LAWRENCE, Kan. (KUAthletics.com) – No. 1 Kansas men’s basketball will face No. 25 Illinois in an exhibition contest on Sunday, Oct. 29, at 5 p.m. at State Farm Center in Champaign, Illinois. The meeting was originally scheduled as a secret scrimmage, but KU head coach Bill Self and Illini coach Brad Underwood made the game a fundraiser to provide financial resources for rapid response and recovery for the devastating wildfires in Maui.
- Kansas Athletics is partnering with the Maui InvitationalHoops for ‘Ohanaonline auction in conjunction with the Hawai’i Community Foundation’s Maui Strong Fund, which is dedicated to providing financial resources for rapid response and recovery for the devastating wildfires on Maui. Fans will have the opportunity bid on the jerseys worn by the men’s basketball team Oct. 29 and additional experiences and merchandise donated by Kansas Athletics. All proceeds will benefit the Maui Strong Fund. You can visit com/hoopsforohana and the auction will remain open from Oct. 29 through Nov. 22, 2023.
- This is actually Kansas’ third exhibition game this season. The Jayhawks went 2-1 in three exhibition contests in Pureto Rico, Aug. 3-7. KU senior Hunter Dickinson led the team with 19.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg. Redshirt-senior Dajuan Harris Jr. paced KU with 6.7 assists per contest and 3.6 steals per game.
- Kansas coach Bill Self coached three seasons at Illinois from 2000-01 to 2002-03 before taking over at KU. Self was 78-24 at Illinois with two regular-season Big Ten titles (2001, 2002), one Big Ten tourney title (2003). This is Self’s first trip back to Champaign since his coaching stint.
- The Kansas-Illinois series is tied at 3-3, with this contest being the first hosted in Champaign. The last meeting between the two schools was in the second round of the 2011 NCAA Tournament in Tulsa. Kansas won 73-59 en route to an Elite Eight appearance.
- Kansas is No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for the fourth time in poll history with all four in the Bill Self era – 2004-05, 2009-10, 2018-19 and 2023-24.
- Kansas Athletics will host the inaugural McLendon Classic over the weekend of Nov. 5-6 on the campus of the University of Kansas. On Sunday, Nov. 5, at 5 p.m. CT, KU will host the McLendon Classic Community Event at the Lied Center. The two-day recognition will conclude when Kansas basketball hosts North Carolina Central on Monday, Nov. 6, at 7 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse.
UP NEXT
Kansas will conclude exhibition play when it hosts Fort Hays State on Wednesday, Nov. 1, at 7 p.m. in Allen Fieldhouse. The contest will be televised on Big 12 NOW via ESPN+. Kansas leads the series with Fort Hays State, 12-0, including a 10-0 record in exhibition contests.
