Grant Nelson scored 23 points and Aden Holloway had 18 to lead No. 8 Alabama to a 100-87 win over No. 25 Illinois in a matchup of Elite Eight teams from last season.

Last meeting: The Crimson Tide took down the Fighting Illini 79-58 on March 17, 2015. Alabama's Levi Randolph and Rodney Cooper combined for 39 points on 13-of-20 from the field, Randolph and Retin Obasohan each grabbed seven rebounds, and Randolph also led the Tide in assists with five.

Alabama freshman guard Labaron Philon flirted with a triple-double against Illinois in what was one of his top performances of the season. Philon finished with 16 points, seven rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and one block on 7-of-13 shooting from the field.

Alabama didn’t slow down even with a scoreless night from star Mark Sears. The preseason All-American guard watched from the bench as the eighth-ranked Crimson Tide held off No. 25 Illinois 100-87.

Illinois coach Brad Underwood arranged a non-conference torture chamber of a schedule for 2024-25, ensuring that his mostly inexperienced Illini will be battle-tested come March. Underwood was expecting – and ready to embrace – the early-season adversity that would inevitably come.

Alabama hopes to bounce back after a tough road loss to the Purdue Boilermakers, while the new-look Fighting Illini team looks to improve to a hot 4-0 start.

No. 8 Alabama men's basketball took down to No. 25 Illinois 100-87 on Wednesday night in the C.M. Newton Classic, giving the Fighting Illini i