CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) - Fresh off a Final Four appearance, the Fighting Illini men's basketball team has released its nonconference schedule for the 2026-27 season. 

Illinois will open the season at home against Fairleigh Dickinson on Nov. 2. 

In the third game of the year, the Illini will travel to take on Texas Tech, which it beat 81-77 in Champaign last November. 

A week later, the team will visit Durham to face the Duke Blue Devils.

Illinois will also battle UConn Dec. 4 at the United Center in a Final Four rematch. The Huskies bested the Illini twice last season, winning 74-61 at Madison Square Garden just before Thanksgiving, and 71-62 in the National Semifinals. 

The complete nonconference schedule is below:

  • Monday, Nov. 2: vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
  • Thursday, Nov. 5: vs. Penn
  • Tuesday, Nov. 10: at Texas Tech
  • Friday, Nov. 13: vs. Sam Houston State
  • Tuesday, Nov. 17: at Duke
  • Friday, Nov. 20: vs. Eastern Illinois
  • Monday, Nov. 23: vs. Winthrop
  • Friday, Nov. 27: vs. Western Kentucky
  • Friday, Dec. 4: vs. UConn (United Center, Chicago)
  • Sunday, Dec. 20: vs. Missouri (Enterprise Center, St. Louis)
  • Tuesday, Dec. 29: vs. Seattle 
  • Saturday, Jan. 30: vs. North Carolina (Bridgestone Arena, Nashville)

The full Big Ten slate has not yet been released. 

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