Faculty basketball’s final Black Friday particular on the lads’s stage will likely be staged at Madison Sq. Backyard.
For the Illinois Combating Illini and the UConn Huskies’ males’s school basketball packages, there’s no low cost on this Black Friday.
Fifth-ranked UConn and No. 13 Illinois are set to stage a incredible follow-up to Thanksgiving motion on Friday, destined for a matinee melee below Madison Sq. Backyard’s iconic roof. It’s the lone scheduled assembly between ranked squads set to be staged as America will get its buying accomplished.
Ranked third in final week’s AP ballot, UConn will likely be simply over per week faraway from a house heartbreaker, dropping a 71-67 resolution to then-No. 4 Arizona in Storrs final Wednesday. They obtained again on observe over the weekend, defeating Bryant by a 72-49 closing on this season’s Hartford debut. Silas Demary Jr. put forth a serendipitous triple-double throughout the Bulldogs’ go to, incomes 10 assists, factors, and rebounds every, whereas Eric Reibe earned 16 factors.
The Huskies additionally put forth a sterling defensive effort, permitting solely 11 profitable area objectives whereas forcing 21 turnovers. UConn will go for its second win on impartial floor in opposition to a ranked opponent this season, beforehand besting BYU in Boston earlier this month behind shared 21-point efforts for Demary, Alex Karaban, and Tarris Reed Jr.
UConn vs. Illinois: Elite 8 Rematch
Illinois is likewise seeking to get well from ranked disappointment final week, as a 90-86 defeat to No. 11 Alabama dropped them 5 spots within the ballot. Kylan Boswell and Andrej Stojakovic united for 19 of the Illini’s 31 area objectives within the Chicago-based defeat, which has since been adopted up by victories in Champaign over LIU and Texas Rio Grande Valley.
The latter, earned on Monday, left one thing to be desired defensively, however Stojakovic as soon as once more took care of issues from the sector with 24 factors on 11-of-17. Illinois likewise has an elite win below its belt, taking down Texas Tech in Champaign again on Nov. 11.
This would be the fifth all-time assembly between the Huskies and Illini, with the previous profitable three of the earlier 4. It’ll even be the primary time they sq. off for the reason that regional closing spherical of the 2024 NCAA Match, a 77-52 benefit in Boston. Donovan Clingan and Cam Spencer every had double-doubles for the Huskies, whose blowout victory served because the prelude for his or her most up-to-date nationwide championship triumph.
What: No. 5 UConn Huskies (5-1) vs. No. 13 Illinois Combating Illini (6-1)The place: Madison Sq. Backyard, New York, NYWhen: Friday, 12:30 p.m. ET, FoxWho’s Favored: UConn -1.5 / -125 ML
Husky to Watch: Eric Reibe
The Huskies definitely missed Samson Johnson and the NBA-bound Liam McNeeley in opposition to the Wildcats final week: compelled to cope with Motiejus Krivas and Koa Peat, the Huskies had been handily outrebounded by 20. Krivas and Peat united for 26 on their very own, whereas no Husky had greater than Reibe’s 4.
A real freshman out of The Bullis Faculty and Orange Academy, the German-born Eric Reibe has gotten an opportunity to showcase his scoring prowess during the last two video games, placing up 31 factors during the last two mixed. Illinois has likewise re-upped within the skyscraper division, roundly having fun with the inside antics of David Mirković and extra. One other standout efficiency from Reibe, one that might doubtlessly function a nationwide introduction, may assist the Huskies safe one other elite victory on the Dan Hurley ledger.
As UConn hoops will get set to return to Boston for the primary time for the reason that 2024 Elite Eight in opposition to Illinois – let’s re-live UConn going a 30-0 run in that sport.
Simply an insane show of basketball.
For a very historic workforce 😮😮pic.twitter.com/b0bUht3s6B
— TorresonUConn (@TorresOnUConn) November 14, 2025
Illini to Watch: Kylan Boswell
It’s most likely buried behind a packed schedule (which additionally encompasses a showdown with Tennessee in Nashville subsequent week), however the matchup in opposition to UTRGV may wind up being a bittersweet turning level of the Illini’s season. Head coach Brad Underwood was publicly displeased with the workforce’s defensive effort, which allowed the Vaqueros to earn 11 profitable 3-pointers and offensive rebounds every.
The 2-way efforts of Kylan Boswell, who will doubtless be tasked with taking over the skilled UConn backcourt duo of Demary and Solo Ball, will likely be big below the Knicks and Rangers’ banners at MSG. Identified for his on-ball work, Boswell can’t let the Huskies get sizzling: it’s the one factor to let UTRGV sink 11 triples. It’s sure doom in opposition to the mighty shooters from Storrs.
They Stated It
“What’s within the turkey? What makes individuals sleepy? We’re not going to eat the (bleeping) tryptophan on Thursday and be sluggish as (bleep) on Friday. So we’re gonna eat the tryptophan, the turkey, and all the things on Wednesday in order that the entire tryptophan is out of our system by the point we get to MSG … I’m grateful for all my household, grateful for my spouse, my children. I’m grateful to be the top coach of the six-time nationwide champion UConn Huskies, to get to symbolize this unimaginable state.”—Hurley on the Huskies’ Thanksgiving schedule (h/t Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant)
Dan Hurley’s Thanksgiving technique:
“We’re not going to eat the f***ing tryptophan on Thursday and be sluggish as shit on Friday”pic.twitter.com/OrfWQ3840l
— The Area of 68 (@TheFieldOf68) November 24, 2025
“Care. Give a rattling in regards to the defensive aspect. I believe we’ve been in a position to rating it fairly successfully in virtually each sport. I believe that mentality has perhaps led to some complacency. On the defensive finish, I assumed we had a lot, significantly better struggle in the present day in apply, and that’s finally on me. Nevertheless it was a sport through which I assumed UTRGV performed more durable than us. That doesn’t occur fairly often, and that’s simply not acceptable.”—Underwood on the Illini’s defensive outlook (h/t Jeremy Werner, 247Sports)
Prediction
All sides is seeking to make a press release after falling in opposition to fellow elite competitors, and there’s a grand stage to drag it off. Whereas Illinois undoubtedly has the instruments to advance long-term this season, even with Kasparas Jakučionis and Will Riley having moved on to the primary spherical of the NBA Draft, it feels safer to belief Hurley’s Huskies at this level on the vacation timeline. With their recruited expertise rising in Storrs, count on UConn to rise to the event on the website of their eight … and certain counting … Huge East Match championships.
UConn 76, Illinois 66
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
