The 2026-27 season is finally tipping off with the Illinois basketball program taking on Fairleigh Dickinson.
It has not been a smooth few months for the Illini. Injuries have been the story of the offseason, with the biggest hit coming when David Mirkovic had foot surgery. The timeline of his return is murky, but Illinois will most likely be without the preseason All-American for a few weeks.
That leaves the door open for Fairleigh Dickinson to have some semblance of hope. Thankfully, Brad Underwood has built the Orange and Blue with plenty of depth to sustain a speed bump this season.
Here is the Illinois basketball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson: How to watch, odds, injuries, announcers & more
How to watch Illinois basketball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
Date: Monday, November 2, 2026
Time: 7:00 p.m. CT/8:00 p.m. ET
Venue: State Farm Center – Champaign, Illinois
How to watch (TV/Streaming): Big Ten Network/BTN+
Radio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network
Illinois record: 0-0
Fairleigh Dickinson record: 0-0
Announcers for Illinois basketball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
Play-by-play: TBD
Color: TBD
Reporter: TBD
Illinois basketball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson odds, spread, and total
N/A (no line has been set yet)
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Illinois basketball injury report
F David Mirkovic (left foot) – Out
C Tomislav Ivisic (knee) – Questionable
W Andrej Stojakovic (head) – Questionable
Fairleigh Dickinson injury report
None
Illinois basketball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson series history
All-time meetings: 2
Illinois all-time record vs. UIC: 2-0
Last meeting: Friday, December 29, 2023 (W- 104-71)
Last win over Fairleigh Dickinson: Friday, December 29, 2023 (W- 104-71)
This isn't a long series, but it has been one that is fruitful for the Illinois basketball program.
The last meeting between Illinois and Fairleigh Dickinson came a few years ago. Illinois trounced the Knights by a score of 104-71. This was a much better, and less stressful, result than the first meeting between the two teams.
You have to go back to the first round of the 2005 NCAA tournament to find this matchup. Illinois would eventually get to the national championship, but Fairleigh Dickinson gave us everything they had. The Illini only won the first round matchup against the No. 16 seed 67-55.
I fully expect round three to be the same as the second matchup. Illinois should be able to take control of this contest early and put Fairleigh Dickinson away.
This article was originally published on www.writingillini.com as Illinois basketball vs. Fairleigh Dickinson: How to watch, odds, injuries, announcers & more.