Illinois basketball: Ranking Biggest Nonconference Games for the 2026-27 Season

There was a day when college basketball coaches spent the offseason trying to make their path to March a little easier. Brad Underwood has spent his summer trying to make Illinois basketball tougher.

The Illini already boast one of the nation’s premier non-conference schedules, featuring road games at Texas Tech and Duke, plus neutral-site matchups with UConn in Chicago, Missouri in St. Louis and North Carolina in Nashville. Yet when Underwood met with reporters last week, he hinted the schedule may not be complete. “I think it’ll be tougher when it’s completed,” Underwood said.

That should excite Illinois basketball fans. In today’s college basketball landscape, elite non-conference games are essential. High-quality wins can elevate an NCAA Tournament résumé, while competitive losses to top teams often do little damage. Underwood believes those games prepare his team for the Big Ten far better than stacking easy victories. “I wish we’d play a whole schedule of them,” Underwood said. “I wish we’d play more league games; I don’t think those games ever hurt you. You want to find out how good you are.”

Whether another marquee opponent is added or not, Illinois fans already have plenty to circle on the calendar. Here’s how the current slate ranks from the most intriguing matchup to the least.

1. at Duke

There’s no bigger measuring stick in college basketball than a trip to Cameron Indoor Stadium. An early-season road game against a national title contender will provide an immediate glimpse of just how high the Illinois basketball ceiling could be.

Duke will return four of its top six scorers while reloading through the transfer portal, adding Wisconsin leading scorer John Blackwell. The Blue Devils also bring in a loaded freshman class, keeping them in the national title mix. Duke leads the all-time series 6-3, but Illinois is 2-0 at Cameron, including a 2020 win led by Ayo Dosunmu. 

2. vs. UConn (in Chicago)

This game comes with plenty of history. The Huskies have won each of the last three meetings, including two NCAA Tournament matchups, giving the Illini an opportunity to finally reverse one of the program’s most frustrating recent trends.

UConn will finally be without four-year starter Alex Karaban, who graduated after anchoring the Huskies’ frontcourt and playing a major role in their recent title runs. Guard Solo Ball is also expected to miss the season with a wrist injury after appearing in 39 games last year and averaging 12.8 points per contest. 

3. vs. North Carolina (Nashville)

Blue-blood programs don’t appear on every schedule. The new-look North Carolina program under Mike Malone brings national attention, high-end talent and another résumé-building opportunity that could pay dividends on Selection Sunday. 

Illini guard Stefan Vaaks and North Carolina’s Neoklis Avdalis are two intriguing, big point guards with a lot of skill. Seeing those two against each other will certainly be a fun watch.

4. at Texas Tech

Winning on the road is never easy, especially against one of the Big 12’s toughest programs. This may not have the national buzz of Duke, but it could be every bit as challenging. Texas Tech has proven to be a powerful program over the last few seasons. 

Also, there are so many subtle storylines in the threads of this matchup. Former Illini guard Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn is on the Texas Tech roster after spending two seasons at Illinois and the past season at UNLV. Gibbs-Lawhorn has posted cryptic social media posts since leaving Illinois and is bound to have a major chip on his shoulder as he takes on his former team. 

5. vs. Missouri (St. Louis)

The Braggin’ Rights rivalry never lacks emotion. While it’s the least significant game nationally of the big names on the non-conference schedule, beating Missouri is always a priority for Illinois fans and players alike. Illinois has won each of the last three meetings against Missouri and owns a 36-20 advantage in the all-time series. 

Of course, none of those games will be easy, which is exactly how Underwood prefers it.

The challenge also comes at the right time for a roster he believes still has another level to reach. Illinois returns Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic along with sophomore David Mirkovic and added even more size with Stefan Vaaks and Quentin Coleman.

“We’ve got to get better,” Underwood said. “I think we should be an elite shot-blocking team. We’ve got to become an elite defensive rebounding team so we can get out and run.”

If Underwood gets his wish, Illinois won’t have to wait until January to find out whether it has. The toughest tests could start long before Big Ten play, and if his latest comments are any indication, there may still be one more heavyweight waiting to join the schedule.

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