, but overall, it was a disappointing finale for the freshman.
*Tre White (B): Junior guard Tre White didn’t provide anything crazy against the Wildcats, but the two-time transfer delivered a solid veteran performance. White stuffed the stat sheet with eight points, seven rebounds, one steal and one block.
While White missed all three of his attempts from beyond the arc, his spell attacking the rim gave Illinois some life in the second half. White was not immune to the illnesses that plagued the Illini locker room this season. However, he showed his value when he returned.
Although it was expected of White, he was a consistent veteran down the stretch. Illinois didn’t get there without his play. After the second round exit, he quickly confirmed he would like to be back in Champaign for his senior season.
“(I’m) just ready to run it back,” White said to reporters following the loss. “I know we got a good group of returning guys … I’m excited to bring this pain into next year.”
*Will Riley (C-): Unfortunately for Illinois, its other star freshman, forward Will Riley, also ended his career with a poor performance. After a fantastic game in the Round of 64, Riley made only one of his seven attempts from the field and turned it over three times.
While Illinois especially missed his offense, Riley also had a rough defensive performance. The Canadian improved his physicality tremendously over the four-month season. The old, tough Kentucky squad was too much to handle and bullied him several times.
*Tomislav Ivišić (B-): One of the few bright spots on Sunday was sophomore center Tomislav Ivišić. His main weaknesses came in the post on both ends. While able to stretch the floor at a high level, his post game needs some work. Ivišić missed a couple of hooks by a substantial amount. He also surrendered many paint points on defense, although some of that can be chalked up to the coaching staff deciding to play drop coverage.
The positives shone much brighter, however, as Ivišić was money from the three this tournament. He went 9-21 across two games, good for 43%. This is exceptional for a 7-foot-1 big man who was playing in one of the biggest games of his life.
His status for next year is uncertain, and it is likely that he will test the NBA waters. Still, he gave some encouraging words last night about his plans. Ivišić would be one of the best centers in the country if he were to return in the fall.
“I like it here,” Ivišić said. “I enjoyed my year here, and we’ll see about that.”
Morez Johnson Jr. (B-): Illinois missed the presence of freshman forward Morez Johnson Jr. on the glass when he missed time for a fracture. Sunday night showed exactly why.
Johnson recorded five points and seven rebounds, with four coming in the offensive end. He didn’t play together with Ivišić much on Sunday, but a healthy dose of those two could be lethal in their second years of college basketball next season. If the duo returns, it would immediately elevate Illinois and continue its rebounding successes of this year.
Ben Humrichous (C+): Graduate student forward Ben Humrichous only scored two points across both games in the tournament. His shooting would have been helpful against the Wildcats, but Humrichous failed to put up many points.
Humrichous’ defense and rebound was solid, though, making him playable. Seven boards against Kentucky’s athletic group helped Illinois substantially. Following the game, Humrichous reflected on his experience with Illinois.
“It was such a collective effort,” Humrichous said. “I have such a supportive coaching staff. I have a group of brothers that every day just continue to encourage (me) and ultimately push me to fight.”
His status for next year is uncertain at this point. Humrichous has one more season of eligibility if he chooses to return.
Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn (C): Sophomore guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn didn’t play much and didn’t do much in the minutes he had. He lacked the well-known hustle he sported in his last few outings. Anyone who wasn’t going to be immediately productive on either end didn’t have a place on the floor against Kentucky.
Jake Davis (C): Sophomore forward Jake Davis provided a similar effort to that of Gibbs-Lawhorn. Davis only played two minutes, and while that wasn’t a lot of time, he essentially did nothing on the court. An offseason in the weight room and practicing with the guys could be big for Davis, who proved he can make an impact with his knockdown shooting.
Head coach Brad Underwood has a big offseason ahead. His tasks not only include bringing in new players who can help take the roster to another level, but also retaining his current guys.
“We were a very, very young team,” Underwood said. “One of the youngest in the tournament.”
If White and Boswell return and Ivišić is only testing the NBA’s waters, the coaching staff has a great core to build around. This year’s experience can contribute to next season’s winning, but only time will tell.
@benfader7
