Dan Hurley, UConn Huskies Agree to Two-Game Series Against Big Ten Foe

As part of rounding out their non-conference schedule, UConn has set up a two-game series with a Big Ten basketball powerhouse.

UCONN’s head men’s basketball coach Dan Hurley speaks with another coach during Nike EYBL at the Memphis Sports & Events Center on Saturday, May 17, 2025. | Chris Day/The Commercial Appeal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

In the lead up to their upcoming season, Dan Hurley and the UConn Huskies continue to fill out their non-conference schedule, with the Illinois Illini recently agreeing to a two-game series against the Huskies.

The series will commence on Nov. 28, 2025 at Madison Square Garden, a rematch of 2024's East Regional Final in Boston. The final result was a 77-52 victory for the Huskies highlighted by an historic 30-0 run. The series will continue during the 2026-27 season at the United Center in Chicago, giving the Illini some home-state advantage.

Black Friday battle at The Garden 😤

Huskies take on the Illini this fall with a return trip to the United Center in Chicago slated for the 2026-27 season. pic.twitter.com/0mKbaytl7W

— UConn Men's Basketball (@UConnMBB) August 15, 2025

Connecticut is 3-1 all-time against Illinois, dropping the first meeting in the 1938-39 season before sweeping a home-and-home played between 1992-1994 ahead of the Elite Eight battle. The Huskies have won their last five contests against teams currently in the Big 10.

Illinois has been one of the strongest programs in the Big Ten in recent years, making the last five NCAA Tournaments and posting four top-20 Kenpom finishes in that span. Returning starters Tomislav Ivisic (13.0 ppg, 7.7 rpg) and Kylan Boswell (12.3 ppg, 4.8 rpg, 3.4 apg) headline the Illini returners to go along with a highly-touted transfer class. The Illini are a consensus top-25 team in the 'way-too-early' preseason rankings.

This will be the first of two appearances at MSG for the Huskies!

Mar 14, 2024; New York City, NY, USA; Connecticut Huskies guard Tristen Newton (2) breaks away for a layup in the second half of the NCAA Big East Conference Tournament second round game between the Connecticut Huskies and the Xavier Musketeers at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Thursday, March 14, 2024. Xavier was eliminated from the tournament by a 87-60 loss to UConn. Mandatory Credit: Sam Greene-Imagn Images | Sam Greene-Imagn Images

UConn will be making its first of two 2025 non-conference appearances at Madison Square Garden when it visits for the Black Friday showdown, also taking on Florida in the Jimmy V Classic on Dec. 9.

Madison Square Garden is the most played in venue outside of Connecticut for the Huskies all-time. UConn is 77-62 all-time at 4 Penn Plaza and Dan Hurley is 15-8 at MSG as the Connecticut head coach.

Illinois is the sixth announced non-conference opponent on UConn's 2025-26 slate. The Huskies will challenge themselves as much as any program nationally with games against. On UConn's schedule includes Brigham Young University (Nov. 15 in Boston), Arizona (Nov. 19), Illinois (Nov. 28 at MSG), at Kansas (Dec. 2), Florida (Dec. 9 at MSG) and Texas (Dec. 12). CBS Sports' Jon Rothstein recently called the UConn gauntlet 'the toughest non-conference schedule in UConn history.'