CHAMPAIGN — One national analyst is already buying stock in what Brad Underwood’s team can be in the upcoming season.

Andy Katz released his updated preseason Power 36 rankings on NCAA.com on Thursday, after the early-entry deadline passed on Wednesday night. As far as the NBA Draft is concerned, we now know who’s staying and who’s going in the college basketball world.

Illinois didn’t have to sweat any early exits this offseason, once Ayo Dosunmu announced his return in mid-April. Instead, the Illini will be faced with meeting some significantly-high expectations for the first time in Underwood’s tenure.

Katz slotted Illinois at No. 21 in his most recent rankings. And he’s urging others to follow his lead.

“Get on this bandwagon now,” Katz wrote. “The Illini have figured out how to play for Brad Underwood. And the team returned without taking a hit from the draft. Ayo Dosunmu can be first team All-Big Ten. Trent Frazier is a big-shot maker. And few bring as much passion to playing as Giorgi Bezhanishvili. The glue guys like Andres Feliz make this roster ready for a major jump.”

A major jump is what’s needed for a team that finished 12-21 last year. But with a number of key returnees, a top-60 incoming freshman in Kofi Cockburn and another offseason for Underwood to get his system rollin’, a big leap is what’s expected.

“You know what? Illinois basketball should have expectations,” Underwood told reporters this spring. “They should have high expectations. Josh (Whitman) brought me here to have expectations and turn this around. If you guys haven’t figured me out yet, that’s who I am. We’re going to do it our way and the right way and we’re going to do it with guys that fit. I know how good this program is and how good it can be. We’re not going to shortcut any steps to get there.”

The Illini are one of seven Big Ten teams in Katz’s rankings. He has Michigan State in the top spot with Cassius Winston, Josh Langford, Aaron Henry and Xavier Tillman all returning. Tom Izzo will also welcome in a top-25 class that's headlined by top-40 guard Rocket Watts.

Maryland (No. 11), Purdue (No. 16) and Ohio State (No. 18) are also ranked ahead of Illinois in this poll. But Illini fans can hardly complain about a projected top-five finish in the league. The program has not finished in the top five of the Big Ten standings since the 2010-11 season.

Wisconsin (No. 28) and Penn State (No. 34) round out the conference’s representation in the top 36. Katz also lists Iowa, Michigan and Minnesota — three NCAA tournament teams from last season — as being ‘in the mix’.

