Arkansas and Illinois will meet on the hardwood on Nov. 28 (Thursday) at Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center with tipoff set for 3 pm (CT). The game will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ as a part of their Thanksgiving Day sports programming.
Public online ticket sales will begin on Aug. 28 at 10 am (CT) at www.AXS.com and through the AXS app. Complete event information can be found at www.thanksgivinghoopsshowcase.com and on social media at @bdGlobalSports.com. Arkansas fans will receive information on purchasing a limited number of tickets at a later date.
This year’s Arkansas and Illinois men’s basketball programs have several ties to each other.
First, the game will pit the Ivišić twin brothers against one another. Arkansas’ 7-2 Zvonimir is in his second year as a collegian and his younger brother (by four minutes), Illinois’ 7-1 Tomisiav, is set to play in his inaugural collegiate season.
Second, the Razorbacks have assistant coach Chin Coleman, who worked on Illinois head coach Brad Underwood’s staff from 2017-21, while the Fighting Illini have associate head coach Orlando Antigua, a longtime staffer under Razorback head coach John Calipari at both Memphis and Kentucky.
Arkansas and Illinois last met on Mar. 16, 2023, in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Razorbacks won that meeting, 73-63, thanks to a double-double from Ricky Council IV (18 points and 10 rebounds). However, Illinois leads the all-time series, 5-1.
Arkansas and Illinois both played in Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center in the 2021 Hall of Fame Classic. The teams did not meet in the Classic and Arkansas was the Classic champion thanks to wins over Kansas State and Cincinnati. With those two wins in 2021, Arkansas improved to 8-6 all-time in Kansas City. Notably, the Razorbacks played in two Final Fours in the city (1941 and 1945) and won the 1995 NCAA Midwest Regional to advance to the Final Four.
FROM THE COACHES
Arkansas Head Coach John Calipari
“What a great opportunity CBS is giving Arkansas and Illinois. Thanksgiving is a day that gets all of America – whether you are a sports fan or not – watching sports on TV. Playing in this time slot will provide tremendous exposure for both programs. Kansas City’s T-Mobile Center is a premier arena that is located close enough that both fan bases can attend. We have a great deal of respect for Coach Underwood and his Illinois program, and we know this game will be one the whole nation will be interested in seeing.”
Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood
“We are thrilled for this opportunity. Playing in Kansas City – a tremendous basketball city that is near and dear to me – and taking on a great opponent in Arkansas, led by a Hall of Fame Coach in Coach Calipari, is a big test for our team. It is an honor for Illinois Basketball to play on CBS on Thanksgiving Day; we know the sports world will be watching.”
