Illinois basketball takes on UTRGV; Gameday preview and how to watch

Illinois basketball will play its second straight game inside the State Farm Center when they host UT Rio Grande Valley on Monday night. This matchup is the second and final game of the Multi-Team Event (MTE) that Illinois is co-hosting with Missouri State. The Illini opened the event with a dominant 98–58 win over Long Island on Saturday.

Date: Monday, November 24
Time: 7:00 p.m. CST
Channel: BTN

Illinois will get one more tune-up game against a lesser opponent before diving into a tougher stretch of their schedule. The Illini are a heavy favorite and should have no trouble taking care of business before matchups with UConn, Ohio State, Nebraska, and Missouri.

Illinois and UT Rio Grande Valley have met five times in non-conference play, with Illinois winning all five. Their last meeting came in 2021, when the Illini earned a 94–85 victory.

UT Rio Grande Valley enters the game at 2–3 and ranks No. 202 on KenPom. They hung around with Baylor in their season opener, losing by just 15, but will likely struggle to slow down an explosive Illinois offense. Baylor put up 96 points on UTRGV, and Illinois has an even higher offensive ceiling.

Illinois basketball is expected to have its full roster available again (aside from Ty Rodgers). With the team finally healthy, this is another important opportunity to build chemistry, establish rhythm, and show the clear talent gap between the two squads.

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