First Look at Illinois Basketball's Game 2 Opponent: Penn Quakers

Penn basketball probably thought it had seen enough of Illinois after last March. Unfortunately for the Quakers, the schedule makers had other ideas.

Fresh off an historic 120-45 demolition of Fairleigh Dickinson in its season opener, No. 3 Illinois will welcome Penn to the State Farm Center on Thursday (7:30 CT, FS1).

The matchup is a rematch of last season's NCAA Tournament first round, when the Illini cruised past the Quakers 105-70 on their way to the Final Four. But Penn returns plenty of talent and will be looking for a much better showing this time around.

Penn at a glance

The Quakers are entering their second season under coach Fran McCaffery, who is certainly no stranger to Illinois after spending 15 seasons leading Big Ten rival Iowa.

FRAN MCCAFFREY VS. BRAD UNDERWOOD.
— Trilly Donovan (@trillydonovan) March 15, 2026

McCaffery enjoyed an impressive debut season at Penn, guiding the Quakers to an 18-12 overall record and a 9-5 mark in Ivy League play. Penn went on to win the Ivy League Tournament, punching its ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018.

Unlike many programs across college basketball, Penn has managed to retain much of its roster. The Quakers return seven of their top nine scorers from last season and were picked to finish first in the Ivy League preseason poll.

The Quakers on the court

Key players

Everything starts with senior forward TJ Power, one of the best players in the Ivy League. The 6-foot-9 forward averaged 16.4 points and 7.6 rebounds last season while shooting an impressive 43.2 percent from beyond the arc.

Power saved his best performance for the biggest moment, exploding for 44 points and 14 rebounds in Penn's overtime victory over Yale in the Ivy League Tournament championship. However, Illinois held him to just six points in the teams' NCAA Tournament meeting (though Power was battling an illness at the time).

Just 3️⃣ days until our season-opener at Illinois.

The Quakers ranked 16th nationally in 3FG% last year, hitting 38.2% as a team from downtown.

TJ Power led the way, hitting 43.2%, while Jay Jones shot 38.9% and Michael Zanoni hit 38.7%.#FightOnPenn pic.twitter.com/sFvrRrMmn9
— Penn Men's Basketball (@PennMBB) November 2, 2026

Another important returner is senior Michael Zanoni, who averaged 11.8 points while shooting 38.7 percent from three-point range last season. Zanoni was Penn's leading scorer against Illinois in March, finishing with 20 points.

Junior guard AJ Levine will once again run the offense after averaging 8.2 points and 4.0 assists per game. The Quakers also added Notre Dame transfer Sir Mohammed, a 6-foot-6 wing who should provide additional size and athleticism.

Offense

As Illinois fans might remember from McCaffery's days at Iowa, his teams generally like to play fast and put points on the board.

Penn averaged 75.9 points per game last season while shooting 44.1 percent from the field. The Quakers were particularly dangerous from the perimeter, connecting on 38.2 percent of their three-point attempts.

TJ POWER!!

GAME OF HIS LIFE!! HE HAS 40 POINTS AND HITS THE TYING SHOT WITH 1.0 LEFT IN THE IVY LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP FOR (3) PENN
pic.twitter.com/bW8zK81drw
— NCAA Buzzer Beaters & Game Winners (@NCAABuzzerBters) March 15, 2026

McCaffery's offense features plenty of ball movement, high ball screens and opportunities for shooters to get open looks. Power presents a difficult matchup because of his ability to score both inside and outside, while Zanoni provides another reliable perimeter threat.

If Penn hopes to keep pace with Illinois, it will likely need another strong shooting performance.

Defense

Penn's defense primarily operates out of a man-to-man scheme, emphasizing limiting clean looks from the perimeter.

The Quakers allowed 74.4 points per game last season, with opponents shooting 45.3 percent from the field and 32.2 percent from three-point range.

Although Penn was relatively effective at defending the perimeter, its interior defense and rebounding were much more vulnerable.

That weakness was on full display against Illinois in March. The Illini dominated the glass, outrebounding the Quakers 48-25 while David Mirkovic erupted for 29 points and 17 rebounds.

Penn returns experienced frontcourt contributors, including Augustus Gerhart and Dalton Scantlebury, but containing Illinois' size will again be a difficult assignment.

Illinois vs. Penn matchup

For Illinois, Thursday's game should provide a considerably stronger test than it received in its season opener. The Illini were practically unstoppable against Fairleigh Dickinson, scoring 120 points, knocking down a program-record 19 three-pointers and winning by a school-record 75 points.

But Penn is a legitimate Ivy League contender, with the experience and shooting ability to make things interesting.

Illinois will need to pay particular attention to Power, who is more than capable of taking over a game offensively. At the same time, the Illini should again have a considerable advantage in the frontcourt and dominate the glass.

Penn may be looking for revenge after last March's embarrassment, but if Illinois brings the same offensive firepower it displayed against FDU, the Quakers could be in for another long night.

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