First Look at Illinois Basketball's Game 6 Opponent: Long Island University Sharks

After suffering their first defeat of the season, the Illini (4-1) will attempt to bounce back on Saturday against LIU (3-1)

Notre Dame forward Carson Towt (33), guard Jalen Haralson, bottom, and LIU forward Mason Porter-Brown, right, fight for possession of the ball during a NCAA basketball game against LIU Brooklyn at Purcell Pavilion on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Illinois is coming off a tough, high-level battle against an elite Alabama squad in Chicago on Tuesday, a game that showed both how good Illinois can be and how much room there still is to grow. Thankfully for Brad Underwood’s team, there’s no time to dwell on the loss. Long Island University comes to Champaign on Saturday (1 p.m. CT, BTN).

Lay it all on the line. pic.twitter.com/DnILuHDOko

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 20, 2025

This matchup should provide an opportunity for the Illini (4-1) to get healthier, distribute minutes more evenly and give extended run to players still working their way back to full strength. It’s also a chance to clean up some of the issues that were exposed by Alabama – whether that’s defensive communication, rebounding lapses or offensive execution late in possessions.

Long Island at a glance

The Sharks are led by former NBA standout Rod Strickland, now in his fourth season guiding the program. Strickland inherited a massive rebuild when he arrived, taking over a team that won just three games in his first year. Since then, he has steadily elevated LIU, culminating in a 17-16 campaign last season that signaled the program had finally turned a corner.

Sharks picked to finish 1st in NEC Preseason Poll🏀

Congratulations to Malachi Davis and Jamal Fuller, who received Preseason All-NEC honors!#FinsUp🦈https://t.co/sUQ2Qisgzz

— LIU Men’s Basketball (@LIUBasketball) October 27, 2025

This year’s group comes in with its highest expectations yet. LIU was unanimously selected to win the NEC, and early results suggest the hype is justified. The Sharks are off to a 3-1 start, with their only blemish coming on the road against Notre Dame. Along the way, they have picked up quality wins over Air Force and James Madison – proof that this roster has real talent and can be dangerous if taken lightly.

For Strickland, the mission is clear: get LIU back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018. And with the momentum the Sharks have built to start the season, this is shaping up to be his best shot yet.

The Sharks on the court

Strickland, a crafty guard in his own NBA days, has built this LIU team around a veteran backcourt that plays with poise and confidence. The Sharks are powered by three senior guards – Greg Gordon, Jamal Fuller and Malachi Davis – who together are averaging 45.7 points and 8.8 assists per game. All three can create their own shot off the bounce, but they’re just as comfortable playing off one another, which gives LIU a steady, experienced offensive engine.

Have a night, Greg!👏👏#FinsUp🦈 pic.twitter.com/0WsBRFTGn3

— LIU Men’s Basketball (@LIUBasketball) November 7, 2025

On offense, LIU wants to run. The Sharks play with pace whenever possible, trusting their senior guards to make decisions in transition and break down defenses in the halfcourt. Around them, Strickland has a few athletic wings who can finish above the rim, catch lobs and crash the offensive glass hard for putbacks, making LIU dangerous when it pushes the tempo or attacks off misses.

Defensively, the Sharks mostly stick with man-to-man principles, but their lack of a true rim protector and overall size can make them vulnerable inside. Opponents have been able to score at the rim and generate second-chance looks. Still, with the shot-making and skill they have at the guard spots, it is a team capable of getting hot and making things uncomfortable for opponents who aren’t locked in.

Illinois vs. Long Island matchup

For Illinois, this matchup should serve as a chance to rinse away the sour taste from the Alabama loss and get meaningful minutes for players still working their way back to full strength. Mihailo Petrovic made his season debut on Tuesday and, understandably, showed rust. Saturday's game will provide a low-pressure setting for him to get back into rhythm. Same goes for Tomislav Ivisic, who returned after missing three games but didn’t quite look himself. Getting both players comfortable and reintegrated into the rotation will be important as the schedule toughens again in the near future.

Overall, this is a game Illinois should control from start to finish. It’s an opportunity to tighten up execution, smooth out some of the frayed edges it showed against Alabama and build confidence heading into the final stretch of non-conference play.