CHAMPAIGN, ILL. (WAND) -- The Fighting Illini are the buzz of the Big Ten with the surprising returns of the teams two leading scorers -- Ayo Dosunmu and Kofi Cockburn have the Fighting Illini as high as No. 4 in the country in preseason polls.

"This is the first year that we've had success and brought in some new guys. Noe we need to see how we react to that. We can't listen to all the outside noise. We can't listen to all the noise around the rankings -- that doesn't have to do with us getting better everyday," head coach Brad Underwood said.

With increased expectations comes a brighter spotlight, but the Fighting Illini are not shying away from their potential.

"We've shown that we can compete in the Big Ten -- we played the last week of the regular season for a conference title. Now you got to go from the hunted to being the hunter and understand that the bulls eye is on your back," Underwood said.

The Fighting Illini finished last year as hot as a team as any in the conference -- they were winners in five of their last six games. this group wants the taste of not just march -- but a deep march run.

"They felt so good where there at the end of last season. We were playing really well. We had everything you wanted going into a postseason run and yet one of the great challenges is getting back to that level. It's not something we're running way from, we're talking about it -- but we've got to be able to take it day by day," Underwood said.

But to get there -- it's a one-day-at-a-time approach in what will be an unprecedented season.

"This year the winner of the big ten is going to be the team that handles COVID the best and gets a little bit lucky. We've got to handle COVID we've talked about it every single day and that could determine how far you go and what you do," Underwood said.

The college basketball season begins on November 25. The date of the Fighting Illini's first game has yet to be determined although a report by Matt Norlander on Twitter suggests Illinois will host a round robin tournament on the 25th. The four teams would include Wright State, Ohio and North Carolina A&T.