How to Watch: Illinois Basketball vs. Arkansas (Game 7)

A neutral-site matchup against a good but beatable Razaorbacks squad can be a proving ground for the Illini

Nov 25, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Carey Booth (0) blocks the shot of Little Rock Trojans guard Isaiah Lewis (3) during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

How to Watch

Illinois (5-1, 0-0 Big Ten) vs. No. 19 Arkansas (5-1, 0-0 SEC)

Day and time: Thursday (Nov. 28) at 3 p.m. CT
Venue: T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Missouri
TV: CBS
Stream: None
Listen: WDWS-AM 1400 (Champaign)
WLS-AM 890 (Chicago)
Illini Sports Network affiliates (other local markets)
Varsity Network app

Odds and Ends

Favorite: Not available
Over/under: Not available
Illinois vs. Arkansas all time: Illinois leads the series 5-1
Streak: Arkansas has won one in a row against Illinois
Last meeting: Arkansas 73, Illinois 63 (March 16, 2023 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa)

Probable Illinois starters:

G Kasparas Jakucionis
G Kylan Boswell
G Tre White
F Ben Humrichous
C Tomislav Ivisic

The best part of Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

📅 Nov. 28
🆚 No. 19 Arkansas
⏰ 3 p.m. CT
📍 T-Mobile Center, Kansas City, Mo.
📺 CBS#Illini | #HTTO | #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/n4mdhxTp02

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 27, 2024

Smart-Fan Stuff

Key stat: 50.3

Arkansas is hitting just over half its shots from the field this season (50.3 percent), a country mile beyond the 34.4 percent field-goal shooting Illinois has held opponents to through six games. The one outlier on the Illini schedule thus far – Alabama, which shot a scorching 52.0 percent – also happens to be a ranked SEC team with some elite weapons. Did the Illini learn any lessons from the Bama game? Are their last two defensive performances – brilliant stuff (20.3 percent field-goal shooting defense) that came against mid-majors – an indication of progress or just competition level?

Quick tips:

• The Razorbacks have a 7-foot-2 sophomore big man whose name might ring a bell: Zvonimir Ivisic is the twin brother of Illini center Tomislav Ivisic, and they can be expected to go head-to-head for a good portion of Thursday's game. The matchup will be fascinating to watch given the dynamic – and similar – abilities of the Ivisic brothers, how well they know one another's game and, of course, to see how the angst of a sibling rivalry plays out on the court.
• The family connections run deep at Arkansas, where Karter Knox is the brother of former Kentucky star Kevin Knox (who played in Lexington under current Razorbacks coach John Calipari); D.J. Wagner is the son of Dajuan Wagner (who played for Calipari at Memphis); and Kareem Watkins is the stepson of Dajuan Wagner and stepbrother of D.J. – and who played for Calipari at Kentucky for four years before transferring to Fayetteville as a grad student.

Illinois on SI Prediction

Arkansas freshman Boogie Fland, who averages 17.2 points on 48.1 percent 3-point shooting and 5.5 assists, is a problem – and you can probably guess how Illinois coach Brad Underwood will try to answer him: Kylan Boswell. The Illini junior guard has received the call – and delivered – against every opponent's most dangerous backcourt player so far this season. Keeping Fland out of the paint while at the same time getting a hand in his face on every shot attempt will be priority No. 1 for the Illini. Not far behind it on the list will be slowing down lanky 6-foot-8 junior forward Adou Thiero, who is an absolute menace on both sides of the floor (18.0 points per game on 68.3 effective field goal percentage, 3.2 steals per game). Tre White's defense on Thiero will be a key for Illinois – though don't be surprised if Underwood throws change-ups in the form of Carey Booth, Morez Johnson Jr. (and maybe even some Boswell) at the Kentucky transfer. A winnable neutral-site matchup against a good Arkansas squad that nevertheless has fewer weapons than Alabama is where the Illini can begin turning their potential into proof.

Illinois 76, Arkansas 71

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