How to Watch Illinois at Duke
Game Time: 6 p.m. Tuesday
TV Channel: ESPN
Online Streaming: ESPN+
Odds: N/A
Quick Hits:
Illinois Fighting Illini (3-1, 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 108, SHU 86
Duke Blue Devils (3-1, 0-0 ACC)
Head coach: Jon Scheyer (5th season)
- 2025-26: 35-3 (17-1 ACC); lost in Elite Eight to UCONN
What Happened the Last Time These Two Teams Played?
- Duke leads all-time series 6-3.
Feb. 22, 2025: Duke 110, Illinois 67
NEW YORK — So, that’s what a national title contender looks like.
Not long ago, Illinois thought of itself the same. But on Saturday night, the Illini got a firsthand look at how far they’ve fallen from one at Madison Square Garden, as No. 3 Duke thoroughly dominated freefalling Illinois 110-67 in a wire-to-wire flexing
of muscle.
The 43-point margin is the largest margin of defeat for Illinois in program history. Yes, it was that bad.
Illinois (17-11, 9-8 Big Ten) finally appeared relatively healthy — minus injured Morez Johnson — entering this rare February non-conference matchup after battling a constant circle of injuries and illnesses for the better part of the last month. But it didn’t change anything against Duke (24-3, 15-1 ACC), who never trailed in the game and had their way with the Illini in a complete dismantling.
Defensively, the Illini didn’t have much of a prayer. Duke scored a season-high 110 points and got nearly whatever they wanted both at the rim and beyond the arc. The Blue Devils scored a staggering 1.571 points per possession, which included 17 makes at the rim, 12 threes and 18 free throws.
Seven different Blue Devils scored in double figures. The Illini kept projected No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg in check in the first half, but the freshman phenom could only be held down for so long and got plenty of help from his supporting cast.
The offensive side for the Illini was nearly as ugly. Illinois shot a miserable 2-for-26 from three, largely canceling out its first half success at the rim. The Blue Devils’ size, length, and athleticism on defense bothered Illinois and the Illini’s inability to make any open looks from deep gave them no chance of hanging around.
