MAC ON SPORTS: NOTRE DAME, ARIZONA, MISSOURI HEAD ILLINI NON-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
J. Thomas McNamara
The 2021-22 Illinois men’s basketball nonconference schedule is now complete save for an Oct. 23 exhibition game after a Monday morning release that included five new regular season opponents and a second exhibition.
Added to the schedule were an Oct. 29 exhibition against Division II Indiana (Pa.) and regular season games against Jackson State on Nov. 9, Arkansas State on Nov. 12, UT Rio Grande Valley on Nov. 26, St. Francis (Pa.) on Dec. 18 and Florida A&M on Dec. 29. All of the newly-announced games will be played at State Farm Center.
The rest of Illinois’ nonconference opponents had been previously announced. The Illini will play at Marquette in the Gavitt Tipoff Games on Nov. 15 and play Cincinnati in the opening round of the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City, Mo., one week later on Nov. 22. A game against either Arkansas or Kansas State will follow on Nov. 23 in Kansas City, Mo.
The Big Ten/ACC Challenge gives the Illini another home game with a Nov. 29 matchup with Notre Dame. The postponed return game from the 2019-20 trip to Arizona is set for Dec. 11 in Champaign, and Illinois will play for Braggin’ Rights against Missouri on Dec. 22 back in St. Louis.
While Big Ten opponents have been announced for the 2021-22 season, the full schedule has not been released. The Illini will likely play two conference games between facing Notre Dame and Arizona given the Big Ten’s move to early December matchups the past few seasons.
