How to Watch No. 13 Illinois at Northwestern: TV, Tip-Off Time, More

Every college basketball season is a new adventure, a new journey that – if we're being honest with ourselves – has little connection to those that came before it and those that come after. And yet, as No. 13 Illinois (13-3, 4-1 Big Ten) prepares to pay a visit to Northwestern (8-8, 0-5) on Wednesday (8 p.m. CT, BTN) it's almost impossible not to think about Illinois' past three visits upstate to Evanston, which all ended in defeat.

That may not be the wildest statistic you'll come across today, but given that the Illini have been Big Ten contenders throughout that three-year stretch, while the Wildcats went just 31-29 during the same period, the streak stands out. And because there is at least one tie that binds it to this go-round between the clubs – Northwestern senior forward Nick Martinelli, the current leading scorer in the nation (24.1 points per game) – it would be no wonder if Illini Nation's PTSD were acting up just a touch this week.

The Wildcats are way down from the best of coach Chris Collins' recent seasons, but they remain feisty (six of their losses have come by six points or less) and especially dangerous at home. Welsh-Ryan Arena has a way of making things weird for the Illini, who may have trouble dialing up the intensity to the degree that an NU group desperate for its first Big Ten win will naturally feel.

Here’s more information on Illinois' first clash of the season with its in-state Big Ten rival:

How to watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Northwestern Wildcats

Heading up I-57

📅 Jan. 14
🆚 Northwestern
⏰ 7:30 p.m. CT
📍Evanston, Ill.
📺 Big Ten Network pic.twitter.com/cMZellXXJP
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) January 13, 2026

Who: Illinois Fighting Illini (13-3, 4-1 Big Ten) vs. Northwestern Wildcats (8-8, 0-5)
What: Big Ten matchup
When: Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 8 p.m. CT
Where: Welsh-Ryan Arena, Evanston, Illinois
TV/streaming: BTN
Radio/audio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (Champaign: WDWS 93.9 FM or 1400 AM; Chicago: WLS 890 AM); Fighting Illini Productions; Varsity Network App
Last week: Illinois beat Rutgers 81-55 at home last Thursday before traveling to knock off then-No. 19 Iowa 75-69, running its winning streak to five games. Northwestern absorbed a 76-66 loss at Michigan State last Thursday before dropping a 77-75 heartbreaker to Rutgers in overtime in Piscataway, New Jersey. NU will be attempting to pull itself out of a three-game tailspin Wednesday.
Series history: The Illini are 144-46 against the Wildcats in the programs' all-time series, though they have split the past six games – all of which has gone to the home team. In their most recent meeting, Illinois won 83-74 at Champaign's State Farm Center last Jan. 26.

What to know about Northwestern

The Wildcats have decent size in their starting lineup – but nothing to match the Illini's two seven-foot twins Tomislav and Zvonimir Ivisic. And what they have, they haven't used particularly well of late: They have been pounded on the boards by Big Ten opponents and have been foul-prone during the three-game slide – a recipe for disaster against Illinois.

.@N_Martinelli1 from deep‼️ pic.twitter.com/oTxq7LM60i
— Northwestern Basketball (@NUMensBball) January 11, 2026

Collins may have at least one ace in the hole, though: He sometimes plays the 6-foot-7 Martinelli as a small-ball 5, which could essentially remove the Ivisic brothers from the equation and change the matchup calculus. The problem for NU: Martinelli is far and away the best three-point shooter in the lineup. If Collins chooses to give reserves Justin Mullins (36.4 percent on threes), Jake West (35.0) and Max Green (33.3) more run and is blessed with a hot shooting night, you never know. ... Check out the Illinois on SI First Look at Northwestern for more details of the matchup.