>>Illinois Basketball Games in Springfield To Include In-State Rivals

Illinois has announced a schedule for its men's basketball team that includes two in-state schools for its games this November in Springfield.

The Illini will play four regular-season games and an exhibition at Springfield's Prairie Capital Convention Center this fall while renovation work is completed at the State Farm Center on campus.

The exhibition will take place Nov. 8 against Division II Illinois-Springfield.

That will be followed by the season-opener Nov. 13 against North Florida. Then the Illini will play Nov. 15 against Summit League co-champions North Dakota State, Nov. 21 against Chattanooga and Nov. 23 against Chicago State.

>>Illini Basketball Attendance Down, But Still Top 20 In Country

Illinois' men's basketball team drew more people per game last season than all but 14 other teams around the country. But Illini per-game attendance was still down.

According to NCAA figures released Monday, the Illini drew 14,652 people per game in a 19-14 season that ended with a disappointing one-game appearance in the National Invitation Tournament. The attendance figure was nonetheless 15th in the country and fifth in the Big Ten.

Illinois' attendance fell 3.8 percent from the previous season's 15,246.

Syracuse was the top team in the country at 23,854 a game. Wisconsin was first in the Big Ten and fifth in the country at 17,279.

Illinois' attendance has been up and down since hitting 15,581 a game in 2011. That was 10th in the country.