July 22, 1999

? Complete 1999-2000 Schedule

The University of Illinois has announced the schedule for the upcoming men's basketball season. The Fighting Illini will face 12 teams which participated in the 1999 NCAA Tournament including Duke, Michigan State and Ohio State all of which advanced to the Final Four last year. In addition to the NCAA opponents the Illini will face four teams which earned berths in the 1999 NIT.

The Illini will play on national television at least eight times with five games on either ESPN or espn2 and another three games slated for CBS coverage.

In December Illini boss Lon Kruger will face his alma mater for only the second time as a head coach when Kansas State comes to the Assembly Hall for a Dec. 11 tip-off. Kruger's 1984-85 Pan American team matched up with Wildcats in a tournament. The Kansas State game will mark the beginning of a three-game Big 12 swing for the Orange and Blue. On Dec. 18 Illinois will host the Kansas Jayhawks at the United Center, then on Dec. 21 Illinois will take on Missouri in the annual Busch Braggin' Rights game in St. Louis.

Back in the fall of 1994, Illinois played its first game at the United Center in Chicago against the Duke Blue Devils. Now five years later, Illinois and Duke will return to that court for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge Nov. 30. After facing a difficult non-conference schedule, Illinois will not get much of a breather in the conference lineup. The Illini open the Big Ten season Jan. 6 hosting Ohio State, one of the three Final Four teams on the schedule. Six of the first eight conference foes advanced to the 1999 NCAA Tournament.

? Complete 1999-2000 Schedule