Northwestern men’s basketball heads south for its first exhibition game of the 2026-27 season, taking on the Illinois State Redbirds in Normal, Ill. Head coach Chris Collins has a personal stake in the game, coaching for the first time on Doug Collins Court in CEFCU Arena, named after his father, who holds the all-time scoring record with the Redbirds and was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2024.
The game will be limited to radio coverage only, with WGN Radio 720 on the call. For fans who can’t tune in, Inside NU will be live-tweeting stats and updates throughout the game on Twitter/X at @InsideNU.
Broadcast Information
Location: CEFCU Arena (Normal, Ill.)
Game Time: 4:00 p.m. CT
TV/Streaming: None
Radio: WGN Radio 720
Injury Report
Per both head coaches at their pregame press availability, no official injury report has been released.
Northwestern
OUT — Jayden Hodge (knee)
QUESTIONABLE — None reported
Illinois State
OUT — None reported
QUESTIONABLE — Malik Messina-Moore (pending fifth-year eligibility; head coach Ryan Pedon called the situation “fluid”)