Nov 11, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders forward JT Toppin (15) defends against Illinois Fighting Illini guard Andrej Stojakovic (2) during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Preview: Illinois Basketball vs. Colgate (Game 4)

Originally posted on Illinois Fighting Illini on SI
By Jason Langendorf | Last updated Nov 13, 2025 9:19 AM ET

Despite currently missing arguably its best player and projected starting point guard, and having received zero starts from its star transfer and emerging go-to scorer, No. 14 Illinois (3-0) couldn't have asked for a much better start to its season as it prepares to host Colgate at the State Farm Center in Champaign on Friday (8 p.m. CT, B1G+).

Center Tomislav Ivisic remains out, but Mihailo Petrovic may finally make his season debut against the Raiders, joining Andrej Stojakovic in an Illini rotation that, slowly but surely, is returning to health. It may be that the best Colgate coach Matt Langel can hope for is to catch the Illini in transition, After Illinois destroyed a pair of mid-majors at home and then took down No. 11 Texas Tech despite playing less than its best, the Raiders will be grasping at anything that even hints at an advantage in this matchup.Here's more information on Friday's non-conference matchup in Champaign:

How to watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Colgate Raiders

The best part about it: it’s only the beginning. pic.twitter.com/REBW7thE88
— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) November 13, 2025

Who: Illinois Fighting Illini (3-0) vs. Colgate (1-2)
What: Non-conference matchup
When: Friday, Nov. 14 at 8 p.m. CT
Where: State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois
TV/streaming: B1G+
Radio/audio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (Champaign: WDWS 93.9 FM or 1400 AM; Chicago: WLS 890 AM); Fighting Illini Productions; Varsity Network App
This season: Illinois rolled mid-major opponents Jackson State and Florida Gulf Coast at home before hosting No. 11 Texas Tech on Tuesday, when it gritted out an 81-77 win at the State Farm Center for its first milestone win of 2025-26. Colgate, coming off a 14-19 (10-8 Patriot League) record last season, hung with Michigan State into the second half of a season-opening loss before dropping a home game to Northeastern and on Tuesday beating Drexel for its first win of the season.
Series history: Illinois is 5-0 against Colgate all time, most recently topping the Raiders 74-57 on Dec. 17, 2023.

What to know about Colgate

Langel has turned Colgate into one of college basketball's most respected mid-major programs, leading the Raiders to four straight NCAA Tournaments (2021-2024) and 20 wins in five of six seasons – what likely would have been an unbroken streak if not for COVID.

Guard Jalen Cox and forward Sam Wright lead an efficient, sharpshooting Raiders attack, but Langel lacks the athletes, size and depth to hold up (particularly in the frontcourt) against a skilled, deep, relentless Illini roster. There is a world in which Cox, Wright and Kyle Carlesimo (nine threes through three games) get scorching hot from behind the arc, the Raiders find a way to slow the pace to a crawl and Illinois can't get out of its own way – but that world lies in a faraway dimension nowhere near the State Farm Center floor where Colgate figures to take its lumps Friday.

This article first appeared on Illinois Fighting Illini on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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