The full 2026-27 Illinois State basketball schedule: every game, site and tip time, the 20 Missouri Valley Conference games, and a free printable PDF. Illinois State plays its home games at CEFCU Arena in Normal, Illinois, and the season runs from November 2026 through Arch Madness in March.
2026-27 Illinois State Basketball: Quick Facts
| Team | Illinois State Redbirds |
| Conference | Missouri Valley (MVC) |
| Home arena | CEFCU Arena, Normal, Illinois |
| Games | 32 (20 MVC) |
| Conference tournament | Arch Madness, March 4-7, 2027 (St. Louis) |
2026-27 Illinois State Basketball Schedule
| Date | Opponent | Site | Time (CT) / TV |
| Nov 2 | at Saint Mary’s | University Credit Union Pavilion | 10:00 pm |
| Nov 5 | vs Central State | CEFCU Arena | 8:00 pm |
| Nov 9 | at Purdue | Mackey Arena | 8:30 pm, FS1 |
| Nov 13 | at North Dakota State | Scheels Center | 8:00 pm |
| Nov 17 | vs Bellarmine | CEFCU Arena | 8:00 pm |
| Nov 19 | vs Eureka | CEFCU Arena | 8:00 pm |
| Nov 23 | vs Santa Clara (neutral) | Acrisure Arena | TBA |
| Nov 24 | vs Tulsa (neutral) | Acrisure Arena | TBA |
| Dec 2 | at Eastern Illinois | Groniger Arena | 8:00 pm, ESPN+ |
| Dec 5 | at Chicago State | Jones Convocation Center | 2:00 pm |
| Dec 10 | vs Long Beach State | CEFCU Arena | 7:00 pm |
| Dec 13 | vs North Dakota State | CEFCU Arena | 5:00 pm |
| Dec 17 | at Murray State | CFSB Center | TBA |
| Dec 21 | vs Belmont | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
| Dec 29 | at Evansville | Ford Center | 8:00 pm |
| Jan 2 | vs Indiana State | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
| Jan 8 | at Belmont | Curb Event Center | 8:00 pm |
| Jan 12 | at Northern Iowa | McLeod Center | TBA |
| Jan 16 | vs Valparaiso | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
| Jan 18 | vs Drake | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
| Jan 24 | at Bradley | Carver Arena | TBA |
| Jan 27 | vs Southern Illinois | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
| Jan 30 | at UIC | Credit Union 1 Arena | TBA |
| Feb 3 | vs Northern Iowa | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
| Feb 6 | at Indiana State | Hulman Center | TBA |
| Feb 9 | at Valparaiso | Athletics-Recreation Center | TBA |
| Feb 12 | vs Murray State | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
| Feb 15 | vs UIC | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
| Feb 18 | at Southern Illinois | Banterra Center | TBA |
| Feb 21 | vs Evansville | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
| Feb 24 | at Drake | Knapp Center | TBA |
| Feb 27 | vs Bradley | CEFCU Arena | TBA |
Bold opponents are Missouri Valley Conference games. Times are Central and subject to change; neutral-site games are multi-team events.
Printable 2026-27 Illinois State Schedule (PDF)
Download the printable Illinois State schedule (PDF)
Illinois State in the Missouri Valley
Illinois State plays a 20-game Missouri Valley round robin, facing all 10 league opponents home and away, with the standings feeding seeding for Arch Madness in St. Louis. The non-conference schedule includes a road trip to Purdue on FS1 and a neutral-site event at the Acrisure Classic. For the rest of the league, team pages and the printable standings tracker live on the Missouri Valley Conference hub.
Related
- 2026-27 Missouri Valley Conference: all 11 teams and standings tracker
- 2027 Arch Madness: MVC tournament bracket and schedule
- 2026-27 Men’s College Basketball Schedule Hub
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2026-27 Illinois State season start?
Illinois State opens in early November 2026; the first game is Nov 2 at Saint Mary’s.
How many conference games does Illinois State play?
Twenty Missouri Valley games, home and away against the league’s other 10 teams.
Where does Illinois State play home games?
At CEFCU Arena in Normal, Illinois.
When is the MVC tournament?
Arch Madness is March 4-7, 2027 at Enterprise Center in St. Louis; the champion earns the automatic NCAA Tournament bid.
