Illinois Opens Basketball Season

The University of Illinois opens its 114th season of men's basketball Thursday night in Champaign, hosting Evansville. The Fighting Illini have posted an all-time record of 99-14 (.876) in season openers.

The Illini are 33-2 all-time (.943) when starting the season at State Farm Center, which includes an active streak of 21 straight wins when opening the year at SFC.

Illinois is projected to have true-freshmen Ayo Dosunmu and Giorgi Bezhanishvili in the starting lineup, based off starters from the exhibition game vs. Illinois Wesleyan. The last time Illinois had multiple freshmen start a season opener was on Nov. 13, 2015.

This marks the first-ever meeting between Illinois and Evansville. The Illini own a 50-7 all-time record against current members of the Missouri Valley Conference.

Second-year Illinois assistant to the head coach Geoff Alexander previously spent five years as an assistant coach at Evansville from 2013-17, helping lead the Purple Aces to three 20-plus win seasons.

The Illinois-Evansville contest is a mainland game as part of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. The Illini will depart for Hawaii next Thursday for three games at the Lahaina Civic Center, beginning with a Nov. 19 match-up against No. 3 Gonzaga.

University of Illinois Men's Basketball Schedule

Thursday, Nov. 8 -- Evansville, 7 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 13 -- Georgetown, 7:30 p.m.

Monday, Nov. 19 -- vs. Gonzaga at Lahaina, Hawaii, 10:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 20 -- vs. Arizona/Iowa State at Lahaina, Hawaii, 4/9:30 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 21 -- vs. Auburn/Duke/San Diego State/Xavier at Lahaina, Hawaii, 1:30/4/8/10:30 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 25 -- Mississippi Valley State, 1 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 27 -- at Notre Dame, 6 p.m.

Sunday, Dec. 2 -- at Nebraska, 4 p.m.

Wednesday, Dec. 5 -- vs. Ohio State at Chicago (United Center), 6 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 8 -- UNLV, 1 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 15 -- East Tennessee State, 1 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 22 -- vs. Missouri, St. Louis, Mo., 7 p.m.

Saturday, Dec. 29 -- Florida Atlantic, 2 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 3 -- at Indiana, 6 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 6 -- at Northwestern, 12/2:15/4:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 10 -- Michigan, 7 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 16 -- 8 p.m.

Sunday, Jan. 20 -- at Iowa, noon

Wednesday, Jan. 23 -- Wisconsin, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 26 -- vs. Maryland at New York, 11 a.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 30 -- at Minnesota, 8 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 2 -- Nebraska, 1:15 p.m.

Tuesady, Feb. 5 -- Michigan State, 6 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 9 -- Rutgers, 3 p.m.

Thursday, Feb. 14 -- at Ohio State, 6 p.m.

Monday, Feb. 18 -- at  Wisconsin, 7 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 23 -- Penn State, 11 a.m.

Wednesday, Feb. 27 -- at Purdue, 7:30 p.m.

Sunday, March 3 -- Northwestern, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, March 7 -- Indiana, 7 p.m.

Sunday, March 10 -- at Penn State, 11 a.m.

Wednesday-Sunday, March 13-17 -- Big Ten Tournament at Chicago

Tuesday-Wednesday, March 19-20 -- NCAA First Four at Dayton, Ohio

Thursday-Sunday, March 21-24 -- NCAA First and Second Rounds, TBD

Thursday-Sunday, March 28-31 -- NCAA Regionals, TBD

Saturday & Monday, April 6 & 8, NCAA Final Four at Minneapolis, Minn.