Illinois Basketball to Face UConn in Chicago: 2026 Date Set for Final Four Rematch

NEWS: Illinois basketball and UConn will face off in Chicago on Friday, December 4, during the 2026–27 season. Jon Rothstein was the first to break the news, tweeting:

Source: Next season’s game between UConn and Illinois will be played on Friday, December 4th at the United Center in Chicago.

The two teams played last season at MSG prior to meeting again in the Final Four.

— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) May 5, 2026

This will serve as a return game for the two programs, as they met last season at Madison Square Garden on Black Friday.

UConn won that matchup 74–61 and later defeated Illinois basketball again in the Final Four, 71–62. The Illini struggled from beyond the arc in both games, shooting just 21% from three-point range on Black Friday and 23% in the rematch in Indianapolis. UCONN has dominated Illinois in the last three seasons, including a recent blowout win in the 2024 Elite Eight.

The Final Four victory marked Dan Hurley’s third consecutive win over Brad Underwood in the last three seasons. Also, the win extended UConn’s winning streak against Illinois basketball to five games dating back to 1992. Overall, the Huskies are 5–1 against the Illini, with Illinois scoring more than 63 points just once in those six meetings.

What to expect?

UConn has been one of the premier programs in college basketball in recent years, winning national championships in 2023 and 2024 and finishing as runner-up last season. Experts expect the Huskies to remain among the nation’s elite and to provide Illinois basketball with another marquee non-conference test.

Next season presents an opportunity for Illinois to finally break through against UConn. The Illini are expected to field one of the top teams in the country, while UConn could take a slight step back following the graduation of four-year starter Alex Karaban and an injury to guard Solo Ball. Ball appeared in 39 games last season and averaged 12.8 points per game, but is expected to miss the upcoming season with a wrist injury.

According to Bart Torvik, Illinois is currently ranked No. 13 heading into the 2026–27 season, while UConn sits at No. 10. Illinois may enter this matchup as the favorite, especially with a pro-Illini crowd in Chicago, though plenty can change between now and December.

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