How to Watch Illinois Women's Basketball vs. Southeast Missouri State (Game 1)

After back-to-back postseason appearances and a steady climb up the Big Ten ladder, the Illini will be young but finally have a deep roster that blends size, athleticism, shooting and defense to give Green flexibility like never before. Junior guard Jasmine Brown-Hagger and sophomore forward Berry Wallace return after taking major steps forward last season, while Illinois welcomes a wave of newcomers ready to make an instant impact. Headlining is Illinois Ms. Basketball and Gatorade Player of the Year Destiny Jackson, joined by top recruits Cearah Parchment and Naomi Benson, as well as Iowa transfer Aaliyah Guyton.

Even with injuries already (and again) compromising the team’s early-season rotations, the Illini seem to have the pieces to contend in a loaded Big Ten. The opener against SEMO offers a first look at a group with legitimate postseason aspirations and the firepower to deliver on them. For Green and the Illini, it’s no longer about rebuilding. They're chasing something bigger.

Here's more information on Tuesday's season opener:

How to watch Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Southeast Missouri State Redhawks

• Who: Illinois Fighting Illini women (0-0) vs. Southeast Missouri State Redhawks (0-0)
• What: Season opener for both schools
• When: Tuesday, Nov. 4 at 6 p.m. CT
• Where: State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois
• Promotion: Military Appreciation Game; free tickets for veterans and active duty military through VetTix
• TV/streaming: B1G+ (Annual pass: $89.99; Monthly pass: $12.99/month. Use code "BESTDEAL50" for 50 percent off an annual pass. To purchase a subscription, click here. For more information, visit bigtenplus.com.)
• Radio/audio: Busey Bank Illini Sports Network (Champaign: WDWS 93.9 FM or 1400 AM); Fighting Illini Productions; Varsity Network App
• Last season: Illinois went 22-10 overall and finished fifth out of 18 teams in the Big Ten with an 11-7 conference record in coach Shauna Green's third season in Champaign. The Illini won their first-round NCAA Tournament game – the program's first in 25 years – after winning the inaugural 2024 Women's Basketball Invitation Tournament (WBIT) a year earlier. Illinois enters this season with a heralded group of freshman that espnW ranked No. 7 in its class of 2025 recruiting rankings.
• Series history: Illinois is 1-0 against Southeast Missouri State, with the only meeting between the schools coming in 1975 in Champaign. The Illini defeated the Redhawks 60-50.

What to know about Southeast Missouri State

At first glance, Illinois’ regular-season opener against Southeast Missouri State might look like a comfortable home matchup – a chance to ease into the season before the grind of Big Ten play begins. But underestimate the Redhawks at your own risk.

Southeast Missouri enters Friday’s contest picked to finish ninth in the Ohio Valley Conference preseason poll, yet second-year head coach Briley Palmer has made it clear that rankings won’t define her program. “Rankings don’t define us – work does,” Palmer said about the preseason prediction. “Year 2 is about earning every ounce of respect through how we compete, prepare and represent SEMO. We’re not asking for it. We’re earning it.” That mantra has set a gritty, determined tone in Cape Girardeau.

The Redhawks return two key contributors in graduate guard Lexi McCully and sophomore center Ainaya Williams, both of whom earned spots on the OVC preseason watch list. McCully, the team’s top scorer last year, averaged 11.2 points per game and shot over 86 percent from the line. Williams, meanwhile, provides a strong interior presence after leading the team in rebounding (5.2 per game) and blocked shots (2.0 per game) as a freshman while converting nearly 50 percent of her attempts from the field.

For Illinois, this is a classic early-season trap game – a mid-major opponent with experience, size and nothing to lose. Green’s Illini have the talent to dictate the pace, but they’ll need to match SEMO’s toughness and energy from the start. The Redhawks may not have the national spotlight, but their belief and work ethic make them far from a pushover. If the Illini aren’t sharp, this opener could be more competitive than many suspect.