By Brad Sturdy - IlliniGuys Insider/Analyst & Co-Host, IlliniGuys Sports Spectacular

November 27, 2025

(Cover photo courtesy Brent Zinkmann/IlliniGuys)

Brad Underwood loves his marquee matchups in the non-conference and loves to head to New York City as well, so he will get both out of the way on Friday when the Illini play the Connecticut Huskies. UConn is a perennial championship contender, and this year appears no different. The Illini are trying to get healthy heading into this one and hope to be closer to full strength than they were just over a week ago against Alabama.

Here’s a look at the particulars.

Setting the Stage
#13 Illinois (6-1) vs. #5 UConn (5-1)
Friday, Nov. 28, 2025 // 11:30 a.m. CT/12:30 p.m. ET // New York // Madison Square Garden
TV: FOX – Kenny Albert (Play-by-Play) & Steve Smith (Analyst)
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network – Brian Barnhart (Play-By-Play) & Deon Thomas

Notable
*No. 13 Illinois (6-1) closes a stretch of four games in 10 days across three different cities, facing No. 5 UConn at Madison Square Garden on Black Friday (11:30 a.m. CT / FOX). • In taking on No. 5 UConn, Illinois is in search of its highest ranked win since a 72-69 win over No. 4 Iowa State in the Sweet 16 round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament (March 28, 2024). Brad Underwood has led the Illini to five wins over top-5 opponents since 2019-20, sixth-most in the NCAA.

*The No. 5 Huskies mark the third of four ranked nonconference matchups on the Illini's schedule. Illinois defeated No. 11 Texas Tech, 81-77, at home on Nov. 11 and lost to No. 11 Alabama, 90-86, on Nov. 19 at the United Center in Chicago. After the UConn game, Illinois next plays Dec. 6 vs. No. 17 Tennessee in Nashville

* Illinois enters Friday's matchup looking to snap a four-game skid against ranked opponents at neutral sites. The Illini's last ranked win on a neutral floor came last year on Thanksgiving Day with a 90-77 victory over No. 19 Arkansas in Kansas City.

* The Fighting Illini offense features five players averaging double figures in scoring – Andrej Stojakovic (18.5 ppg), Kylan Boswell (16.1), David Mirkovic (15.1), Keaton Wagler (15.0), and Tomislav Ivisic (10.8) – ranking second in the Big Ten and tied for the seventh-most in the nation.

*Connecticut is in the midst of one of the most challenging non-conference schedules in the nation, currently in a stretch of facing six teams in the Kenpom top-40 over a 27-day span. The Huskies are 1-1 against the gauntlet, with a win over #7 BYU and setback to #4 Arizona.

*Friday will mark the fifth all-time meeting between UConn and Illinois. The squads first met back in the 1938- 39 season, a win for the Illini. It was more than 50 years until the next meetings, when UConn swept a home-and-home played in 1992 and 1994. The sides did not play for the next 30 years before they squared off the 2024 East Regional Final. That contest was marked by UConn’s legendary 30-0 run, flipping a game tied at 23-all late in the first half into a total rout. The Huskies would go on to win 77-52 and advance to their seventh final four before winning their sixth title.

*Alex Karaban has already cemented himself in rarified air as a four-year starter and back-to-back national champion. The Husky leader has a career record of 97-23 (.808) in a UConn uniform (he has played in 117 of 120 games since 2022-23, starting 116) which includes a 13-1 mark in NCAA Tournament play. Karaban is 18 wins shy of tying the program’s all-time record for wins of 115, set last season by three-year teammate Samson Johnson.

*UConn was tabbed second in the BIG EAST Preseason Coaches Poll but saw five Huskies earn individual honors. Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Tarris Reed Jr. were all named to the All-BIG EAST First Team. The three First Team selections for the Huskies are the first for a single BIG EAST team since Villanova placed three on the 2005-06 Preseason All-Conference squad, when it was a single team. Silas Demary Jr. also earned a spot on the All-League Second Team. Braylon Mullins became the third-straight UConn rookie to nab Preseason Freshman of the Year.

*Braylon Mullins and Tarris Reed, Jr. have returned to practice but are both game time decisions.

Keys to the Game

1. Handle the Actions - UCon runs a ton of seta, different actions to free up 3 point shooters, get diving, actions off a post ups, slipping and ghosting screens, single- single actions, etc. You get the idea. Hurley is a master at getting the shots that he wants on offense. Illinois has to make them uncomfortable because trying to outscore them is a recipe for disaster. They can’t let Karaban get clean looks, because he will make you pay.
2. Attack the Paint - if there is a weak point in the Yukon defense, it is their propensity to foul, they file a lot. Yes, they block shots, yes, they force turnovers, but the flip side is that Illinois can get into the paint and get to the line if they will continue to attack the basket period even with inside out actions. To free up 3 point shots, that will be a key to how ill Disable to hang with the huskies
3. Extra Possessions - Offensive rebounding is an Illinois strength and they will need to do a better job than they did last week against Alabama of winning the rebounding battle. Illinois needs to be +10 i n second chance points and battle to a draw in point off of turnovers, because if you are lose with the ball UConn will make you pay.

Prediction
I think Illinois can win this game if they are 100% and play well, but I think UConn gets Reed and Mullins back and they get the 79-73 win over the Illini.