How to Watch: Illinois Basketball vs. Chicago State (Game 12)

The Cougars aren't expected to pose a threat, but the Illini can still give the people what they want

Illinois forward Carey Booth (0) drives on a defender in the Illini's 90-58 win over SIU Edwardsville on Nov. 8 at the State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. / University of Illinois athletics

How to Watch

Illinois (8-3, 1-1 Big Ten) vs. Chicago State (0-14, 0-0 Northeast Conference)

Day and time: Sunday (Dec. 29) at 1 p.m. CT
Venue: State Farm Center, Champaign, Illinois
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: ESPN app
Listen: WDWS-AM 1400 (Champaign)
WLS-AM 890 (Chicago)
Illini Sports Network affiliates (other local markets)
Varsity Network app
SiriusXM 372
SXM App 372

Odds and Ends

Favorite: None
Over/under: None
Illinois vs. Missouri all time: Illinois leads the series 13-0
Streak: Illinois has won 13 in a row against Chicago State
Last meeting: No. 8 Illinois 97, Chicago State 38 (Nov. 26, 2020 at the State Farm Center)

Probable Illinois starters:

G Kasparas Jakucionis
G Kylan Boswell
G Tre White
F Ben Humrichous
C Tomislav Ivisic

Do or do not, there is no try.

📅 Dec. 29
🆚 Chicago State
⏰ 1 p.m. CT
📍 @statefarmcenter
📺 @bigtennetwork
🎟 https://t.co/bIsyzwSeGR#Illini | #HTTO | #EveryDayGuys pic.twitter.com/R2TL53nvij

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) December 28, 2024

Smart-Fan Stuff

Key stat: 17.9

Illinois' current scoring margin of plus-17.9 points per game would rank No. 2 in program history – behind the 1942-43 Illini, who outscored opponents by 20.6 points per game. That's a tough number to sustain, but don't be surprised if it swells Sunday. The Cougars, after going 13-19 as an independent in 2023-24, have yet to win a game this season and currently have the third-worst scoring margin among 355 Division I programs: minus-23.4 per game.

Quick tips:

• Chicago State will be it for Illinois' remaining non-conference home games. With nothing left but the Big Ten schedule, a neutral-site game against No. 4 Duke at Madison Square Garden on Feb. 22 and tournament play, the road gets far more treacherous from here.

• It's hard to imagine Chicago State mounting the slightest hint of a threat against Illinois, but there was a time in not-too-distant memory when the Cougars made a run at the Illini. Sure, circumstances were different: In 2015, Illinois was 1-3 and spent all of November on the road as final renovations were being made on the State Farm Center. The Cougars came up just short as Jalen Coleman-Lands hit a three at the buzzer to help the Illini slip by 82-79.

Illinois on SI Prediction

Let's not spend too much time chopping this one up. The Cougars aren't in a good place, and the Illini have already chewed up a handful of mid-majors that could very well thump the Cougars themselves. This is, for all intents and purposes, a last moment to take a quick breath before the climb steepens, as well as a chance to get certain Illini more burn.

The hope: 15-plus minutes for forwards Carey Booth and Jake Davis, who are making small contributions here and there but have thus far been victimized by the Illini's talent and versatility. And it may be a while before AJ Redd and Keaton Kutcher see the floor again, so Illini fans will want to see a big second-half lead to give the two junior guards a chance to put in more than a last-minute cameo. Let's see what they can do.

Illinois 97, Chicago State 49

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Why the Best May Be Yet to Come for Illinois Basketball's Kylan Boswell

3 Big Takeaways From Illinois Basketball's Rivalry Win Against Missouri

Illinois Basketball Report Card: Grades vs. Missouri (Game 11)