NASHVILLE – College basketball madness takes over the Music City when Tennessee battles Illinois on Saturday, Dec. 6 at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Veteran event promoter bdG Sports announced the game today. Tip-off time will be announced at a later date and the game will be broadcast on ESPN networks.
Tennessee enters the 2025-26 season with high expectations following Elite Eight finishes in each of the past two NCAA Tournaments. Rick Barnes’ squad will be bolstered by the addition of top-five recruit Nate Ament (6-9 forward from Manassas, Va.) and Maryland transfer Ja’Kobi Gillespie (14.7 points per game last season). Barnes has transformed the Vols into one of the SEC’s elite programs with five straight top-4 finishes in the league including a regular season title in 2024 and an SEC Tournament crown in 2022.
“Our program is really looking forward to this matchup with Illinois,” Barnes said. “We have a great deal of respect for Brad Underwood and the Illini, and we know playing them will help prepare us for SEC action. The opportunity to compete in Nashville, a city filled with diehard Tennessee fans, is always special and we can’t wait to see Vol Nation pack Bridgestone Arena.”
Coach Brad Underwood has established Illinois as one of the best programs in the nation, year-in, year-out. The Fighting Illini have won two Big Ten Tournament titles since 2021 with a regular season crown in 2022. Illinois will have a heavy international feel next season with the additions of transfers Andrej Stojakovic (California) and Zvonimir Ivisic (Arkansas) along with newcomer David Mirkovic (Montenegro). The Illini return three key starters as well in Ivisic’s brother, Tomislav Ivisic, Kylan Boswell and Ben Humrichous.
“Coming off an extremely competitive home-and-home series with Tennessee, we are excited to continue that partnership and meet in Nashville on Dec. 6, along with a game in Chicago in 2027,” Underwood said. “Playing the SEC will prepare us well for the Big Ten race, and you know when you’re facing the Rick Barnes-led Vols that you are going up against as tough and talented a team as there is in college basketball. We’re excited to make our program’s first-ever visit to Bridgestone Arena and know the Illini FamILLy will travel to Nashville as well.”
The game in Nashville will mark only the sixth meeting between the two schools. Tennessee owns a 4-1 advantage in the series, including an 86-79 win in Knoxville in 2023 and a 66-64 victory in Champaign last season. Illinois claimed a 103-79 win in 1988.
The game is one of two being produced by bdG Sports in Nashville that weekend. The night before, Kentucky will battle Gonzaga at Bridgestone Arena as well.
For the Tennessee-Illinois game, tickets will go on-sale to the public on Friday, July 18 at 10 a.m. CT through Ticketmaster. For the latest information, fans can visit www.tennesseeillinois.com or follow @bdglobalsports on social media.
