CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – University of Illinois students demonstrated swift enthusiasm for Fighting Illini men's basketball as all 3,000 student season tickets for State Farm Center were sold out within the first minute. The entire sales process was completed in a record time of nine minutes.
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This achievement surpasses last year's record of 18 minutes and marks the sixth consecutive year that Orange Krush tickets have sold out since the return of fans after the pandemic:
- 2021-22 – Less than three hours
- 2022-23 – 36 minutes
- 2023-24 – Less than 24 hours
- 2024-25 – 26 minutes
- 2025-26 – 18 minutes
- 2026-27 – Nine minutes
The Fighting Illini basketball team has high expectations for the 2026-27 season, appearing in the Top 5 of several preseason rankings. Head coach Brad Underwood is set to return five key players from last season’s successful NCAA Final Four run: David Mirkovic, Andrej Stojakovic, Tomislav Ivisic, Zvonimir Ivisic, and Jake Davis. The team will also welcome a top-15 recruiting class along with an impactful transfer.
Last season, Illinois reached its first Final Four in 21 years, finishing with a 28-9 record, the fourth-most wins in program history, and secured a Big Ten runner-up position. The program also holds the title of the winningest team in Big Ten play this decade and is among four national programs with seven consecutive 20-win regular seasons.