Two-Year Agreement Includes Return Game in Chicago the Following Season
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– Illinois continues its build of a premier non-conference schedule, facing the UConn Huskies on Friday, Nov. 28 at Madison Square Garden to mark the Fighting Illini's return to "The World's Most Famous Arena" for a fourth consecutive season.
The Black Friday game is the beginning of a two-year series that also has Illinois taking on UConn during the 2026-27 season at the United Center in Chicago.
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Illinois had a top-10 rated schedule last year and has compiled another rigorous slate once again this season, a long-held philosophy of head coach Brad Underwood.
In addition to the UConn game in New York City, the Illini host Texas Tech at State Farm Cener (Nov. 11), play Alabama in its first non-conference game at the United Center since 2017 (Nov. 19), have renewed a two-year series with Tennessee starting in Nashville (Dec. 6), and will continue the longstanding McBride Homes Braggin' Rights series versus Missouri in St. Louis (Dec. 22).
Illinois and UConn last met in the 2024 NCAA Elite Eight, won by the Huskies on its way to a second straight national championship. UConn leads the all-time series over the Illini, 3-1.
Illinois has played 15 games all-time at Madison Square Garden, compiling a 6-9 record. The Illini are 3-2 at MSG during Underwood's tenure, which included three consecutive ranked wins over No. 13 Maryland (Jan. 26, 2019), No. 2 Texas (Dec. 6, 2022) and No. 11 Florida Atlantic (Dec. 5, 2023) prior to last season's loss to No. 3 Duke (Feb. 22, 2025).
Illinois returns three starters from a 22-win campaign, NCAA Tournament Second Round appearance, and final kenpom ranking of 17th last season. The Fighting Illini are the winningest team in Big Ten play over the last six years of the Underwood era and stand as one of just four teams nationally with six straight 20-win regular seasons.
