Chambana Sun

The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is set to face the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE) Cougars on Friday, November 8, 2024, at the State Farm Center in Champaign. The game will begin at 7 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on Peacock.

This matchup marks the second contest of a three-game homestand for Illinois, who opened their season with a dominant 112-67 win over Eastern Illinois earlier this week. "Illinois enters Friday's contest having won six consecutive home games vs. non-conference opponents," according to the team's announcement.

The Illini have a strong record against SIUE, winning all three previous encounters at the State Farm Center. The last meeting between these two teams was on November 14, 2011, when Illinois secured a victory with a score of 66-46.

Coach Brad Underwood leads Illinois into this game following their successful previous season which saw them reach the NCAA Elite Eight and win the Big Ten Tournament Championship. Before Friday’s game, there will be a pregame ring and banner ceremony to celebrate these achievements from last season.

In terms of individual performances, several players made significant contributions in their opening game against Eastern Illinois. Freshman Will Riley set an impressive debut scoring record with 31 points, while sophomore Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn achieved a career-high of 21 points.

On Friday night, fans can also follow live updates via various platforms including radio coverage through Busey Bank Illini Sports Network and SiriusXM channels or online streaming through PeacockTV.com.

As part of their non-conference schedule early in the season, after facing SIUE, Illinois will host another Ohio Valley Conference member Little Rock later this month.