FightingIllini.com
The Official Home of University of Illinois Athletics
- Men's Sports
- MEN'S SPORTS
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Football
- Golf
- WOMEN'S SPORTS
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
Illinois Announces Non-Conference Schedule
  |
|
Brandon Paul and the Illini will face four teams that participated in last year's NCAA Tournament during non-conference play.
|
July 25, 2011
Champaign, Ill. -
2011-12 Illinois Basketball Non-Conference Schedule 
The Division of Intercollegiate Athletics announced Monday the 2011-12 non-conference schedule for the Illinois men's basketball team. Ten home games, four match-ups with squads that participated in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, and trips to Cancun, Maryland, Chicago and St. Louis highlight the non-conference slate for the Fighting Illini.
Season ticket renewals have been mailed and sent via e-mail. Season ticket holders can renew online at FightingIllini.com, by phone (866-ILLINI-1 or 217-333-3470), mail or in person. The deadline for renewals is Friday, Aug. 19.
In addition, a limited number of C-level season tickets are now on sale for new season ticket holders. Those tickets can be purchased by phone or visiting the ticket office at the Assembly Hall North Box Office.
Illinois tips off the regular season with three consecutive home games. The Illini face Loyola (Chicago) in the opener on Nov. 11, and then host SIU Edwardsville (Nov. 14) and Lipscomb (Nov. 17) at the Assembly Hall as part of the Cancun Challenge.
Illinois next travels to Mexico for the final two rounds of the Cancun Challenge. The Fighting Illini will face Richmond in a semifinal on Nov. 22, while the other semifinal features Illinois State versus Rutgers. The championship and consolation games are slated for the following day, Nov. 23.
The Illini then return to Champaign to take on Chicago State on Nov. 27.
Up next is a pair of marquee matchups. Illinois travels to Maryland on Nov. 29 in the 13th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge. This marks the fourth time the Illini have drawn Maryland in the Challenge, tied with North Carolina as its most frequent ACC opponent in the yearly event.
Following the showdown with the Terrapins, Illinois welcomes Gonzaga to the Assembly Hall on Dec. 3. It is the third game of a four-year series with Gonzaga. Last season, the Illini defeated the Bulldogs in Seattle, 73-61.
The Gonzaga game is the first of a three-game homestand for the Illini, followed by St. Bonaventure on Dec. 7 and Coppin State on Dec. 11.
Illinois makes its annual appearance in Chicago on Dec. 17, facing UNLV at the United Center. It will be a rematch of last year's NCAA Tournament second round game that saw the Illini defeat the Rebels, 73-62.
The Orange and Blue face Cornell on Dec. 19 in its last game at the Assembly Hall prior to Big Ten play.
The Illini wrap up non-conference play in St. Louis, taking on Missouri on Dec. 22 in the 31st edition of the Busch Braggin' Rights at Scottrade Center.
Illinois will play two exhibition games prior to the regular season, hosting Wayne State on Nov. 1 and Quincy on Nov. 7. The Orange and Blue Scrimmage, meanwhile, is scheduled for Oct. 23 at the Assembly Hall.
Times and television information, along with the Big Ten schedule, will be announced when available.
