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Illinois basketball being battle-tested will help the micro and macro for the program

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It hasn't been an easy road since the turn of the calendar to 2026, but the struggles from the Illinois basketball program should help in the long run.

Illinois guard Destiny Jackson scores as the Oregon Ducks host the Illinois Fighting Illini on Feb. 4, 2026, at Matthew Knight Arena in Eugene, Oregon. | Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Much of the energy of the Illinois basketball fanbase is going toward the men’s program, but I plead with you, don’t give up on the women’s team.