Illinois Basketball's Next Shot to Upset an NCAA No. 1 – Tennessee – Is Coming Soon

The Vols should be atop the polls when they visit the State Farm Center next weekend

Tennessee guard Chaz Lanier (2) attempts a shot past Syracuse forward Chris Bell (4) during a college basketball game between Tennessee and Syracuse held at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Dec. 3, 2024. / Brianna Paciorka/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Anyone else remember it?

"How about that! Are you kidding me!?"

That was ESPN's Joe Tessitore's call of Tyler Griffey's buzzer-beating layup to lift unranked Illinois over top-ranked Indiana 74-72 at the State Farm Center on Feb. 7, 2013 – the Illini's last win against a national No. 1.

"HOW ABOUT THAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"@tylergriffey helps @IlliniMBB stun then-No. 1 Indiana in 2013.#FlashbackFriday pic.twitter.com/c4monM9Dk7

— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) July 13, 2018

Of course you remember it.

On Saturday, Dec. 14, again on its home floor, Illinois should get another crack at No. 1. That's the day Tennessee comes calling.

Current No. 1 Kansas lost at Creighton on Wednesday. No. 2 Auburn lost at Duke on Wednesday. No. 3 Tennessee blew the doors off Syracuse 96-70 on Tuesday to get to 8-0 and won't play again until after the next AP Top 25 has been settled. Time for the Volunteers to take a turn in the top spot? It certainly seems so.

The Vols have one game before visiting the Illini, against one-loss Miami at Madison Square Garden in New York. If they win that – and they ought to – the scene in Champaign will be beyond electric. Even if they lose, though, they'll still bring the No. 1 ranking onto the court with them. Beyond electric, either way.

The Vols are a dynamite team led by Zakai Zeigler, one of the best pure point guards in the country, and scorer Chaz Lanier, one of the great finds out of the transfer portal.

The 19th-ranked Illini are pretty good themselves. They'll have two Big Ten games under their belts – at Northwestern and at home against Wisconsin – and the talent to beat anybody, anywhere.

love it when Chaz does this

📺 ESPN
📲 https://t.co/b1Xf7xShA5 pic.twitter.com/2DVHn2kgEt

— Tennessee Basketball (@Vol_Hoops) December 4, 2024

What a test for first-year players Kasparas Jakucionis, Will Riley and Tomislav Ivisic. Not to mention for everyone else on the Illini side. What an opportunity for coach Brad Underwood and his team. What excitement for Illini fans.

A takedown of No. 1, though? Barring the unforseeable, that's what we're all going to get to find out.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois Basketball vs. Northwestern: Odds, Trends and Prediction

Illinois Basketball Makes Impression in NCAA's Initial NET Rankings

How to Watch: Illinois Basketball at Northwestern (Game 8)