FAYETTEVILLE – Arkansas and Illinois will meet on Thursday, November 28, at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcast live on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ as part of the Thanksgiving Day sports schedule.
Online public ticket sales begin at 10 a.m. CT on August 28 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 how to purchase a limited number of tickets at a later date.
This year’s Arkansas and Illinois men’s basketball programs have several connections.
First, the twin Ivišić brothers will compete against each other. Zvonimir (7-2) of Arkansas is in his second year as a college player and his brother, four minutes younger than him (7-1) of Illinois, will play his first college season.
Second, the Razorbacks have assistant coach Chin Coleman, who worked on Illinois head coach Brad Underwood’s staff from 2017-2021, while the Fighting Illini have associate head coach Orlando Antigua, a longtime staff member under Razorback head coach John Calipari in both Memphis and Kentucky.
Arkansas and Illinois last met on March 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 overall standings with a 5-1 record.
Arkansas and Illinois both played in the 2021 Hall of Fame Classic at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. The teams did not meet in the Classic, and Arkansas became Classic champions thanks to wins over Kansas State and Cincinnati. With those two wins in 2021, Arkansas improved its overall record in Kansas City to 8-6. Notably, the Razorbacks played in two Final Fours in the city (1941 and 1945), winning 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 providing Arkansas and Illinois. Thanksgiving is a day when all of America, whether you’re a sports fan or not, watches sports on television. Airing in this time slot will bring tremendous exposure to both programs. The T-Mobile Center in Kansas City is a first-class arena that is close enough for both fan bases to be there. We have a lot of respect for Coach Underwood and his Illinois program, and we know this game will be of interest to the entire nation.”
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood
“We are very excited about this opportunity. Playing in Kansas City – a great basketball city that is very close to my heart – and facing a great opponent in Arkansas led by a Hall of Fame coach like Coach Calipari is a great challenge 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.”
For more information about the Arkansas men’s basketball team, visit @RazorbackMBB on X.
