How to Watch: Illinois Basketball vs. Penn State (Game 15)

The Illini's first home game in 10 days is a conference matchup with a fellow high-paced foe

Jan 2, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kylan Boswell (4) is introduced before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Matthew Knight Arena. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images / Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

How to Watch

No. 13 Illinois (11-3, 3-1 Big Ten) vs. Penn State (12-3, 2-2 Big Ten)

Day and time: Wednesday (Jan. 2) at 3 p.m. CT
Venue: State Farm Center, Champaign, Illinois
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: foxsports.com/live/btn | FOX Sports 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: Illinois (-8.5)*
Over/under: 163.5*
Illinois vs. Penn State all time: Illinois leads the series 32-23
Streak: Penn State has won four in a row against Illinois
Last meeting: Penn State 90, No. 12 Illinois 89, (Feb. 21, 2024, University Park, Pennsylvania)

*Figures as of Tuesday night

Probable Illinois starters:

G Kasparas Jakucionis

G Kylan Boswell

G Tre White

F Ben Humrichous

C Tomislav Ivisic

Back in the building.

📅 Jan. 8
🆚 Penn State
⏰ 8 p.m. CT
📍 @statefarmcenter
📺 @bigtennetwork
🎟 https://t.co/bIsyzwSeGR pic.twitter.com/QHDI1D7xwI

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) January 7, 2025

Smart-Fan Stuff

Key stat: 36.4

Over the past five seasons, coach Brad Underwood and the Illini have led the Big Ten in winning percentage, going 69-31 (.690) in league play. But if there has been any squad that seems to always have Illinois’ number, it would be Penn State.

During Underwood’s tenure in Champaign, Illinois has gone just 4-7 (.364) against the Nittany Lions, including a current four-game losing streak – in which the Illini were favored in each game. That includes the last time Illinois hosted Penn State – a game in which the 17th-ranked Illini fell 74-59 at the hands of an unranked Nittany Lions squad. Riding a four-game winning streak into Wednesday’s matchup, Underwood and the again-favored Illini seem poised to put an end to the skid.

Quick tips:

• Both Illinois (87.6 points per game) and Penn State (86.8) rank among the top 10 scoring teams in the nation. The difference is that the Illini love to do their work from beyond the arc – 49.2 percent of their total field-goal attempts are from three – while the Nittany Lions prefer to attack the rim. Regardless, both teams want to get up and down, meaning Champaign is in for a high-paced, exciting barnburner of a matchup on Wednesday.

• Penn State lead guard Ace Baldwin Jr. – the reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year – has continued his defensive output (2.1 steals per game) while bolstering his offense to flourish into the full package. The senior guard is averaging career highs in both points (14.8) and assists (8.4), with the latter figure ranking fourth in the country.

Illinois on SI Prediction

Penn State has been a thorn in Illinois’ side for the past few years, and you could argue that the metrics, odds and records should be tossed aside when these teams meet Wednesday. And yet, there probably hasn’t been a matchup between these clubs that seemed to favor the Illini more than this one during the Underwood era.

The Nittany Lions love to play fast. The trouble for them is, that’s also Illinois’ game – and the Illini are arguably better at it. Factor in Penn State’s mediocrity on the glass for a Power Four squad (PSU has lost the rebounding battle in all four of its conference games), and it seems Illinois is the obvious favorite here. It's worth noting, though, that the Nittany Lions turn opponents over 16.9 times per game (ninth in the country), which could spell trouble for an Illini team that has struggled at times to take care of the rock. Even given that tidbit, Illinois has the upper hand in most other areas and figures to be too great a handful for the visitors.

Illinois 89, Penn State 83

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois Basketball Report Card: Grades at Washington (Game 14)

Behind Its Offense, Illinois Basketball Climbs the KenPom Rankings

Illinois Coach Brad Underwood Reacts to One 'Bonehead' Play vs. Washington