No. 11 Arizona Basketball travels to Illinois for showdown with Illini

Following a dominant win over Wyoming, No. 11 Arizona Basketball (8-0, 1-0) travels to Champaign for a huge showdown against Illinois (7-2, 0-0).

No. 11 Arizona Basketball is still undefeated as they enter another marquee matchup this weekend, this time it is against a very talented opponent in Illinois.

Fresh off a big win over Wyoming just days ago, the Wildcats had a quick turnaround as they headed to Champaign, IL on Friday evening with a showdown against the Fighting Illini looming.

Already, the Wildcats have had to battle some adversity as inclement weather forced the Wildcats to land in Indianapolis. Beyond that, a tornado alert delayed Arizona a couple of hours, before the team Ubered to their hotel in Champaign.

Coming into this one, Arizona is the slight favorite but should arguably have their toughest challenge yet as they prepare for a skilled and talented Fighting Illini team that is healthy again.

Arizona will have to be ready as they prepare for a rowdy and raucous environment. Hopefully, the travel delays and adversity don’t affect head coach Tommy Lloyd and the Cats as they look to continue their strong play and remain unbeaten on the year.

Getting to Know the details of Arizona Basketball’s opponent, the Illinois Fighting Illini.

Team: Illinois Fighting Illini

Conference: Big 10 Conference

2020-21 Record: Finishing the year with a 24-7 (16-4) record last season, the Fighting Illini ended their year No. 2 in the Big 10 and were a No. 1 seed in the 2021 NCAA Tournament before being knocked out by No. 8 Loyola-Chicago in the Round of 32.

Head Coach: Brad Underwood enters his 5th year with the Fighting Illini after previously making coaching stops at Stephen F. Austin (2013-16) and Oklahoma State (2016-17) before arriving at Illinois. Compiling a 78-58 record at Illinois, he is currently 187-85 (102-48) overall.

Keys to the Game:

Start Fast / Don’t Start Slow – An area where the Wildcats seemingly continue to excel in, once again Arizona needs to come out and play at the pace they are accustomed to and force Illinois to keep up.

Arizona has already had to battle adversity on this trip as they overcame travel delays, but now they will have to overcome playing in a different time zone as well as playing in a rowdy and raucous environment.

Unlike the Cowboys, the Fighting Illini have the talent to keep up, however, Arizona cannot afford to start slow and allow Illinois to carry themselves off that momentum.

Let’s Get Physical – Illinois is a big and physical team, and while the Cats like to play fast, this is a game Arizona might have to grind out if they are going to win.

The Illini have some big players down low and they are not afraid to attack the paint. So for this one, Arizona is going to have to prepare for a battle down low, and play a more physical brand of basketball if they are going to come away with the win.

Of course, the caveat of that is they cannot get into foul trouble either, or it could be a tough day for the Wildcats.

Slow Down Kofi Cockburn – Easier said than done but without a doubt, Kofi is the best player on Illinois, and this Fighting Illini team goes as far he does.

The junior big man is off to a tremendous start so far this year, averaging 22.8 points and 11.8 rebounds in six games, and he has been a big part of the teams’ success.

If Arizona is going to win, they are going to need to contain him the best they can and limit him. If the Wildcats can do that, they have a good chance to win this game.

Arizona Basketball versus Illinois Fighting Illinois game information and details:

Date: Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021

Time: 3:00 P.M. MST / 2:00 P.M. PST

Location: State Farm Center, Champaign, Ill. (15,544)

Spread: -2.5 Arizona (Also, don’t forget to use WynnBet to enhance your overall betting experience)

Television: Fox

Radio: 107.5 FM (Tucson) / 1290AM (Tucson) | Arizona IMG Sports Network

Team Records:

No. 11 Arizona Wildcats (8-0, 1-0): Dominating Wyoming en route to an 8-0 start, Arizona may have their toughest challenge yet as they travel to Champaign, IL, overcoming inclement weather to take on a talented Illinois team.

Illinois Fighting Illini (7-2, 0-0): Off to a terrific start in 2021-22, Illinois is healthy again and will look to use their home court advantage and score the marquee win against the Wildcats.

Head-to-Head Record (since 1949-50): Since 1949-50, Arizona holds a slim lead over the Illini, leading by a 9-6 advantage. The Wildcats have won five of the last six matchups including the last three straight.

Last Meeting vs. Arizona: The Wildcats last played Illinois in 2019 when they were then ranked as the No. 21 team in the country, coming away with the 90-69 victory in Tucson. Josh Green led all scorers with 22 points, while Nico Mannion ended the game with 21.

My Prediction: Arizona 87 Illinois 80 – After dominating Wyoming at home, Arizona should have their toughest challenge yet as they take on the Fighting Illini. Arizona will have their difficulties in this one, but the Wildcats’ play at wing should be the difference as they come away with the close victory.