Excitement for Illinois’ stacked schedule of nonconference play is contagious. Featuring two SEC powerhouses, three 2025 Elite Eight teams and three neutral site arenas, the fall is gearing up to be electric for Illinois.
“We’re going to play a really tough noncon(ference) schedule,” said graduate student forward Ben Humrichous. “Being able to just compete against the best — that’s such an exciting thing. Great atmospheres, great environments. I can’t really pinpoint one that is above the others, but each of them presents its own exciting elements.”
Nov. 11 vs. Texas Tech at State Farm Center
The Illini’s first big challenge will take place in State Farm Center against the Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Grant McCasland, head coach for the Red Raiders, led his team to back-to-back March Madness appearances, as well as new program records in NCAA play.
While McCasland isn’t solely responsible for the talent rolling in, he is responsible for coaching the program to success. Many of the players facing success on McCasland’s roster are acquisitions from former head coach Mark Adams.
A key part of this roster is junior forward JT Toppin. In his first year at Texas Tech, Toppin led the program in points, rebounds and blocks per game. Out of 13 point-scorers last season, Toppin’s 602 points made up 22.5% of the Red Raiders’ entire points.
“With Christian Anderson and JT Toppin back, two guys that I think are the best playmakers in the Big 12, you need to have guys that can score and have good feel and have character and want to win,” McCasland said to Sports Illustrated. “I think the key component to that was just finding guys that we felt like created space on the floor.”
McCasland needs to train other players to shoot alongside Toppin and Christian Anderson, a sophomore guard who had an impressive first collegiate year. Forward Darrion Willions and guard Chance McMillian, who were the Red Raiders’ second and third-highest scorers last season, are no longer with the program.
Texas Tech’s loss of star players is good news for Illinois, as the Illini defense is still working to find their chemistry.
This matchup marks the two teams’ first encounter and is sure to be a fiery competition with an electric Orange Krush at State Farm Center.
Nov. 19 vs. Alabama at the United Center
The Illini’s second nonconference challenge is against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
The Illini have a rough history against the Crimson Tide. Last season at the Birmingham neutral site game, Illinois suffered a 13-point loss against a lively Alabama squad. Being in Chicago might give the Illini the edge they need to beat the Crimson Tide for the first time in nearly 72 years.
For this matchup, Illinois will face returners from a strong Alabama team. A trio of formidable Crimson Tide guards will be making their return to the court this season. Graduate student guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr., junior guard Aden Holloway and sophomore guard Labaron Philon Jr. made up about 30% of Alabama’s points last season.
This Alabama trio made up 50% of the points against Illinois last fall. Illinois’ Humrichous, senior guard Kylan Boswell and junior center Tomislav Ivišić have their work cut out for them. Notable absences from the court this year are both guard Kasparas Jakučionis and forward Will Riley, who each played one season at Illinois before joining the NBA.
It is safe to say that the Crimson Tide show no signs of slowing down, but the Illini will give them a run for their money with the support of fans at the United Center.
“We obviously got a very, very, very loud and boisterous Orange Krush section, which we don’t have on the road, even in a neutral site game,” Underwood said. “There’s a reward for playing in Chicago; maybe fans that aren’t able to drive down get to see us in the city. They’re proud alums and fans.”
Nov. 28 vs. UConn at Madison Square Garden
The Illini return to Madison Square Garden against a blue-blood team for the second year in a row. After a brutal loss to Duke at Madison Square Garden last year, Underwood is excited for his team to get back into the Big Apple. This nonconference matchup against the UConn Huskies is an excellent way for the Illini to redeem themselves.
“Dan (Hurley) is going to have a top-10 team,” Underwood said. “To do that back in the Garden will be a great, great challenge for our guys.”
The Illini’s loss in 2024 against the Huskies ended their best March Madness appearance since 2005. On the other side of the court, the Huskies won the entire tournament for the second year in a row.
The last encounter between these two programs featured a 25-0 run in the second half. Then-sophomore center Donovan Clingan had an outstanding performance in the Elite Eight matchup. He led the Huskies in points and had the second-most rebounds. Only four players other than Clingan scored points in the double digits.
For the Illini, former guard/forward Marcus Domask shone on the court, while the rest of the roster remained quiet. Former guard Terrence Shannon Jr., former guard/forward Quincy Guerrier and former forward Coleman Hawkins all fell victim to a scoring drought with a combined 20 points.
But nearly two years later, roster changes allow a fresh start for the Illini. Illinois does need to look out for UConn’s redshirt senior forward Alex Karaban, who is one of its top scorers.
Other than redshirt junior guard/forward Ty Rodgers, no one on the Illini roster has faced Karaban and the Huskie program. But with fresh talent, including Underwood’s Eastern European recruits, Illinois is set to deliver a feast-worthy performance against UConn.
Dec. 6 vs. Tennessee at Bridgestone Arena
Faced with back-to-back weekend traveling, the Illini will head to the Country Music Capital of the World after Times Square.
After two consecutive losses against the Tennessee Volunteers, the Illini are itching for a win. Two years ago, the Volunteers spent nearly the entire game favored to win with a consistent flow despite the Illini leading going into the second half. Ultimately, Tennessee came out on top with a final score of 86-79
Last year, Illinois and Tennessee had a back-and-forth battle on the court. Both teams fought hard in the nail-biter match that ended with a Tennessee win 66-64. Tennessee lost three of its key guards, Jordan Gainey, Chaz Lanier and Zakai Zeigler. Both Gainey and Lanier were essential to the Volunteers’ success in the matchup, while Zeigler was an asset for the team the entire season.
The Volunteers continue to establish a dominant program under head coach Rick Barnes, who values and instills consistency in his players.
“I would think, day in and day out, the most consistent guys have probably been Ja’Kobi (Gillespie), certainly, I would throw Felix (Okpara) in that group,” Barnes said at media day. “For a young guy, I think Nate (Ament has) done a pretty good job with that, too, because a lot has been thrown at him.”
Senior forward Felix Okpara is one of Barnes’ returners for this season. Okpara, senior transfer guard Ja’Kobi Gillespie and freshman forward five-star recruit Nate Ament make a formidable group for the Illini to keep an eye out for in Music City.
