- Matchup: Penn Quakers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini
- Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
- Venue: State Farm Center, Champaign, IL
- Broadcast: FS1
- Current Odds/Spread: Penn (+27.5)
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The Penn Quakers, who ended last season with an 18-12 record, are set to compete at State Farm Center against the Illinois Fighting Illini, fresh off a 28-9 season. Penn will enter this contest as 27.5-point underdogs, with the over/under set at 162 points.
In their last encounter, the Quakers faced off against Illinois and were defeated 105-70. Penn wrapped up the game with a field goal percentage of 44.8% (30 of 67) and made 9 of 30 attempts from beyond the arc. They converted 1 of 2 free throw opportunities, bringing their free throw shooting percentage to 50.0%. On the boards, they registered a total of 21 rebounds, including 7 offensive grabs, coupled with 13 assists, and forced their opponents into 2 turnovers while recording 2 steals. Defensively, Penn allowed Illinois to shoot 50.0% from the field, hitting 37 of 74 shots. The Fighting Illini, for their part, logged 15 assists and achieved 2 steals during the game. They dominated the rebounds with a total of 46 (18 offensively and 28 defensively) but had no blocked shots. Illinois performed admirably at the foul line, sinking 16 of 21 attempts for a free throw percentage of 76.2%, and made 15 of 36 three-point attempts. Personal fouls were a concern for Penn, who committed 22, while Illinois recorded 10.
Michael Zanoni was a standout player, finishing the game shooting 50.0% from the floor with 20 points on 9 of 18 shooting, along with 1 assist and 1 rebound in 30 minutes of play.
In preparation for this matchup, Penn Quakers are looking to improve on last season’s 18-12 record. They averaged 10.7 turnovers and committed 16.8 fouls per game. As a unit, the Quakers were effective on the boards, averaging 36.0 rebounds per game, and ranked 255th in assists with a total of 418 last season. They shot 38.2% from three-point land (243 of 636) and an overall free throw percentage of 69.3%. Penn averaged 75.9 points per game, placing them 174th nationally, with a shooting percentage of 44.1% from the field.
Defensively, the Quakers forced an average of 12.2 turnovers per game while drawing 18.6 personal fouls. Their defense ranked 187th in allowing assists, giving up a total of 442 last year. Opponents shot 45.3% against them (828 of 1,828), while Penn surrendered an average of 36.5 rebounds and allowed 32.2% shooting from long range, landing 194th in points allowed per game (74.4).
In their previous matchup, the Illinois Fighting Illini achieved a commanding 120-45 victory over Fairleigh Dickinson. They limited Fairleigh Dickinson to 18 total rebounds while allowing only 3 offensive. The Fighting Illini’s shooting from beyond the arc was subpar, connecting on only 5 of 33 attempts for a 15.2% rate, and they made 6 of 11 free throws, good for 54.5%. The Illini allowed Fairleigh Dickinson to shoot just 27.9% from the field, as they made 17 of 61 attempts. On the offensive end, Illinois shot an efficient 55.4%, going 46 of 83 from the field and connecting on 19 of 51 from three-point range (37.3%). With 16 free throw attempts, they made 9, achieving a 56.3% conversion rate. Fairleigh Dickinson fouled 15 times, which gave Illinois additional opportunities at the line as they recorded 7 steals and turned the ball over 7 times while grabbing a total of 61 rebounds (40 defensively and 21 offensively).
Andrej Stojakovic shined for Illinois, scoring 20 points in just 20 minutes of play, complemented by 4 assists and 7 rebounds, shooting an impressive 81.8% (9 of 11) in the game.
Last season, Illinois traipsed through with a 28-9 record, averaging 13.4 personal fouls and an impressive 78.0% from the free throw line. They averaged 14.2 assists per game, ranking 155th nationally, and turned the ball over 8.7 times per game. The Illini amassed a total of 3,079 points last season, averaging 83.2 points per game, and claimed 41.1 rebounds per outing while shooting 46.1% from the field, landing 115th in the nation.
Defensively, Illinois allowed opponents a 31.3% shooting rate from three-point land (316 of 1,011) while letting teams hit 73.8% from the foul line. They allowed an average of 22.3 assists and 30.8 rebounds per game, ranking 324th and 19th respectively. The Fighting Illini’s defense ranked 51st in the nation for points allowed, averaging 68.8 points per game, and they forced 7.7 turnovers on average while limiting shooting percentage to 40.6% from the field (24th in Division 1).
Who will emerge victorious in this NCAA matchup against the spread?
Prediction: Bet on Penn (+27.5)
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