Kwa Jones Director of Recruiting and Scouting | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Kwa Jones Director of Recruiting and Scouting | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is set to face the Alabama Crimson Tide at the C.M. Newton Classic on Wednesday, November 20, 2024. The game will take place at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, and will be broadcast on the SEC Network.
Illinois enters the game with a perfect 3-0 record, having secured home victories against Eastern Illinois, SIUE, and Oakland. This match marks their first away game of the season. Head Coach Brad Underwood has led the team to a sixth consecutive season of being ranked in the Top 25 of the AP poll. Currently, Illinois is ranked No. 25 in the AP poll and No. 20 in the coaches poll.
Coach Underwood commented on his team's ranking: "Head Coach Brad Underwood now has the Fighting Illini program ranked for a sixth consecutive season."
Alabama holds a slight advantage historically over Illinois with a 3-1 lead in their series meetings. Their last encounter was during the NIT Round 1 in March 2015 when Alabama won decisively. This upcoming game is significant as it is their first meeting with both teams ranked inside the top 25.
Illinois aims to continue its strong performance against top-ranked opponents under Coach Underwood's leadership. Since the start of the 2019-20 season, they have achieved notable success with wins over top-10 teams nationally.
As both teams prepare for this anticipated matchup, fans can follow live updates through various platforms including ESPN+, RollTide.com for live stats, and radio broadcasts via Busey Bank Illini Sports Network and SiriusXM.
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