[1] The rivalry between these bordering-state schools dates back to 1899 when the Indiana Hoosiers joined the Big Ten Conference of which Illinois is a founding member.

[2] The rivalry is most prominent in men's basketball, where both teams are perennial "Final Four contenders" and combined have won several conference championships.

Hamilton was the focus of a recruiting competition between Illinois and Indiana, and while the allegations of improper conduct were unfounded by the NCAA, the controversy had some level of impact on the games at the time.

[7]On March 10, 1991, after an Indiana victory in Champaign, a profanity-laced shouting match between Knight and Fighting Illini coach Lou Henson erupted outside the team locker rooms.

The incident started when Knight left the Assembly Hall court with seven seconds remaining in the game, skipping the traditional postgame handshake while laughing and waving to the Illinois crowd.

In a game at Bloomington on February 25, 1998, Indiana head coach Bob Knight was issued two technical fouls by referee Ted Valentine for first arguing a call after a hard collision between Illinois guard Sergio McClain and Indiana guard Luke Recker in which McClain was issued a technical foul for touching the rim after blocking Recker's shot.

To check on his player, Coach Knight rushed to the court for which he was issued the second technical foul by Valentine.

As head coach at Southern Illinois University for five years from 1998-2003, he scheduled some non-conference meetings against Indiana.

[26][27] From 2011 to 2013, the two teams were "protected rivals" as members of the Big Ten's non-geographically organized "Leaders" division, which required them to play annually.