UCLA Looks to Keep Streak Alive at Illinois Despite Illness

The UCLA Bruins are on fire, rolling into Illinois with a seven-game winning streak and knocking on the door of the AP Top 25. But health issues and road struggles make Tuesday’s matchup with the Illinois Fighting Illini a big challenge.

UCLA Dealing with Illness, But Still Winning

UCLA (18-6, 9-4 Big Ten) has been red-hot but hasn’t been at full strength. A norovirus outbreak hit the team hard before their 78-54 rout of Penn State on Saturday. Head coach Mick Cronin himself was too sick to attend Friday’s practice, and multiple players were affected. “We were sending guys home Thursday,” Cronin said. “We had to invoke COVID rules—shooting at your own basket, sanitizing the practice facility, and getting out the door.”

One of the hardest-hit players? Point guard Skyy Clark, who still dropped 14 points and 3 assists in 25 minutes despite barely eating in the days leading up to the game.

Clark’s return to Illinois adds another layer to this matchup. He started his college career with the Illini in 2022 before transferring after just one semester.

Despite their strong form, UCLA is just 1-4 outside the Pacific Time Zone—something they’ll need to fix if they want to stay hot.

Illinois Hoping to Put Health Woes Behind Them

Illinois (16-8, 8-6 Big Ten) has been dealing with its own share of injuries and illness in recent weeks, leading to a 4-5 slump that knocked them out of the Top 25.

• Tre White and Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn were barely available in Saturday’s 95-74 win at Minnesota due to illness.
• Tomislav Ivisic, recently recovered from mononucleosis, played through a high ankle sprain and still managed 18 points and 11 rebounds.

Even with key players banged up, Illinois got huge performances from its freshmen duo of Will Riley and Kasparas Jakucionis, who combined for 51 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists.

Jakucionis snapped a brutal 3-point slump after missing 24 of his last 28 from deep, going 2-for-4 against Minnesota.

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Who Has the Edge?

Both teams are battle-tested and banged up, but UCLA’s defense and recent win streak make them a serious threat—if they can handle another tough road test. Can the Bruins shake off their travel struggles and health issues, or will Illinois take advantage and bounce back into the Top 25 conversation?

Tuesday’s showdown has huge implications, and with Clark returning to face his old team, expect plenty of intensity in Champaign.