CHAMPAIGN — The Illinois men's basketball 2017-18 schedule ranked 77th in the country per the "Toughest Schedule Report" compiled by the NCAA.
Three of the Illini's nonconference opponents from last season — Southern, Tennessee Martin and Longwood — all finished with RPIs topping 300.
The 2018-19 schedule is shaping up to be night and day different.
Illinois doesn't have much of its nonconference slate to actually schedule.
The bulk of it is already locked in with a trip to Hawaii for the Maui Invitational, the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, the Gavitt Tipoff Games, the annual Braggin' Rights game against Missouri in St.