How to Watch Illinois at Texas Tech
Game Time: 7 p.m. Tuesday
TV Channel: NBCSN
Online Streaming: Peacock
Odds: N/A
Quick Hits:
Illinois Fighting Illini (2-0, 0-0 Big Ten)
Head Coach: Brad Underwood (10th season)
- 2025-26: 28-9 (15-5 Big Ten); lost in Final Four to UCONN
Last Game: Illinois 112, Penn 70
Texas Tech Red Raiders (2-0, 0-0 Big 12)
Head coach: Grant McCasland (4th season)
- 2025-26: 23-11, Lost In 2nd Round of NCAA Tournament
What Happened the Last Time These Two Teams Played?
- Illinois leads the all-time series 1-0.
Nov. 11, 2025: Illinois 81, TTU 77
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Illinois narrowly passed its first major test of the season Tuesday night, outlasting No. 11 Texas Tech in a back-and-forth 81-77 battle at State Farm Center that marked the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Tuesday night’s matchup at State Farm Center in Champaign marked the Illini’s
first true test of the 2025-26 season, coming off two comfortable wins versus Jackson State and Florida Gulf Coast. Illinois leaned on sophomore guard Andrej Stojaković and veteran guard Kylan Boswell to gain control of the game in the dying minutes while Orange Krush’s energy helped seal a defining November win.
After an underwhelming debut against Florida Gulf Coast, Stojaković heavily contributed to Illinois’ offensive efficiency, boosting them to a 13-point halftime lead after shooting 5-for-5 from the field in the first half. After finding driving lanes in the paint to keep Illinois ahead late in the second half, Stojaković finished with 23 points on 11-for-16 shooting and sealed the win with a decisive block in the last minute of his breakout game for the Illini.
“You’ve got a couple guards that are physical and downhill, and then you’ve got guys who can shoot it and create some space,” said Illinois head coach Brad Underwood. “Andrej is a tremendous value, he was much better tonight. The other night, he was a little sped up. I don’t think we played as fast tonight.”
On top of Texas Tech head coach Grant McCasland referring to Boswell’s defensive presence as a “stump”, he was the engine for Illinois finishing with 22 points and a few clutch free throws that helped him narrowly reach the 1,000 point career milestone on a night to remember.
Although the Illini were without forward Tomislav Ivišić (knee injury), his twin brother Zvonimir and Big Ten Freshman of the Week David Mirkovic stepped up in the paint to fill the hole that Tomislav left. Big Z finished with 11 points, seven rebounds and three blocks as Mirkovic tallied 11 points and four rebounds.
