Indiana vs. Illinois Basketball Preview: How To Watch, Stats, Rankings

Indiana has played some of its best basketball of late, winning five of the last six games going into Sunday's trip to No. 8 Illinois.

That has given the Hoosiers a solid shot to reach the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2023, as they're listed as a No. 9 seed in ESPN's latest Bracketology. But first-year coach Darian DeVries' team will have quite a challenge at No. 8 Illinois, the conference's second-place team.

The Illini have scuffled a bit recently, suffering back-to-back losses for the first time all season. While there are things to clean up from those losses, both came in overtime by three points or fewer at No. 10 Michigan State and at home against Wisconsin, which is 9-4 in Big Ten play.

Indiana will have to be sharp defensively to have a chance in this one, as Illinois ranks No. 1 nationally in KenPom's adjusted offensive efficiency. The Illini may also get point guard Kylan Boswell back from a broken hand, as he's a game-time decision after missing the last seven games, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.

Here's more information on the game.

Lamar Wilkerson Indiana Basketball — Indiana's Lamar Wilkerson (3) smiles at coach Darian DeVries against Oregon at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall on Monday, Feb. 9, 2026. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

How to watch Indiana vs. Illinois

Who: Indiana Hoosiers (17-8, 8-6 in Big Ten) vs. No. 8 Illinois Fighting Illini (20-5, 11-3)
What: Big Ten Conference game
When: Sunday, Feb. 15 at Noon CT
Where: State Farm Center (15,500) in Champaign, Ill.
TV: CBS
Radio: IU Radio Network (Bloomington: 105.1 WHCC-FM; Indianapolis: 93.1 WIBC-FM. Radio broadcast also available through Varsity Network app.)
Radio announcers: Don Fischer (play-by-play), Errek Suhr (color), John Herrick (pregame, halftime, postgame)
ESPN Matchup Predictor: Illinois has an 80.3% chance of victory.
Recent results: Indiana defeated Wisconsin 78-77 in overtime at home Feb. 7, and then defeated Oregon 92-74 at home on Monday. Illinois lost 85-82 in overtime at Michigan State on Feb. 7, and then lost 92-90 in overtime at home against Wisconsin on Tuesday.
Home, road, neutral records: Indiana is 13-2 at home, 3-5 on the road and 1-1 at neutral sites. Illinois is 12-2 at home, 6-1 on the road and 2-2 at neutral sites.
Last season: Indiana went 19-13 overall and finished ninth out of 18 teams in the Big Ten with a 10-10 conference record in coach Mike Woodson's fourth and final season. Indiana missed the NCAA Tournament for a second straight season and chose not to participate in the NIT. Illinois went 22-13 overall and finished seventh in the Big Ten with a 12-8 record. The Illini earned a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament and lost to No. 3 seed Kentucky in the Round of 32.
Series history: Indiana leads the all-time series, 96-93. Illinois has won the last two matchups, 94-69 on Jan. 14, 2025 in Bloomington and 70-62 on Jan. 27, 2024 in Champaign. Prior to those two losses, the Hoosiers had a 10-5 record against Illinois dating back to 2015. Indiana has a 58-32 home record against Illinois, but a 35-55 record on the road. Brad Underwood is 7-6 against the Hoosiers.

Meet the coaches

Brad Underwood Illinois Basketball — Illinois Fighting Illini coach Brad Underwood against the Northwestern Wildcats at State Farm Center. | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Brad Underwood, Illinois: Underwood, 62, is 185-106 overall and 103-69 in his ninth season at Illinois. He has one Big Ten regular season title and two conference tournament titles, all since 2021. All five of Illinois' NCAA Tournament appearances have come in the last five seasons, including an Elite Eight run in 2024. Underwood previously coached Oklahoma State to a 20-13 record and a first-round NCAA Tournament exit in 2016-17. His first Division I head coaching stint was at Stephen F. Austin, where he went 89-14 overall and 53-1 in Southland Conference play with three conference titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances in three seasons from 2013-16.

Darian DeVries, Indiana: DeVries, 50, is 17-8 overall and 8-6 in Big Ten play in his first season with the Hoosiers after one season at West Virginia, where he went 19-13 overall, finished seventh in the Big 12 with a 10-10 record and missed the NCAA Tournament. He previously coached Drake from 2018-24, going 150-55 overall with three NCAA Tournament appearances, two conference tournament championships, one conference regular season title and two Missouri Valley Conference coach of the year awards. Prior to becoming a head coach, DeVries was an assistant at Creighton from 2001-18, working under current Oregon coach Dana Altman and current Creighton coach Greg McDermott.