Sports
Illini to Host Kansas in Charity Exhibition Game Benefiting Maui … – Fighting Illini
August 18, 2023 | Men's Basketball
News
Underwood Welcomes Self Back to Champaign for first game since 2003
CHAMPAIGN, Ill.– The Illinois and Kansas men’s basketball programs will partner in a charity exhibition game, set for 5 p.m. on Oct. 29 at State Farm Center and televised by BTN. All proceeds raised from this game will be donated to the Hawai’i Community Foundation Maui Strong Fund, providing financial resources to the relief efforts from the devastating Maui wildfires.
“It is heartbreaking to see the loss of life and devastation from the fires that have ravaged Lahaina,” Illinois Head Coach Brad Underwood said. “The Maui Invitational is an integral part of college basketball, and we are thinking of everyone on the island of Maui who have felt the impact of this tragedy. Bill and I talked immediately about how we could come together to help, and turning our closed scrimmage into a charity exhibition is a way we can use our sport to make an impact.
“The spotlight of this game, heightened by Bill’s return to Champaign, should raise meaningful dollars that will go directly to help the community of Lahaina.”
“For decades, the Maui Invitational and the city of Lahaina have been very important to college basketball and our thoughts and prayers go to that entire community as they recover from such a tragic event,” Kansas Head Coach Bill Self said. “Brad and I discussed how our private scrimmage could become an exhibition game to raise money to benefit the so many affected by the recent catastrophic fires in Maui. We both felt this would be a great way for our programs to create awareness to help this cause.
“This upcoming season will be the sixth time my teams have participated in this event,” Self added. “The people of Maui have always made our stay a lifelong highlight. This is a small way we can help a community that has been so good to so many for so long.”
Ticket Information
This game is not part of the Illinois season ticket package. However, current UI premium and season ticket holders will be provided an opportunity to purchase tickets for this game prior to a potential public on-sale date.
Due to the unique aspect of this charity partnership, KU will receive a larger allotment of tickets than what is traditionally provided to a visiting team. Therefore, UI premium and season ticket holders will not be guaranteed their regular seat for this game.
UI student season ticket holders will have this game included in their season ticket package.
All ticket sales information, and further details regarding the game, will be announced soon.
Head coach Brad Underwood enters his seventh season at Illinois, where the Illini have made three straight NCAA Tournament appearances, own four straight 20-win regular seasons, and have recorded four straight top-five Big Ten finishes highlighted by a league-best 16 wins and tournament title in 2021 and 15 wins en route to the regular season crown in 2022. Illinois is the Big Ten’s winningest team in conference play over the last four years, with Underwood directing the program to a 55-25 record. The 55 Big Ten wins are the most over a four-year stretch in school history
Illinois features one of the oldest rosters in the nation, returning three starters and seven letterwinners from last year’s 20-13 team that appeared in the NCAA Tournament and finished fifth in the Big Ten at 11-9. The Illini have seven newcomers, highlighted by the addition of three graduate transfers and two freshmen.
Kansas head coach Bill Self enters his 21st season at KU where he has guided the Jayhawks to two NCAA National titles, four Final Fours, 17 Big 12 regular-season titles and nine Big 12 Tournament crowns. A Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2017 inductee, Self came to Kansas from Illinois where he coached the Illini for three seasons from 2000-01 to 2002-03. While at Illinois, Self was 78-24 with two Big Ten regular-season titles (2001, 2002) and one Big Ten Tournament championship in 2003. Illinois advanced to the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 2001 under Self.
No. 1 on many preseason polls, Kansas returns three starters and eight letterwinners from last season’s 28-8 team that won the Big 12 regular season with a 13-5 record. KU has 10 newcomers on its roster with five via the transfer portal and five freshmen.