Oregon’s perfect run through its nonconference men’s basketball schedule – including three straight wins – has given it plenty of momentum heading into its upcoming 18-game stretch of Big Ten Conference play.
The ninth-ranked Ducks will take any edge they can get.
Oregon, which is 1-1 in conference play and 12-1 overall, resumes its Big Ten schedule at 7 p.m. Thursday against No. 22 Illinois (9-3, 1-1) at Matthew Knight Arena. That game will be followed with a 1 p.m. home game on Sunday against No. 24 Maryland.
“We’re about to have a really good schedule coming up so we’re just trying to play our best basketball right now,” point guard Jackson Shelstad said after the Ducks’ 89-49 win against Weber State this past Sunday. “I think we’re ready. We’re excited for the challenge, and it starts Thursday.”
The Fighting Illini arrive in Eugene with a an offense averaging 86.4 points per game and a defense that allows 65.6. Those rank fourth and sixth, respectively, in the conference. Illinois is also the top rebounding team in the Big Ten at 45.4 per game.
The Ducks rank 10th in scoring (79.5), are tied at sixth in points allowed (65.6) and fifth in rebounding (38.5).
Kasparas Jakucionis, a 6-foot-6 freshman guard, is the Illini’s scoring leader at 16.3 points per game on 48.7% shooting. He also averages 5.8 rebounds and 5.3 assists.
Tomislav Ivisic, a 7-1, 255-pound sophomore center, averages 14.7 points on 54.0% shooting and 9.2 rebounds. He’ll be matched up against Nate Bittle, the Ducks’ leading scorer (13.2 ppg) and rebounder (8.5).
“They got guys that can score and they take a lot of 3s,” Oregon coach Dana Altman said. “Rebounding’s going to be a big key and their numbers defensively are very good. We’re gonna have to move the ball, be really strong with it, know what we want out of each possession and do a really good job of getting it.”
How to watch Oregon men’s basketball vs. Illinois
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TV channel: FS1
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Streaming:
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Radio: KUGN (590 AM, 98.1FM), KUJZ (95.3 FM), KFXX (1080 AM, Portland), KYKN (1430 AM, Salem), Sirius: 381
Oregon men’s basketball vs. Illinois game time
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Date: Thursday, Jan. 2
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Start time: 7 p.m. PT
Oregon men’s basketball vs. Illinois predictions, picks, odds
The ESPN Analytics matchup predictor gives Oregon a 53.2% chance to beat Stephen F. Austin.
Oregon men’s basketball 2024-25 schedule
Next five games
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Jan. 2 – vs. Illinois
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Jan. 5 – vs. Maryland
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Jan. 9 – at Ohio State
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Jan. 12 – at Penn State
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Jan. 18 – vs. Purdue
Chris Hansen covers University of Oregon football, men’s basketball, track and field, cross country and softball for The Register-Guard. You can reach him at chansen@registerguard.com and you can follow him on X @chansen_RG
This article originally appeared on Register-Guard: No. 9 Oregon men’s basketball vs. No. 22 Illinois: TV, streaming info
