How to Watch Illinois vs. Northwestern
Game Time: 8 p.m. Wednesday
TV Channel: BTN
Online Streaming: FoxSportsGO
Odds: N/A (Illinois 90.9% Chance To Win – ESPN Matchup Predictor)
Quick Hits:
Illinois Fighting Illini (19-3, 10-1 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Brad Underwood (9th season)
Last Game: Illinois 78, Nebraska 69
Gameday Reading:
Northwestern Wildcats (10-12, 2-9 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Chris Collins
Leading Scorer: Washington 76, Northwestern 62
What Happened the Last Time These Two Teams Played?
- Illinois leads the all-time series 145-46.
Jan. 14, 2026: Illinois 79, Northwestern 68
EVANSTON, Ill. — Illinois pulled away late to beat Northwestern on the road Wednesday night, 79-68. Northwestern gave Illinois a scare down the stretch, but the Illini stayed calm once again to secure their
sixth straight win. The victory marked Illinois’ fifth conference win and fourth road win of the season.
Senior guard Kylan Boswell delivered one of his best performances as an Illini in the win over their in-state rival, showcasing his unique ability to impact winning in multiple ways. Boswell finished the first half with nine points on 4-of-7 shooting and ended the game with 13 points, four rebounds, and six assists, all while guarding the nation’s leading scorer, Nick Martinelli.
In back-to-back games, Boswell has been tasked with slowing down the opposing team’s best player while serving as the anchor of the Illini’s much-improved defense. He held both Iowa star Bennett Stirtz and Northwestern’s Martinelli below their season scoring averages.
”Kylan’s our best defender,” said Illinois big man Tomislav Ivisic. “We rely a lot on him. He’s doing a great job. We just need him, he is our leader.”
Boswell did more for Illinois than the box score shows, providing the leadership the team needed to secure another Big Ten road victory. Following Keaton Wagler’s flagrant foul late in the second half, Boswell tapped Wagler on the head to help keep him composed.
The Champaign native logged 37 minutes and played his heart out to give Illinois its first win inside Welsh-Ryan Arena since 2022. He showed his emotion with an excited yell and chest bump after stripping Martinelli in the post, igniting the Illini crowd in the building with around four minutes remaining.
With Boswell’s leadership, the sky is the limit for this year’s Illini team. Illinois has moved up to No. 5 in the country on KenPom and has a great opportunity to win its next two games against Minnesota and Maryland before heading to Purdue for a marquee matchup.
