Illinois men’s basketball coach Brad Underwood acknowledged scheduling difficulties while unveiling the team’s 2026-27 nonconference slate at an athletic fundraiser on August 29. Underwood admitted that securing home-and-home series with top programs proved challenging, resulting in a 12-game nonconference schedule where all major opponents will play away from State Farm Center.
The Illini will face power-conference competition including Texas Tech, Duke, Connecticut, and North Carolina, but only one of these matchups occurs on campus—the rest take place at neutral sites or opposing venues. Connecticut will play in Chicago, while Missouri’s traditional rivalry game moves to St. Louis. Duke marks the beginning of what Underwood hopes becomes an ongoing series between the two top-five programs.
Underwood attributed the difficulty to the modern college basketball landscape, citing neutral-site game preferences and name, image, and likeness considerations among other factors. He reframed the situation positively, suggesting the reluctance to visit Champaign reflects the program’s strong reputation and fan environment. Seven home nonconference games will feature opponents from lower-tier conferences including the Northeast Conference, Ivy League, and Conference USA.
To prepare eight newcomers for competition, Illinois scheduled three exhibitions—an increase permitted by recent NCAA rule changes. Baylor will visit for an exhibition on October 23, while the team travels to Cincinnati on October 17. These early contests will help freshmen and transfers acclimate to game pressure before Big Ten play begins.
Originally reported by Sports.yahoo →
About the Author
