Illinois basketball didn’t sleepwalk through its first outing of the 2026-27 season – it was actually wide awake, to the tune of a 120-45 win – but it certainly could have if it wanted to.

Everything went right for the Illini en route to a record-setting win. The defense was downright dominant. On offense, the ball whipped around the floor so quick it almost had an electric current. And the Illini hit shots.

Previewing Illinois basketball vs. Penn

At the State Farm Center on Thursday (7:30 p.m. CT, FS1), though, it won’t be that easy. Reigning Ivy League champs Penn, which returns a whopping 77.9 percent of its minutes from a season ago (ninth-most in the country), comes to Champaign for its season opener.

The Quakers’ last game? A 105-70 defeat in the 2026 NCAA Tournament first round, at the hands of none other than Illinois. This Big Dance rematch may be more competitive than that opening-round matchup.

Penn, led by former long-tenured Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, has the experience, not to mention high-level talent (stud forward TJ Power was a five-star recruit out of high school), to compete with Illinois.

How to watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Penn Quakers

Selfless basketball.

📅 Nov. 5
🆚 Penn
⏰ 7:30 pm CT
📍State Farm Center
📺 FS1 pic.twitter.com/IK1lUlN8xD

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 4, 2026

What's the event?

No. 3 Illinois will face Penn.

Where and when are Illinois and Penn playing?

The State Farm Center in Champaign, on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. CT.

How to watch Illinois vs. Penn

Illinois vs. Penn will be broadcast on FS1.

How to listen to Illinois vs. Penn

Local audio of the game can be heard on radio affiliates of the Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (Champaign: WDWS 93.9 FM or 1400 AM; Chicago: WLS 890 AM) and streamed at Fighting Illini Productions and the Varsity Network App.

What happened when Illinois last played Penn?

Dating all the way back to the first meeting between these programs in December 1947, the Illini have yet to lost. They are 7-0 against the Quakers. In fact, Penn has played Illinois within single digits just once – and most certainly not in their most recent meeting.

Earlier this year, in March, the Illini blasted the Quakers by 35 points in Greenville, South Carolina, led by a monstrous 29-point, 17-rebound performance from forward David Mirkovic in just 28 minutes. Four other Illinois players scored in double digits, but only one returns this year: Tomislav Ivisic.

And with Mirkovic out (along with, presumably, Jake Davis), that leaves the Illini with a mostly new-look squad to take on the Quakers. One thing that likely won’t change from a season ago: the rebound differential. Illinois blasted Penn 48-25 on the glass. Expect the number on Thursday night to resemble that disparity.