Non-conference schedules can make or break a season \u2014 and Illinois isn\u2019t playing it safe again this year. Brad Underwood has leaned into tougher opponents, putting Illinois on the national stage and testing the team early. Personally, I love it. This is what big-time programs do: they don\u2019t duck competition, they chase it.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s slate is loaded. Illinois has five non-conference Power 5 matchups, each against legitimate programs. Here\u2019s how I rank the games I\u2019m most excited for, from #5 to #1.<\/p>\n
5. Dec. 6 vs. Tennessee (Bridgestone Arena, Nashville)<\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019ll be honest \u2014 I\u2019m a little tired of Tennessee. Illinois is 0-2 against the Vols in the last two years, including a soul-crushing last-second loss that derailed my family\u2019s Christmas party. To make matters worse, this so-called \u201cneutral site\u201d game is in Nashville \u2014 basically Knoxville\u2019s backyard. Illini fans travel well, but let\u2019s not pretend this is neutral.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Tennessee is a perennial contender under Rick Barnes. A win would be a strong r\u00e9sum\u00e9 boost, but their grinding, defensive style rarely makes for fun basketball. Between the fake-neutral setup, the recent history, and their style of play, this one ranks lowest on my list.<\/p>\n Storyline to Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n Can Illinois finally break through against a program that has had its number?<\/p>\n 4. Dec. 22 vs. Missouri (Enterprise Center, St. Louis)<\/strong><\/p>\n Don\u2019t let the #4 spot fool you, Braggin\u2019 Rights is always circled on the calendar for every Illini fan. Mizzou had a solid year last season (22-12, one of the nation\u2019s most efficient offenses) before flaming out in the tournament. They\u2019ll be competitive again, and this game is always a toss-up regardless of records.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n The split crowd in St. Louis is always incredible to see. It\u2019s also a great chance for central and southern Illinois fans to see the team up close, and they never disappoint.<\/p>\n Storyline to Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n Braggin\u2019 Rights never needs extra hype. It\u2019s tradition, and it\u2019s about bragging rights that last all year.<\/p>\n 3. Nov. 11 vs. Texas Tech (State Farm Center)<\/strong><\/p>\n Texas Tech is no pushover. The Red Raiders went 28-9 last year, reached the Elite Eight, and return Big 12 Player of the Year JT Toppin. They\u2019re top-10 in plenty of preseason polls and added transfers to round out the roster.<\/p>\n The good news: the game is in Champaign. Trust me, you don\u2019t want to play this team in Lubbock. Their arena is one of the toughest in the country, so Illinois is lucky to get them at home.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Storyline to Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n This one has shootout potential. Texas Tech was a top-5 offense last season, and Brad Underwood has been leaning into a faster, higher-scoring system. Expect fireworks.<\/p>\n 2. Nov. 19 vs. Alabama (United Center, Chicago)<\/strong><\/p>\n Illinois lost to Alabama last year, and this time the rematch comes at the United Center in front of what will surely be a raucous pro-Illini crowd.<\/p>\n Alabama, once thought of as just a football school, has become an SEC basketball powerhouse under Nate Oats. They run one of the nation\u2019s most explosive offenses, and Illinois will need to bring it to keep pace.<\/p>\n Storyline to Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n This game could define Illinois\u2019 non-conference r\u00e9sum\u00e9. A win over Alabama would be a statement, and with both teams playing at a breakneck pace, this has all the makings of a shootout.<\/p>\n 1. Nov. 28 vs. UConn (Madison Square Garden, New York City)<\/strong><\/p>\n This is the big one. UConn\u2019s recent back-to-back national championships is nothing short of astounding. They are a certified blue blood. The Elite Eight loss to the Huskies was brutal, but this matchup offers a chance at redemption of some sorts. Danny Hurley\u2019s teams are always disciplined, physical, and relentless.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n This game also takes place in Madison Square Garden \u2014 the Mecca of basketball. The atmosphere will be electric, and this is exactly the kind of stage Illinois needs to prove it belongs among the sport\u2019s elite.<\/p>\n Storyline to Watch<\/strong><\/p>\n Can Illinois make a national statement against another blue blood like they did against Duke in 2020? A win here would send shockwaves through college basketball and announce Illinois as a serious contender.<\/p>\n Illinois\u2019 non-conference schedule is no joke \u2014 and that\u2019s exactly how it should be. From rivalries like Mizzou, to revenge games against Alabama, Tennessee, and UConn to national showcases against Texas Tech, the Illini will be tested early and often.<\/p>\n For fans, it means plenty of chances to see Illinois on the national stage before Big Ten play begins. For the team, it\u2019s a gauntlet that could set the tone for March.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Non-conference schedules can make or break a season \u2014 and Illinois isn\u2019t playing it safe again this year.…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":189316,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[44],"tags":[1339,105881,1818,105882,1317,1337,1338,25989,62,4347,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-189315","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-ncaa-basketball","8":"tag-basketball","9":"tag-brad-underwood","10":"tag-illinois","11":"tag-jt-toppin","12":"tag-ncaa","13":"tag-ncaa-basketball","14":"tag-ncaabasketball","15":"tag-southern-illinois","16":"tag-sports","17":"tag-texas-tech","18":"tag-united-states","19":"tag-unitedstates","20":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115123327050516328","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189315","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=189315"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/189315\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/189316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=189315"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=189315"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=189315"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}