Illinois basketball vs Illinois State: TV Channel and Gameday guide

Illinois basketball opens its season by hosting in-state foe Illinois State for an exhibition game at the State Farm Center. Tip-off is set for 2:00 PM CST on Sunday, and fans can get their first look at this year’s Illini squad on BTN+.

Date: Sunday, October 19th
Time: 2:00 PM CST
Channel: BTN+

The Illini and Redbirds have met just eight times in regular season play, with the most recent matchup coming in Cancun, Mexico, on November 23, 2011. Illinois won that contest 63–59 and holds a perfect 8–0 all-time record against Illinois State.

Illinois State enters this season projected to be one of the top mid-major programs in the country. Analytical site Bart Torvik picks the Redbirds to win the Missouri Valley Conference for the first time since 2017, ranking them No. 1 in the Valley and No. 99 nationally.

The Redbirds return 56.6% of their minutes from a 22-win campaign last season. They are led by juniors Chase Walker and Johnny Kiniger, who each averaged more than 14 points per game in 2024–25.

Key Storylines

It remains unclear whether Illinois’ star transfer Andrej Stojakovic will suit up after suffering a knee injury over the summer, though his participation appears unlikely. Meanwhile, Mihailo Petrovic has not yet been cleared by the NCAA but is eligible to play in this exhibition.

A projected starting lineup for Illinois basketball includes Kylan Boswell, Mihailo Petrovic, Keaton Wagler, Ben Humrichous, and Tomislav Ivisic. Head coach Brad Underwood is expected to use a deep rotation, giving several players a chance to showcase their skills.

Zvonimir Ivisic, David Mirkovic, Jake Davis, Brandon Lee, and Jason Jakstys will likely see minutes off the bench.

There are lingering questions about Illinois’ defense entering the 2025–26 season, and Sunday’s matchup should provide some early answers. Illinois State’s offense ranks No. 51 nationally on Bart Torvik, not quite at high-major level, but strong enough to test the Illini.

Illinois State projects as a potential NCAA Tournament team this season, making this a solid early challenge. Even if Stojakovic is unavailable, Illinois should still win comfortably, though it may not come as easily as some expect on Sunday afternoon in Champaign.

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