NEW YORK, NY. (Chambana Today) — No. 13 Illinois faces No. 5 UConn on Friday at 11:30 a.m. CT at Madison Square Garden, wrapping up a demanding 10-day stretch that included four games in three cities. The Illini are seeking their biggest win since upsetting No. 4 Iowa State in the 2024 Sweet 16 and look to snap a four-game skid against ranked opponents on neutral courts.

Illinois enters at 6–1, powered by one of the nation’s top offenses at 94.6 points per game. Andrej Stojakovic leads the team with 18.5 points, while freshman David Mirkovic is averaging a double-double and ranks among national leaders in rebounding. Senior guard Kylan Boswell remains the only Big Ten player averaging at least 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists.

UConn has won three straight in the series, including last season’s Elite Eight matchup. Illinois, however, has enjoyed recent success at Madison Square Garden under Brad Underwood, winning three of its last five games there.

The matchup is Illinois’ third ranked nonconference game, with another ahead against No. 17 Tennessee. The Illini have been ranked seven straight seasons and are off to their highest-scoring start in decades.