Brad Underwood isn't letting his team ease into the 2025-26 season as he continues to schedule incredibly difficult non-conference opponents for the Fighting Illini.
Already, Underwood and Illinois had announced matchups with the UConn Huskies, Alabama Crimson Tide, Tennessee Volunteers, and Missouri Tigers. Now, the Illini have to face the Texas Tech Red Raiders, one of the top teams in the Big 12 last season.
Illinois and Texas Tech announced a home-and-home series, beginning in 2025, that will tip off in Champaign, with the return game in Lubbock during the 2026-27 season.
With the latest non-conference matchup, Illinois' upcoming season will include 25 opponents (out of 31 total) that are power conference programs.
NEWS: Illinois and Texas Tech will start a home-and-home series on November 11th in Champaign, according to a source.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) June 4, 2025
Return game in Lubbock in 2026-27.https://t.co/Jw3YabwuZj
Illinois will still have to face the usual brutal lineup in the Big Ten, with teams like Michigan State, Michigan, Purdue, and the rest expected to once again be extremely difficult in-conference opponents for anyone on the opposite side of the court.
Illinois men's basketball non-conference opponents
- Texas Tech, in Champaign
- Alabama, in Chicago
- UConn in New York City at Madison Square Garden
- Tennessee in Nashville
- Missouri in St. Louis
UConn, which won two of the last three National Championships, will (almost) undeniably be the most difficult matchup on the Fighting Illini's non-conference schedule. However, with the recent dominance of the SEC in college men's basketball, Alabama, Tennessee, and Missouri are not teams to scoff at.
Illinois men's basketball conference opponents
At Illinois
- Indiana
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Oregon
- Rutgers
- Washington
- Wisconsin
On the road
- Iowa
- Michigan State
- Ohio State
- Penn State
- Purdue
- UCLA
- USC
Home-and-away
- Maryland
- Nebraska
- Northwestern
Luckily for Illinois, the three Big Ten teams that it will have to face twice in the upcoming season aren't three of the most threatening programs in the conference. However, having to play Michigan State, Ohio State, Purdue, and the two LA-based teams on the road will be extremely difficult.