Most people think Northwestern is Illinois basketball’s biggest rival, but that isn’t the case.
While we don’t like the team up north, you have to win games to actually make a rivalry a rivalry. That throws any discussion of Northwestern out the window.
Illinois’ biggest rival is by far Indiana. The Hoosiers and Illini have always made things interesting, and throughout time, there have been occasions that have stoked the flames. Eric Gordon’s recruitment being the most notable.
This rivalry has been great over the years, with Indiana being ahead right now all-time, 96-94. Illinois has gotten the better of the Hoosiers of late, which includes some of the biggest blowouts in rivalry history. I put together a list of the biggest blowouts and went as far back as 1963, which was the year Illinois moved to Assembly Hall.
Here is the most lopsided Illinois basketball wins against hated rival Indiana
February 5, 2022 – Illinois 74 – 57 Indiana (Bloomington)
Illinois was down at the half against Indiana on the road. We took that two-point deficit and turned it into one of the biggest blowouts in the last 60 years.
The second half featured the Illini beating Indiana 40-21, which made it a 17-point thumping of the NCAA tournament hopeful Hoosiers. Trent Frazier led the way with 23 points, while Kofi Cockburn and Alfonso Plummer dropped 17 points and 14 points, respectively.
February 15, 2026 – Illinois 71 – 51 Indiana (Champaign)
This was one of the more glorious wins for Illinois. Indiana had a new head coach, and we put him in his place in his inaugural rivalry game.
Illinois was up seven at the half and turned on the burners to outscore the Hoosiers by 13 points in the second half. This 20-point feasting was the most recent game in the rivalry. David Mirkovic led the Orange and Blue with 25 points, while Keaton Wagler and Tomislav Ivisic each scored in double figures.
March 5, 2011 – Illinois 72 – 48 Indiana (Champaign)
Indiana was still digging itself out of a hole that Kelvin Sampson put them in, and the 2011 game against Illinois showed that fact.
Illinois took a 19-point lead at halftime and never looked back. We tacked on five more points to that lead in the second half to beat the Hoosiers 72-48. Demetri McCamey had a massive game, dropping 22 points, four rebounds, four assists, and one steal. He also shot 8-of-14 from the floor.
February 22, 2000 – Illinois 87 – 63 Indiana (Champaign)
Illinois had some pretty good teams in the early 2000s, and this one got the best of Indiana. This was Bobby Knight’s final season with the Hoosiers, and we sent him packing with a blowout loss.
The Illini dominated this game from the jump. We had a 24-point lead at halftime and held that exact lead for the rest of the game, winning 87-63. Cory Bradford went off in this game, finishing with 26 points on 5-of-11 shooting from three-point range. Frank Williams and Sergio McClain each dropped 11 points, too.
January 14, 2025 – Illinois 94 – 69 Indiana (Bloomington)
Another recent demolition of the Indiana Hoosiers came in 2025. Illinois went into Bloomington and came away with one of the biggest blowouts the rivalry has seen.
Illinois dashed all Indiana hopes early on. We took a 28-point lead into halftime. This lead shrank a little in the second half, but the Illini still managed to win the game, 94-69. Illinois had two players score 20 points, with Kylan Boswell dropping 22 points and Kasparas Jakucionis finishing with 21 points.
February 25, 2003 – Illinois 80 – 54 Indiana (Champaign)
While most of the 2010s were about the Hoosiers, Illinois crushed Indiana in the 2000s. The 2003 contest was one of the biggest margins of victory for the Orange and Blue in rivalry history.
Indiana actually kept the game close at halftime, as Illinois only had a nine-point lead. That lead ballooned quickly in the second half, though. Illinois won the second half by 17 points to beat the Hoosiers, 80-54. Freshmen Roger Powell and Dee Brown dropped 22 points and 16 points, respectively. Brian Cook also added 17 points in the win.
January 10, 2009 – Illinois 76 – 45 Indiana (Champaign)
The biggest blowout in this rivalry since Illinois moved to Assembly Hall was in 2009. Illinois pounced on a wounded Indiana team that was still reeling from the Eric Gordon saga.
Illinois was up 25 points at the end of the first half. We extended that lead by six points in the second half to win the game over the Hoosiers, 76-45. Trent Meacham lit Indiana up from deep, going 7-of-9 from three-point range and finishing with 21 points. Dominique Keller, Mike Davis, and Demetri McCamey all scored in double figures.
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