Illinois Basketball Schedule: Seattle Added for 2026-27

Illinois basketball is almost done finalizing its non-conference. 

According to college basketball scheduling insider Rocco Miller, Illinois will host Seattle on Tuesday, Dec. 29, at State Farm Center. It will be the first meeting in program history between the two schools, but while the matchup fills another spot on the calendar, it also shines an even brighter spotlight on the one date that remains open.

Before getting there, though, Seattle deserves some attention. The Redhawks are coming off a 21-14 season and a seventh-place finish in the West Coast Conference. While they lost leading scorer Austin Maurer to Stanford, head coach Chris Victor didn’t stand still. Seattle reloaded through the transfer portal, landing Washington State guard Tómas Thrastarson, Holy Cross standout Tyler Boston, Cincinnati 6-foot-10 center Halvine Dzellat, and local Division II standout Kaden Hansen. On paper, it’s a group that should keep Seattle competitive in the WCC and make the trip to Champaign more than just another buy game.

Adding Seattle only strengthens what is already one of the nation’s premier non-conference schedules. The Illini are slated to face North Carolina, Duke, UConn, Texas Tech, Missouri and Penn before Big Ten play begins. Very few programs in the country are willing to challenge themselves with that kind of lineup, but that’s exactly how Underwood prefers it.

In fact, Brad Underwood has already said he would like to add one more marquee non-conference opponent if the opportunity presents itself.

What else is on the Illini basketball menu?

That brings us to Nov. 29. The day after Thanksgiving remains the lone unannounced date on Illinois’ schedule, and it has quickly become one of the most intriguing storylines of the offseason. With Underwood publicly acknowledging his desire for another high-profile matchup, speculation naturally turns to who could fill that opening.

Could another blue blood be waiting? Another NCAA Tournament contender? Or another neutral-site showcase that grabs the attention of the college basketball world? For now, only Underwood and his staff know the answer.

Seattle is a quality addition that gives Illinois another experienced opponent before conference play. But if history is any indication, don’t be surprised if the biggest scheduling news of the offseason is still to come.

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