Illinois doesn’t have to wait long for a reminder of how last March ended. On Thursday, the No. 3 Fighting Illini host Penn at State Farm Center in a rematch of the opening round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, the same matchup that turned into a 105-70 Illinois win in Greenville, South Carolina.
That March meeting was the first step in a postseason run that carried Brad Underwood’s team all the way to the national semifinals. It also set up a quick return engagement with a familiar name on the other sideline: former Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, now leading the Quakers into Champaign.
Illinois has already opened this season with a statement. The Illini rolled past Fairleigh Dickinson 120-45 on Monday, setting program records with a 75-point margin of victory and 19 made three-pointers. Even with the opponent overmatched, the performance stood out because Illinois is trying to blend new pieces into a roster that still carries the identity of last season’s Final Four team.
Andrej Stojakovic and Providence transfer Stefan Vaaks each scored 20 points in the opener, while freshman Quentin Coleman added 13 points, 10 rebounds and six assists. Another freshman, Ethan Brown, chipped in 12 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Those numbers gave Underwood exactly what he needed from a group that is supposed to help keep the offense humming.
The mix matters. Illinois brought back five rotation players from last season’s Final Four team and added both an accomplished transfer and a highly regarded recruiting class. In a sport where continuity is hard to keep, that kind of blend gives the Illini a chance to stay dangerous.
Penn will offer a different kind of test than Fairleigh Dickinson, but the matchup still comes with a clear backdrop. McCaffery spent 15 seasons at Iowa and became one of the Big Ten’s most recognizable coaches before moving to Penn. His history in the league makes this trip back into a conference arena a notable one, especially with Illinois on the other side.
There’s plenty of familiarity between the coaches, too. Underwood and McCaffery know each other’s offensive tendencies, personnel preferences and competitive style from years of Big Ten battles. Penn may not look like McCaffery’s old Iowa teams, but it does have a coach with a long track record of preparing for tough road games and high-level opponents.
The Quakers also bring recent NCAA Tournament experience of their own after reaching the 2026 field before running into Illinois. Thursday gives them an immediate chance to see how far they’ve come since that lopsided March loss.
The series history doesn’t help Penn much. Illinois has won all seven previous meetings, and the last one came only 232 days before Thursday’s game, a fast turnaround for programs from different conferences. To flip the script, Penn will need a much better defensive showing than the one it had in March, when Illinois poured in 105 points.
For the Illini, the bigger picture is already in focus. Their No. 3 preseason ranking reflects the expectation around a team that has reached six straight NCAA Tournaments and posted seven consecutive 20-win seasons. Thursday is another chance to keep sharpening things before the schedule gets tougher, with Texas Tech waiting next Tuesday.
Penn’s goal is different, but just as clear. A strong showing against a top-three team would give the Quakers something real to build on as they try to position themselves as an Ivy League contender and get back to the NCAA Tournament.
The rematch may not look like the one from March, but it still carries plenty of weight. Illinois is trying to prove its Final Four run was only the start, and Penn gets an early shot to show how much it has grown.
In Other News...
Quentin Coleman Just Gave Illinois Fans A Reason To Dream Big
Quentin Colemans first official college game gave Illinois something it can build on early, and it came in a way that should resonate with anyone watching the roster take shape. Against Fairleigh Dickinson, the freshman guard filled the box score with 13 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals in 23 minutes, all while avoiding turnovers. For a player making his debut, it was the kind of all-around showing that suggests he can help in more than one way right away.
The analytics crowd noticed, too. EvanMiyas Bayesian Performance Rating had Coleman making the biggest jump in the country after the game, vaulting him to No. 28 nationally, and he was hardly alone in the surge. Three other Illinois freshmen also posted notable BPR gains from the same outing, giving the Illini a little more reason to believe their young core may be ahead of schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Already Looks Like A National Title Threat Despite Early Concern
Illinois opened the season with a convincing win over Fairleigh Dickinson even while dealing with key injuries, and the early returns were strong enough to push the Illini to No. 1 in Evan Miyakawas college basketball analytical ranking. For a team that entered the year with some concern about how it would hold up without a full roster, the opener offered a clear reminder of just how high the ceiling can be when the system is clicking on both ends.
Penn is next on the schedule, which should give Illinois another chance to show whether that opening-night performance was a one-off statement or the start of something bigger. The numbers behind the ranking suggest this group already belongs in the national-title conversation, but the real test will come as the competition sharpens and the injury situation continues to be part of the backdrop. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Has A Chance To Keep Rolling Before A Future Twist Emerges
Illinois gets Nebraska at Gies Memorial Stadium on November 6 with a chance to keep its momentum rolling after three straight wins. The Fighting Illini are 5-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play, and theyll meet a Cornhuskers team that arrives in the same overall spot but has dropped three in a row.
There is also a larger picture taking shape beyond this weeks matchup, with Illinois and Notre Dame set to play a two-game series in 2027 and 2028. For now, though, the focus stays on Nebraska and on whether the Illini can keep building before that future wrinkle comes into view. [Read more 🡒]