By Sanderson “Snuffy” Smith

3 30 2024

HEAD COACH BRAD UNDERWOOD

Career Record: 252-114 (.689), 11th year
At Illinois: 143-87 (.622), 7th year
Big Ten: 80-58 (.580)
NCAA Tournament Career: 7-7 (eighth appearance)
NCAA Tournament at Illinois: 5-3 (fourth appearance)

NCAA TOURNAMENT HISTORY

Appearances / Streak: 34th / 4
Record: 45-34 (.570)
Final Four Appearances: 5 / 2005

NCAA TOURNAMENT ELITE EIGHT OPPONENT – NO. 1 SEED UCONN

Series Record / Streak: UConn leads 2-1 / UConn W-2
Last Meeting: #8 UConn 71, Illinois 56  (Dec. 27, 1994 at Hartford)
Record in the NCAA Tournament: First meeting
Underwood vs. UConn at Illinois / All-Time: First meeting / 1-0

FIGHTING ILLINI UNDER HEAD COACH BRAD UNDERWOOD

• Program’s first NCAA Elite 8 appearance since advancing to 2005 national title game
• Big Ten’s winningest team in league play over last five seasons (.690)
• 69 B1G wins from 2019-20 through 2023-24 are most in school history over five-year stretch
• Four straight NCAA Tournament appearances (fifth precluded by COVID-19 cancelation in 2020)
• NCAA Tournament wins three of the last four years
• One of only five schools with five straight 20-win regular seasons
• Three Big Ten Championships in last four years
• Five straight top-five B1G finishes, including top-two finishes three of the last four years
• Three consensus All-Americans
• Seven first-team All-Big Ten selections
• 2024 B1G Tournament Champions
• 2022 B1G Champions
• Led B1G in wins in 2021
• 2021 B1G Tournament Champions
• 2021 NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed (fourth in school history)

