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First Look at Illinois Basketball's Game 8 Opponent: UConn Huskies

The Illini will head to New York City on Black Friday to take on the Huskies in what should be a hostile environment
Pranav Hegde|
Nov 15, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The UConn Huskies pose for a photo after a game against the BYU Cougars at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Nov 15, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; The UConn Huskies pose for a photo after a game against the BYU Cougars at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniUConn Huskies

After opening the 2025-26 season almost entirely inside the friendly confines of State Farm Center – the lone exception being a showcase at the United Center in Chicago – the Illini are packing their bags to touch down on the closest thing yet to foreign soil. And it’s not just any road trip: Illinois (6-1) will head to New York City to take on UConn (6-1) in Madison Square Garden (11:30 a.m. CT, FOX), a building the Huskies have practically claimed as their own. “Storrs South” will be rocking, and the Illini will be walking into a sea of blue – er, white.

It’s another major early-season test for an Illinois team that is 1-1 in its marquee matchups so far this season. A win over the powerhouse Huskies would not only silence a hostile crowd but also give the Illini a massive boost on their national resume – the kind of non-conference victory that pays dividends in March.

UConn at a glance

The Huskies are led by the incomparable Dan Hurley, now in his eighth year at the helm and already one of the defining coaches of modern college basketball. Hurley has resurrected UConn into a full-fledged national powerhouse, chasing what would be his third national championship in four years. His 2023 title run reestablished the program’s blueblood status, and the following season – a historically dominant campaign that included steamrolling Illinois – cemented his legacy even further.

That offseason, Hurley turned down offers from the Los Angeles Lakers, Kentucky and several other heavyweights, choosing to stay in Storrs and continue building what he has openly called a dynasty. Even last year, considered a “down” season by Hurley’s absurd standards, had the Huskies only a Walter Clayton Jr. heater away from reaching the big tournament's second weekend. UConn returned a strong core from that group, added multiple impact newcomers and entered this season picked second in the Big East.

So far, the Huskies have looked the part. They are off to a 5–1 start, highlighted by an impressive win over BYU. UConn's lone blemish came in a narrow 71-67 loss to Arizona – a game it dropped while shorthanded. This is a roster built to contend, led by a coach who expects to cut down nets. And with Hurley steering the ship, doubting them comes at one's own peril.

The Huskies on the court

UConn brings back a strong core of four rotation pieces from last year’s squad in juniors Solo Ball and Jaylin Stewart, along with seniors Tarris Reed and Alex Karaban. Karaban – the lone player on the roster who has won both national titles under Hurley – remains the heartbeat of the program. He is one of the best glue guys in college basketball, a high-level shooter and scorer who also rebounds, defends, moves without the ball and seemingly makes all the winning plays.

As has been the case with all of Hurley’s championship-level teams, elite point guard play is essential – and this group has it. After identifying guard play as last season’s weakness, UConn aggressively addressed the issue in the portal, landing Georgia transfer Silas Demary Jr., one of the top lead guards available. Demary has already proven to be a perfect fit, controlling tempo, setting the table for their scorers and showcasing a smooth, reliable floater game that keeps defenses honest.

And the scary part? The Huskies still aren’t at full strength. Five-star freshman Braylon Mullins – a dynamic, plug-and-play scorer with NBA potential – has yet to make his debut. Once he joins the rotation, UConn will add another weapon to an already-loaded roster, further raising the ceiling of a team that is among a handful of early favorites to climb college basketball's mountaintop.

Offensively, Hurley runs one of the most sophisticated systems in college basketball – a blend of constant off-ball movement, purposeful ball reversals and pristine spacing that forces defenses to chase for 40 minutes. The Huskies rarely rely on isolation or matchup-hunting. Instead, they trust their structure: multiple actions flowing seamlessly into the next, until a clean look emerges. Demary is the engine, often operating out of ball screens to get downhill and either finish with his silky floater or spray the ball out to shooters. UConn also runs a variety of off-ball actions for Ball, who has the green light from deep and is quick to fire when given even a sliver of space. It’s a system that can beat teams in countless ways – precision cuts, inside-out passing, high-IQ reads and timely shot-making.

Defensively, UConn stays mostly in man-to-man and guards with the physical edge that has become a staple of Hurley’s teams. They contest everything, rotate with discipline and make opponents work deep into the shot clock. Their anchor is big man Tarris Reed, an elite rim protector whose absence was felt in the Arizona loss. Reed erases mistakes, controls the paint and brings a nastiness to their interior defense that elevates the entire unit. When fully healthy, this is a group that makes every possession a grind – and UConn becomes one of the hardest teams in the country to score on.

Illinois vs. UConn matchup

For Illinois, this matchup offers a low-key chance at revenge for the 2024 Elite Eight – the game defined by UConn’s infamous 30-0 run. The only player still on the roster from that night is junior Ty Rodgers, and barring something unexpected, he is very unlikely to suit up. Even so, the Illini enter close to full strength for this marquee showdown, while the Huskies have two major pieces – Reed and Mullins – who are considered game-time decisions.

If Reed can’t go, Illinois must capitalize. UConn was hammered on the glass 43-23 in its narrow loss to the Wildcats, and the Illini should look to replicate that physicality and control the paint. Domination on the boards is one of the few proven ways to bother Hurley’s system, and the Illini have the size and athleticism to make it happen.

Offensively, Illinois simply needs to be sharper than it was on Monday against UTRGV. The Illini can’t afford another sluggish start or a cold shooting night if they want to take down an elite UConn squad in a hostile MSG environment. This is the type of stage where shots have to fall, execution has to tighten and a complete 40-minute performance will be necessary. With a national audience watching, it’s a prime opportunity for Illinois to make a major early-season statement.

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Pranav Hegde
PRANAV HEGDE

Primarily covers Illinois football, basketball and golf, with an emphasis on news, analysis and features. Hegde, an electrical engineering student at Illinois with an affinity for sports writing, has been writing for On SI since April 2025. He can be followed and reached on Instagram @pranavhegde__.

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