You can’t rest if you are an Illinois basketball fan, as No. 11 Alabama is on the horizon.
The Crimson Tide has started the season well, sitting at 2-1 with the only loss to No. 1 Purdue. This team is stacked, and the Illini will have our hands full against the Crimson Tide on Wednesday.
Illinois has the firepower to take a team like Alabama down, even if we are missing some key pieces. It will be interesting to see if the Illini can turn the tide of this matchup.
Here is the Illinois basketball vs Alabama how to watch, series history, and players to watch
- Illinois basketball vs Alabama – How to watch
This huge matchup between Illinois and Alabama can be viewed on FS1 at 8:00 p.m. CT/9:00 p.m. ET. This game is on Wednesday, November 19, and it will be played up in Chicago, Illinois, at the United Center. You can also watch it on FuboTV by clicking this link.
- Illinois basketball vs Alabama – Series history
There aren’t too many matchups between Illinois and Alabama, and the matchups that have taken place have not gone well for the Orange and Blue.
Alabama leads the all-time series, 4-1. The last matchup was last season when the Crimson Tide were too much for the Illini, winning the game 100-87. Illinois’ only win over Alabama was the first matchup between the two teams back in 1953 when the Illini won the game 77-54. I think we all remember that game.
- Illinois basketball vs Alabama – Players to watch
Alabama is a guard-heavy program. They don’t have a ton of size, but they will guard you to death.
The two main players for Alabama to worry about are Labaron Philon Jr. and Aden Holloway. They are the two big names on the roster, but honestly, they can all have big games. Alabama is going to take a ton of three-pointers, and if you try to go under screens, they will light Illinois up.
Illinois’ two big names to remember are David Mirkovic and Kylan Boswell. I think Mirkovic’s ability to rebound at 6-foot-9 is going to be huge for the Illini. Purdue out-rebounded Alabama 52-28.
You then have the key defense of Boswell. He is going to be a big piece in not letting Alabama get going from three-point range. If we can keep the Crimson Tide to under 40% from three-point range, then I like our odds.