Illinois wasted no time making a statement to open the 2026-27 season, and the numbers from Monday night in Champaign are the kind that jump off the page. In a 120-45 rout of Fairleigh Dickinson, Brad Underwood’s team didn’t just win comfortably. It rewrote parts of the program record book.
The biggest headline came from beyond the arc. Illinois hit 19 three-pointers, breaking the previous school mark of 18 set in 2021.
The Illini also launched 51 attempts from deep, topping the old record of 42 set in 2025. That kind of volume was always part of the plan, especially after Underwood’s offseason comments and what the team showed in its three exhibitions.
Still, seeing it unfold in real time was something else.
The pace was relentless. Illinois pushed the ball up the floor, got into its offense quickly and kept firing with little hesitation.
That style helped produce easy baskets and kept Fairleigh Dickinson on its heels from the opening tip. The result was the largest margin of victory in program history: 75 points, surpassing the previous record of 69 set in 1993.
The scoring total and shot-making came with more history attached. Illinois finished with 120 points, falling short of the school record of 127 set in 1988, but still turning in one of the most explosive offensive nights the program has ever seen. The Illini also made 46 field goals, just shy of the record of 53 set in 1982/1988.
What makes the offensive eruption even more interesting is that Illinois was not wildly hot from three all night. The team cooled off in the second half, especially late, yet still finished at 37.3 percent from deep. That’s the kind of number that, based on this game, looks like it could hold up over a full season.
The defense deserves plenty of credit too. Illinois played at a frantic pace, but it also kept Fairleigh Dickinson from finding easy answers on the other end. That balance helped create the blowout and kept the game from ever becoming competitive.
The rebounding margin told the same story. Illinois grabbed 65 boards, while FDU finished with just 21. That total did not threaten the program record of 79 set in 1959, but it was still a massive edge and another sign of how thoroughly the Illini controlled the night.
The assist total was another eye-catching number. Illinois finished with 30 assists, led by 13 from the all-freshman backcourt of Quentin Coleman and Ethan Brown. The ball movement, quick reads and spacing made the offense look smooth and difficult to defend, and on this night, Fairleigh Dickinson had no real answer for it.
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