FIGHTING ILLINI NCAA TOURNAMENT NOTES

• Following a 72-69 victory over no. 2 seed Iowa State in which it led the entire game, no. 3 seed Illinois advances to the NCAA Tournament East Regional Final at TD Garden in Boston. The Fighting Illini will face no. 1 seed UConn on Saturday at 5:09 p.m. CT (TBS/TruTV).
• Illinois is making its 34th all-time appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and its fourth straight.
• Illinois is playing in the Elite 8 for first time since its 2005 NCAA Championship game appearance.
• Overall, this marks Illinois’ 10th all-time appearance in the Elite 8, and the fifth time that the Fighting Illini have reached this stage since the tournament field expanded to 32 teams in 1975.
• Illinois ranks fifth among Big Ten teams and 19th among all schools for most NCAA Tournament appearances.
• Illinois is one of only three Big Ten teams – and one of just 14 teams nationally – to earn a bid in each of the last four NCAA Tournaments.
• Illinois’ active streak of four straight NCAA Tournament appearances is its longest since participating eight years in a row from 2000 through 2007.
• Illinois has compiled a 45-34 (.570) record all-time in NCAA Tournament games.
• Illinois’ 45 NCAA Tournament wins ranks tied for 21st among all schools.
• Illinois’ 45 NCAA Tournament wins are third-most among teams yet to win a national championship, trailing Gonzaga and Purdue (46 each).
• Illinois has made five appearances in the NCAA Final Four, finishing as the national runner-up in 2005, placing third in 1949, 1951 and 1952, and tying for third in 1989.
• Illinois’ five Final Four appearances are second-most among teams yet to win a national title, trailing only Houston (6), and tied with Oklahoma.
• Head Coach Brad Underwood has brought Fighting Illini Basketball back to being a national contender. His rebuild of the program brought success in year three of his tenure, leading the Illini to a top-25 finish and what would have been an NCAA Tournament appearance before the 2020 postseason was canceled due to COVID-19. He directed Illinois to a Big Ten Tournament title and #1 seed in 2021, as Illinois played in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2013. Underwood guided the Illini to a Big Ten Championship and #4 seed in 2022, advancing to the Round of 32 for the second straight season. In 2023, Underwood guided the Illini back to the NCAA tournament for a third straight season. He extended that streak to four straight after leading the Illini to the 2024 Big Ten Tournament Championship. Underwood has now led Illinois to the Elite Eight for the first time since the team’s run to the 2005 Final Four.
• With this year’s appearance, Underwood is the third coach in school history to lead Illinois to at least four straight NCAA Tournaments, joining Lou Henson (eight straight from 1983-90) and Bruce Weber (four in a row from 2004-07).
• Underwood is making his eighth overall appearance in the NCAA Tournament with his third program in 11 seasons as a Div. I head coach. He previously led Stephen F. Austin to three consecutive automatic bids from 2014-2016, advancing to the Round of 32 in 2014 and 2016. He then took Oklahoma State to the Tournament in his lone season in Stillwater in 2017. Underwood owns a 7-7 career record in the NCAA Tournament, including a 5-3 mark at Illinois.
• Illinois is a No. 3 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the fourth time in school history. The Illini hold an all-time record of 6-3 as a #3 seed:
  • 1985 First Round (Atlanta, Ga.) – #3 Illinois 76, #14 Northeastern 57
  • 1985 Second Round (Atlanta, Ga.) – #3 Illinois 74, #6 Georgia 58
  • 1985 Regional Semifinal (Providence, R.I.) – #2 Georgia Tech 61, #3 Illinois 53
  • 1987 First Round (Birmingham, Ala.) – #14 Austin Peay 68, #3 Illinois 67
  • 1988 First Round (Cincinnati, Ohio) – #3 Illinois 81, #14 Texas-San Antonio 72
  • 1988 Second Round (Cincinnati, Ohio) – #6 Villanova 66, #3 Illinois 63
  • 2024 First Round (Omaha, Neb.) – #3 Illinois 85, #14 Morehead State 69
  • 2024 Second Round (Omaha, Neb.) – #3 Illinois 89, #11 Duquesne 63
  • 2024 Regional Semifinal (Boston, Mass.) – #3 Illinois 72, #2 Iowa State 69
• Illinois is 5-4 all-time in Elite Eight games in the NCAA Tournament:
  • 1942 Eastern Regional Semifinal (New Orleans, La.) – Kentucky 46, Illinois 44
  • 1949 Eastern Regional Semifinal (New York, N.Y.) – Illinois 71, Yale 67
  • 1951 East Regional Semifinal (New York, N.Y.) – Illinois 84, NC State 70
  • 1952 East Regional Final (Chicago, Ill.) – Illinois 74, Duquesne 68
  • 1963 Mideast Regional Final (East Lansing, Mich.) – Loyola Chicago 79, Illinois 64
  • 1984 Mideast Regional Final (Lexington, Ky.) – #1 Kentucky 54, #2 Illinois 51
