Following a heartbreaker at home, Alabama will seek college basketball redemption in Chicago against an Illinois group fresh off a statement win.
A potential Final Four matchup on college basketball’s men’s front will be staged in the Second City.
Fresh off a statement victory at home in Champaign, the Illinois Fighting Illini will make the two-hour-plus drive to Chicago, where the Alabama Crimson Tide awaits on Wednesday night. The two sides will do battle at United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls and the greatest exploits of Michael Jordan.
Four Crimson Tide stars reached double-figures in scoring, paced by 21 from Aden Holloway, but that wasn’t enough to stop a 29-point barrage from Braden Smith, the headliner of the Boilermakers’ 7-0 run over the final 100-plus seconds. The lead changed hands 21 times over the fateful 40 minutes, and neither team led by more than eight.
This will be the sixth all-time meeting between the Crimson Tide and the Fighting Illini, the former winning all but the original matchup in 1953. The two sides met last season in a similarly styled game in Birmingham, one that the Tide won 100-87. Holloway came off the bench to score 18 points while fellow Tuscaloosa returnees Labaron Philon and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. each put up 16, the former also dishing out nine assists.
Who: No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide (2-1) vs. No. 11 Illinois Fighting Illini (4-0)Where: United Center, Chicago, ILWhen/Watch: Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET, FS1Who’s Favored: ILL -2.5 (o/u: 180.5)
Alabaman to Watch: Aden Holloway
Last year’s meeting with the Illini was a sign that Holloway was ready for bigger things in the Tide’s ride, as he came off the bench to put up a stunning shooting show. Now one of the top elephants in the backcourt with Mark Sears and Chris Youngblood gone, Holloway has lived up to his expanded hype by posting back-to-back 21-point performances after missing the opener against UND.
The Auburn transfer has the ability to take the Tide far: when he scores at least 15 points, Alabama is 10-2 over the last two seasons. If the Tide is going to struggle on the boards (more on that in a minute), it’s vital that they make the most of every possession. Relying on the talents of Holloway might be the perfect way to do that.
Fans of high-energy, fast-paced basketball should be in for a treat tonight when No. 11 @AlabamaMBB visits Chicago to face No. 8 @IlliniMBB in the United Center.
Illinois (4-0) is up to its highest November ranking since 2020 with an impressive victory already over Texas Tech,… pic.twitter.com/x9mRTpdspM
— Tide Hoops History (@BamaHistory) November 19, 2025
Illini to Watch: David Mirkovic
Despite bringing in Aiden Sherrell in last year’s freshman haul and Taylor Bol Bowen from Florida State in this offseason’s portal, the Tide has struggled in the rebounding department: against Purdue, for example, Alabama was outrebounded by 24, with the Boilermakers going plus-12 on the offensive glass alone.
That could be blood in the water for David Mirkovic, a four-star recruit out of Montenegro, who joined the likes of Zach Edey, Derik Queen, and more as the only BIG men to post a 20-20 game. But Illinois head coach Brad Underwood, while appreciative of Mirkovic’s efforts, wants to see him do that on a higher stage, as the Illini stole a win from Texas Tech despite only four boards landing in his arms. With the medical status of junior Tomislav Ivišić still up in the air, it’ll be imperative for Mirkovic to rise to a national occasion.
They Said It
“We’ve got issues on the glass. We knew it in our exhibition games. We knew it in our intrasquad scrimmages. We knew it up at St. John’s. We did a pretty good job. We outrebounded them by one. Until we figure out how to make tougher plays, rebound the basketball at a much higher level, we’re going to have a hard time beating the best teams in the country.”—Alabama head coach Nate Oats (h/t Field Level Media)
“[Alabama has] got tremendous guard play. Good wings. Good size. It’ll be an interesting matchup. I think we’ve done a great job of trying to replicate their style of play, practice playing against them … Obviously, we knew [Mirkovic] was capable of such a thing, but we’re not going to put the pressure and expectation on him to do it every night. That’s what coach (Underwood) is harping on for everyone to crash the glass, everyone to rebound. We understand it’s going to be a different guy every night.”—Stojakovic (h/t Evy York, The Daily Illini)
Prediction
Again, these are two teams who could well represent the men’s side in the Final Four, but Wednesday provides a major opportunity to leave a lasting impression. The difference in early non-conference showdowns, especially those that seek the settings of NBA arenas, comes down to who needs that proverbial statement more.
Entering Wednesday night, that’s probably Alabama, which has to stock up on outings against prime competition with Purdue’s visit in the rearview mirror and elite showdowns in Las Vegas’ Players Era Festival on the horizon.
If an offensive explosion ignites in Chicago, expect the Tide to roll.
Alabama 96, Illinois 90
Geoff Magliocchetti is on X @GeoffJMags
