5 massive observations from the Illinois basketball win over Texas Tech

Illinois basketball passed the first big test of the 2025-26 season by sending Texas Tech home with a loss.

Texas Tech v Illinois | Michael Reaves/GettyImagesIt was a big night for the Illinois basketball program, as the No. 11 team in the country gave us a huge test.

The Illini welcomed in Texas Tech and their superstar roster. The Red Raiders were down by double-digits multiple times throughout the game, but they always fought back and gave Illinois everything they had.

JT Toppin was phenomenal for the Red Raiders. He is going to be a Wooden Award candidate by season’s end, but Illinois was too much for him and his Texas Tech program. Despite a scare at the end, Illinois ended up beating the…