Illinois' Rematch With Nebraska is 'Going to be a War,' Says Fred Hoiberg

If you win the rebounding battle, you win the game. That’s what practically every coach in basketball will tell you. Although the notion tends to hold true, it’s not an iron-clad rule. In Illinois’ previous defeat – which feels like ages ago, back in the medieval times of 2025 – controlling the glass wasn’t a problem for the Illini.

Brad Underwood’s club registered 34 rebounds to Nebraska’s 27, yet it wasn’t enough to stave off the Cornhuskers. Still, Nebraska head man Fred Hoiberg recognizes his group may not survive another poor rebounding outcome against Illinois – a squad that makes its living on the offensive boards.

Nebraska's Fred Hoiberg previews top-10 Illinois matchup

“They got 19 second-chance points on us in the first go-round,” Hoiberg said. “And that’s the battle. Try to force them to take as many contested shots as you can and try to do everything you can to finish off possessions. But they had a 44 percent offensive rebound rate the first time we played. And somehow we found a way to win. You’re not going to win against Illinois very often if you give them almost half of their possessions back after a miss.”

Illinois travels to Lincoln for a matchup with Nebraska on Sunday (3 p.m. CT, FS1) as the Illini try to make it 11 straight wins. Meanwhile, the Cornhuskers are seeking a bounce-back victory after suffering their first loss, a three-point nail-biter at No. 3 Michigan on Tuesday.

The Illini, who boasted the country’s fifth-best rebound margin (plus-11.2) heading into the Washington game, put a heavy emphasis on the glass to ensure they find a way to win in spite of hot performances from opponents or their own off shooting nights.

One of Underwood’s favorite mantras – control the controllables – embodies Illinois’ identity. Generally speaking, the Illini don’t get beat to loose balls, don’t lose on the glass, don’t get outhustled and don’t get physically beaten down.

Jan 29, 2026; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Keaton Wagler (23) and Washington Huskies forward Bryson Tucker (8) wrestle for the ball during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

But Nebraska isn't much different. Just because the Cornhuskers put so much emphasis on production from beyond the arc and play poetic offensive hoops doesn’t mean they aren’t willing to get some dirt under their nails. It doesn’t mean they won’t sink their teeth in on defense or hunt down every 50-50 ball like their season depends on it. And it certainly doesn’t mean they’re afraid of a bloodbath.

Hoiberg understands what Sunday is going to be: an old-fashioned Big Ten brawl. A balls-to-the-wall, all-out battle. A new-school Hagler-Hearns. And whichever heavyweight squad lands the biggest blow on Sunday afternoon will almost certainly secure its 10th Big Ten win of the year.

“It’s going to be a war on Sunday,” Hoiberg said. “And how we respond, how we go out and hit. If they hit us first, it’s over. We’re not going to outjump them. We’re not going to out-length them. We have to hit. We have to be the more physical team if we want a chance to win. And that’s hard to do against Illinois.”

Unfortunately for Hoiberg and his Cornhuskers, he’s right. It’s tough to hit the Illini and make them feel it. And it’s even tougher to be the more physical team for 40 full minutes – on any given day, let alone when the stakes are this high.

On this particular afternoon, Nebraska isn’t going to be matched up with any-given-day Illinois. Hoiberg and Co. are going to see an angry, ultra-inspired Illinois squad with just one mission: vengeance.