Two teams that opened the week ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 square off Sunday morning as the Illinois Fighting Illini hit the road to face the Iowa Hawkeyes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
Illinois enters the matchup riding a four-game winning streak and sits at 12–3 overall. The Illini are coming off a dominant 26-point win over Rutgers on Thursday and have not lost since a December 13 home setback against Nebraska. Illinois’ other losses this season came against UConn and Alabama, both away from Champaign.
In Big Ten play, Brad Underwood’s group is 3–1, tied with Minnesota and Indiana for fifth place. Nebraska, Michigan, and Purdue remain unbeaten in league action, while Michigan State has won four of its last five conference games.
Iowa, meanwhile, is 2–2 in Big Ten play and looking to bounce back after a frustrating road loss at Minnesota on Tuesday, which snapped a three-game winning streak. Prior to that, the Hawkeyes’ only other conference losses came on the road against Iowa State and Michigan State.
The Hawkeyes’ best wins this season include a nonconference victory over Ole Miss at home and Big Ten wins against Maryland and UCLA.
Illinois vs. Iowa: When and Where
- Date: Sunday, January 11, 2026
- Time: 11:00 a.m. CT
- Location: Carver-Hawkeye Arena — Iowa City, Iowa
Illinois vs. Iowa: Where to Watch or Stream
- TV: FOX
- Streaming: FuboTV
Illinois vs. Iowa Betting Odds
- Spread: Iowa Hawkeyes -1.5, Illinois Fighting Illini +1.5
- Moneyline: Iowa Hawkeyes -110, Illinois Fighting Illini +100
- Total: 143.5
Illinois vs. Iowa: Series History
- All-time series: Illinois leads 94–77
- Last meeting: Illinois defeated Iowa 106–94 on March 13, 2025
Projected Starting Lineups
Illinois Fighting Illini
- #23 Keaton Wagler — 15.0 ppg
- #4 Kylan Boswell — 14.5 ppg
- #2 Andrej Stojaković — 14.4 ppg
- #00 David Mirković — 12.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg
- #13 Tomislav Ivišić — 9.9 ppg
Iowa Hawkeyes
- #14 Bennett Stirtz — 18.0 ppg
- #6 Tavion Banks — 9.3 ppg
- #3 Cam Manyawu — 7.8 ppg
- #8 Cooper Koch — 7.5 ppg
- #11 Kael Combs — 6.1 ppg
What to Expect
This matchup sets up as one of the more intriguing Big Ten games of the weekend. Iowa should come out motivated after letting a road win slip away earlier in the week, while Illinois arrives playing some of its best basketball of the season.
A road win in Iowa City would be a significant statement for the Illini as they push toward the top of the conference standings. For the Hawkeyes, defending home court against a ranked opponent would provide a timely boost in the middle of the Big Ten race.
Everything points to a competitive, high-level conference battle on Sunday morning.