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Social Media Reacts After Illinois Swarms Tennessee in Season's Biggest Win

The Illini (7-2) finally put all – or at least most of – the pieces together in a gritty victory over the Volunteers in Nashville
Jason Langendorf|
Dec 6, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Zvonimir Ivisic (44), guard Andrej Stojakovic (2), and forward David Mirkovic (0) blocks the shot of Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images
Dec 6, 2025; Nashville, Tennessee, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Zvonimir Ivisic (44), guard Andrej Stojakovic (2), and forward David Mirkovic (0) blocks the shot of Tennessee Volunteers forward Nate Ament (10) during the first half at Bridgestone Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

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Illinois Fighting IlliniTennessee Volunteers

Before Saturday, any doubts about Illinois' ability to break through in a big game and match the tenacity of a tough opponent – especially in a game played away from the friendly confines of Champaign's State Farm Center – were, in a word, valid.

Sure, the Illini pounded out a win over then-No. 11 Texas Tech last month. But that one came at home, against an opponent that, in retrospect, is proving to be somewhat less dynamic than most of college basketball's best. (The Red Raiders have since lost to Purdue by 30 and squeaked by Wake Forest by 1 and Wyoming – in Lubbock – by four.)

After Illinois fell to Alabama in its first matchup outside its own building and then got mostly manhandled by UConn in New York, it was fair to wonder whether the 14th-ranked Illini would be up to the challenge of a neutral-site meeting against No. 13 Tennessee – a burly, Rick Barnes-coached outfit with multiple scoring threats – in Nashville.

But the Illini (7-2), despite getting hammered 46-31 on the boards by the Volunteers and struggling to separate themselves in the first half, managed to lock up Ja'Kobi Gillespie and Nate Ament, knock down some shots on the other end (11-for-28 on threes, 39.3 percent) and take the Vols' best shots without getting rattled (including committing just six turnovers) in a season-best 75-62 win.

So are the Illini finally ready-for-primetime players? We'll know more soon. Next up is Ohio State in Columbus and the official launch of the Big Ten season on Tuesday (6:30 p.m. CT, Peacock). The Buckeyes aren't expected to rate among the conference's elite this season, but every Big Ten road game is a tester, and Buckeyes guards Bruce Thornton – a conference player of the year-caliber talent – John Mobley Jr. and Devin Royal combined for 69 points last season to throw a scare into Illinois in Champaign. The work of proving its mettle continues.

But for one evening, Illini Nation was able to revel in a significant win – and it celebrated by doing what it does best: crowing and smack-talking and generally getting goofy on social media. Here are the best of the responses on that platform after Illinois' melodic performance in Music City:

Our kinda town

Happens to the best of us

Wonder twin powers ... activate!

Closing the show in Nashville

It's a vibe

Lots of love to go around

Smashville smack-talking

Play that thang

Published
Jason Langendorf
JASON LANGENDORF

Jason Langendorf has covered Illinois basketball, football and more for Illinois on SI since October 2024, and has covered Illini sports – among other subjects – for 30 years. A veteran of ESPN and Sporting News, he has published work in The Guardian, Vice, Chicago Sun-Times and many other outlets. He is currently also the U.S. editor at BoxingScene and a judge for the annual BWAA writing awards. He can be followed and reached on X and Bluesky @JasonLangendorf.

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