Illinois doesn’t need a scouting report to know what UConn has done to it lately.
The Huskies have become the program’s postseason nightmare, and the damage goes back to the 2024 Elite Eight. That March, Illinois was in the middle of a special run when it drew UConn, a team that looked every bit like the juggernaut it was.
The game was tight early - tied at 23 with two minutes left in the first half - until the Huskies slammed the door with a 30-0 burst that turned the night into a rout. Illinois fell 77-52 after trailing by as many as 30 in the second half.
The beating didn’t stop there. The teams met twice more in the 2025-26 season, and UConn kept control both times. The Huskies won at Madison Square Garden in November 2025, then knocked Illinois out again in the Final Four in April, reinforcing just how one-sided this matchup has been.
Zoom out even further, and the series history gets even more lopsided. Illinois’ last win over UConn came in the teams’ first meeting in 1938.
That means the Illini have not beaten the Huskies since before World War II and before the NCAA Tournament even existed. In games played after the early 20th century, Illinois is 0-5 against UConn.
Now Brad Underwood and his “Everyday Guys” get another shot at the boogeyman.
On Friday, Dec. 4, the Illini will face UConn at the United Center in Chicago, with a chance to do something they have not done in almost 90 years.
Dan Hurley’s team is bringing back some familiar names from those recent meetings. Sophomore guard and projected lottery pick Braylon Mullins returns after finishing last season strong, including a Final Four performance against Illinois in which he hit four 3-pointers and scored 15 points.
Senior guards Solo Ball and Silas Demaray Jr. are also back. Demaray was especially strong in the Final Four win and came close to a triple-double, while Ball stayed a dangerous scorer.
Illinois will have plenty of firepower of its own. Underwood is bringing back Andrej Stojakovic, David Mirkovic, Tomislav Ivisic and Zvonimir Ivisic, while also adding transfer Stefan Vaaks and several freshmen.
The Illini recently unveiled their full nonconference schedule for 2026-27, and it includes several high-level matchups. But none figures to carry more weight - or more history - than the December date with UConn.
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