Penn’s season begins with an immediate test, and a chance to show how much a tournament team can change in a few months.
The Quakers open Thursday at No. 3 Illinois in a rematch of last season’s NCAA Tournament first-round game. Illinois won that matchup 105-70 before advancing to the Final Four. This time, Penn arrives with four returning starters and seven of its top nine scorers back.
That continuity gives the game a different feel from a typical season opener. Penn is not simply introducing a new group to a difficult opponent. It is bringing back much of the team that won the Ivy League tournament and earned the program’s first NCAA bid since 2018.
Penn’s progress will be easier to see against a top team
The Quakers were picked as the Ivy League preseason favorite after winning the conference tournament last season. TJ Power, a unanimous first-team All-Ivy selection, returns after averaging 16.4 points and 7.6 rebounds. Penn also brings back guard Michael Zanoni, who averaged 11.6 points, and point guard AJ Levine, who distributed nearly four assists per game.
Season Opener in Champaign 🙌 🆚: No. 3 Illinois ⏰: 8:30 p.m. ET/7:30 pm CT 📍: State Farm Center 📺: FS1 📊: https://t.co/8OKMpOIM1c #FightOnPenn https://t.co/aPo0vmbRMw
— Penn Men’s Basketball (@PennMBB) November 5, 2026
Illinois presents a sharp contrast. The Illini return five rotation players from a Final Four team, added transfer Stefan Vaaks and brought in a six-player freshman class. They opened this season with a 120-45 win over Fairleigh Dickinson, setting program records for margin of victory and three-pointers made.
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The result matters, but the response matters more
Penn has lost all seven of its previous games against Illinois, including March’s tournament meeting. A win would be a major result, but the Quakers can learn something even if the final score favors the Illini.
The key question is whether Penn’s returning core can make this meeting more competitive. The Quakers have nine players back from the tournament game, and they are opening against a team that now carries national expectations. Thursday is an early test of Penn’s ceiling, and a chance to show that last season’s breakthrough can become a foundation.
