How to Watch No. 25 Illinois WBB vs. Northwestern: TV, Tip-Off Time, More

After a tough road loss at Michigan, Illinois women's basketball is back home – and with little time to dwell on the result, and with even less margin for error in the follow-up. The No. 25 Illini welcome in-state rival Northwestern to Champaign on Sunday (2 p.m. CT, B1G+) in a Big Ten matchup that carries more weight than the standings might initially seem to suggest. In a league as unforgiving as this one, protecting home court isn’t just a goal – it’s a requirement.

Final from Ann Arbor.

See you back in State Farm Center on Sunday at 2 PM! pic.twitter.com/uFH7MXDgaZ
— Illinois Women's Basketball (@IlliniWBB) January 16, 2026

Illinois (14-4, 4-3 Big Ten) has shown all season that it can compete with anyone in the conference, but consistency is the price of admission in Big Ten play. Games like this one, especially against a familiar rival, are the ones that shape postseason resumes and separate teams fighting to stay in the mix from those playing catch-up in February. Northwestern (8-10, 2-5) may come in as the visitor, but it has won two in a row and will be eager to stop a six-game skid against the Illini and stick coach Shauna Green with her first loss to the Wildcats since she arrived in Champaign.

How to watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Northwestern Wildcats

🎶 𝙊𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 🎶

🆚 #25 Illinois
🗓️ Sunday, January 18
📍 Champaign, Ill. pic.twitter.com/O4OYkdPXLW
— Northwestern Women’s Basketball (@nuwbball) January 17, 2026

Who: Illinois Fighting Illini (14-4, 4-3 Big Ten) vs. Northwestern Wildcats (8-10, 2-5 Big Ten)
What: Big Ten conference matchup
When: Sunday, Jan. 18 at 2 p.m. CT
Where: State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois
Promotion: First Responders Game | Discounted group tickets for all first responders
TV/streaming: B1G+ (Annual pass: $89.99; Monthly pass: $12.99/month. Use code "BESTDEAL50" for 50 percent off an annual pass. To purchase a subscription, click here. For more information, visit bigtenplus.com.)
Radio/audio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (Champaign: WDWS 93.9 FM or 1400 AM); Fighting Illini Productions; Varsity Network App
Last week: Illinois went 1-1 last week, knocking off Penn State in State College before dropping a tough one at Michigan. Northwestern went 2-0 last week, beating both Rutgers and Wisconsin at home.
Series history: Illinois is 40-49 all time against Northwestern but has won six in a row against the Wildcats.

What to know about Northwestern

Northwestern has endured a difficult stretch over the past few seasons, with losing records in three straight campaigns – and this year has largely followed a similar script. Consistency has been hard to find, and recent struggles have kept the Wildcats from gaining traction in the Big Ten race. Still, momentum can be fickle in this league, and Northwestern arrives in Champaign riding a modest winning streak – just enough to suggest things may be starting to turn in the right direction.

At the horn 🚨

Sullivan scores as time expires! pic.twitter.com/d4b8800lti
— Northwestern Women’s Basketball (@nuwbball) January 16, 2026

The engine behind any potential turnaround is senior forward Grace Sullivan, who has been nothing short of prolific. Averaging an eye-popping 22.2 points per game, Sullivan is the clear focal point of Northwestern’s offense and one of the most dangerous individual scorers in the conference. Everything flows through her, whether it’s touches in the post, face-up opportunities, or tough shots late in the clock. The Illini must slow down Sullivan, avoid the turnovers that plagued them against Michigan and get back to the defensive principles that fueled their 13-1 start.