How to watch Texas basketball vs. Illinois: TV, stream, game time

What is likely to be the final ranked game of this calendar year for No. 2 Texas basketball and head coach Chris Beard awaits on the evening of Dec. 6. Texas is set to hit the road to face head coach Brad Underwood and the No. 17 ranked Illinois Fighting Illini out of the Big Ten in the Jimmy V. Classic at Madison Square Garden.

Beard and the Longhorns come into the Jimmy V. Classic sporting a record of 6-0 (0-0 Big 12) following a gritty 72-67 win at home at the Moody Center on Dec. 1 over the No. 7 ranked Creighton Blue Jays. Texas is also 2-0 against ranked opponents this season, with both wins coming at the Moody Center.

This will be just the second time that Texas has played away from Austin. And it is the first time that Texas is playing a game outside of its home state. The only game that the Longhorns played away from home this season was at a neutral site in Edinburg, TX, last month when it faced the Northern Arizona Lumberjacks in the Leon Black Classic.

Moreover, Illinois comes into the Jimmy V. Classic with a record of 6-2 (0-1 Big Ten) following a close loss in its conference opener on Dec. 2 on the road at the hands of the No. 22 Maryland Terrapins, by the final score of 71-66. Illinois owns a record of 1-2 against ranked opponents this season, with a loss to the No. 16 Virginia Cavaliers and a win over the No. 8 UCLA Bruins.

Here’s a look at the TV/streaming information and game time as Texas readies up to face Illinois in the Jimmy V. Classic at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Dec. 6, with the tip-off time set for 6 p.m. CT.

How to watch Texas basketball vs. Illinois

TV: ESPN

Live Stream: WatchESPN App (if you have it available on your TV package)/FuboTV

Radio/Audio Stream: Longhorn Radio Network

Game time: 6 p.m. CT

This is the second game in a row and the second time in total that the Longhorns are being televised on the flagship ESPN channel. It signifies the importance of this game, and just how many high-stakes games the Longhorns have played early this season.

Texas vs. Illinois series history

Texas and Illinois have faced each other five times in the respective history of these two hoops programs. The Longhorns own the edge in the all-time series against Illinois, with a record of 3-2. But a win for the Fighting Illini could draw the series back even at three games a piece.

The last time that the Longhorns and Illini met on the hardwood was in the 2010-11 season, which went in Texas’ favor in overtime 90-84. Texas has won the last two meetings between these two teams.

According to the ESPN Basketball Power Index, Texas has a 64.8 percent chance of beating Illinois. And the betting line for this game has moved in Texas’ favor (per FanDuel) in the last few hours, as the spread now favors the Longhorns by 3.5 points.