Actually, if a talented team, and this Illini team has talent, trying to develop the chemistry to maximize that talent and compete with the very best, there is NO downside to playing FAU in MSG IMHO. Sure, if you are a lower level B1G team it may be disastrous and end your season. But with a team filled with older competitors, some with legit NBA futures, IMHO you have to play teams of the ilk you will face on the path to a NC. Competitors KNOW that to be the best you have to beat the best...and they welcome and seek that level of challenge.
You cannot schedule championships...you need to earn them and in playing the best you learn how to do just that. As far as I am concerned, scheduling easy wins is for giving the frosh some floor time and finding out what they can do early in the season. But this season is not about that, and FAU, in spite of "optics", is a FF team returning most all its players. I would be disappointed only if the Illini had the opportunity to play FAU and dodged it!!