  • 1989 Midwest Regional Final (Minneapolis, Minn.) – #1 Illinois 89, #2 Syracuse 86
  • 2001 Midwest Regional Final (San Antonio, Texas) – #2 Arizona 87, #1 Illinois 81
  • 2005 Chicago Regional Final (Rosemont, Ill.) – #1 Illinois 90, #3 Arizona 89 (OT)
• Illinois is 1-2 all-time against Elite Eight opponent UConn:
  • 12-21-1938: 49-23, W (Champaign)
  • 1-4-1992: 66-70, L (Champaign)
  • 12-27-1994: 56-7, L (Hartford, Conn.)
• Illinois has never beaten a #1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, owning an all-time record of 0-5 vs. top seeds:
  • 1984 Regional Final (Lexington, Ky.) – #1 Kentucky 54, #2 Illinois 51
  • 2002 Regional Semifinal (Madison, Wis.) – #1 Kansas 73, #4 Illinois 69
  • 2004 Regional Semifinal (Atlanta, Ga.) – #1 Duke 75, #5 Illinois 62
  • 2005 National Championship (St. Louis, Mo.) – #1 North Carolina 75, #1 Illinois 70
  • 2011 Round of 32 (Tulsa, Okla.) – #1 Kansas 73, #9 Illinois 59
• Illinois is 33-16 as a higher (better) seed in the NCAA Tournament, and 3-11 as the lower seed.
• With its win over #2 seed Iowa State on Thursday, Illinois earned just its second victory over a top-2 seed in NCAA Tournament history. Illinois previously beat #2 Syracuse as the top seed in the 1989 Midwest Regional final.
• Illinois also beat a higher seeded team for just the third time in NCAA Tournament history:
  • 2004 Second Round (Columbus, Ohio) – #5 Illinois 92, #4 Cincinnati 68
  • 2011 Opening Round (Tulsa, Okla.) – #9 Illinois 73, #8 UNLV 62
  • 2024 Regional Semifinal (Boston, Mass.) – #3 Illinois 72, #2 Iowa State 69
• Illinois is now 8-4 all-time in the NCAA Round of 16 since the field was expanded to 16 teams in 1951:
  • 1951 First Round (New York, N.Y.) – Illinois 79, Columbia 71
  • 1952 Regional Semifinals (Chicago, Ill.) – Illinois 80, Dayton 61
  • 1963 Regional Semifinals (East Lansing, Mich.) – Illinois 70, Bowling Green 67
  • 1981 Regional Semifinals (Salt Lake City, Utah) – #8 Kansas State 57, #4 Illinois 52
  • 1984 Regional Semifinals (Lexington, Ky.) – #2 Illinois 72, #3 Maryland 70
  • 1985 Regional Semifinals (Providence, R.I.) – #2 Georgia Tech 61, #3 Illinois 53
  • 1989 Regional Semifinals (Minneapolis, Minn.) – #1 Illinois 83, #4 Louisville 69
  • 2001 Regional Semifinals (San Antonio, Texas) – #1 Illinois 80, #4 Kansas 64
  • 2002 Regional Semifinals (Madison, Wis.) – #1 Kansas 73, #4 Illinois 81
  • 2004 Regional Semifinals (Atlanta, Ga.) – #1 Duke 72, #5 Illinois 62
  • 2005 Regional Semifinals (Rosemont, Ill.) – #1 Illinois 77, #12 Wisconsin-Milwaukee 63
  • 2024 Regional Semifinal (Boston, Mass.) – #3 Illinois 72, #2 Iowa State 69
• Illinois is now 2-3 all-time against the No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament:
  • 1985 Regional Semifinal (Providence, R.I.) – #2 Georgia Tech 61, #3 Illinois 53
  • 1989 Regional Final (Minneapolis, Minn.) – #1 Illinois 89, #2 Syracuse 77
  • 2001 Regional Final (San Antonio, Texas) – #2 Arizona 87, #1 Illinois 81
  • 2024 Regional Semifinal (Boston, Mass.) – #3 Illinois 72, #2 Iowa State 69.
• Illinois’ all-time leading scorer in NCAA Tournament play is Dee Brown, who had 179 points in 13 games from 2003-06.
• Illinois’ all-time leading rebounder in NCAA Tournament play is James Augustine, who grabbed 102 boards in 13 games from 2003-06.
• Deron Williams is Illinois’ career assists leader in the NCAA Tournament, with 78 assists in 11 games from 2003-05.
• Three different Illini have recorded 30-point games in the NCAA Tournament. Frank Williams scored 30 in a Sweet 16 victory over Kansas in 2001, the first 30-point game by an Illini in the NCAA Tournament. The UI single-game tournament scoring record was eclipsed three years later by Deron Williams‘ 31-point performance in a Round of 32 victory over Cincinnati in 2004. Terrence Shannon Jr. recorded the third 30-point game by an Illini in an NCAA Tournament game, matching Williams’ mark for second all-time (one behind Williams), before sitting out for the final 5:51 of Illinois’ Round 2 victory over Duquesne with the Illini ahead by 25 points when he checked out for the final time.

TAKING ON NUMBER ONE

• Illinois faces No. 1 seed UConn on Saturday. The Huskies are also ranked No. 1 in the AP poll.
• The Illini are in search of the program’s fourth win all-time over a No. 1-ranked team, and first ever away from home. Illinois is 3-21 all-time against the AP’s No. 1 team:
  • Home vs. #1 – 3-5
  • Road vs. #1 – 0-9
  • Neutral vs. #1 – 0-7
• Illinois last beat the nation’s No. 1-ranked team on Feb. 7, 2013, when Tyler Griffey made a layup at the buzzer to lead Illinois to a 74-72 victory over #1 Indiana at State Farm Center.
• Illinois beat No. 1 Wake Forest 91-73, on Dec. 1, 2004. The Illini took over the top spot in the AP poll the following week after that game, and retained the No. 1 ranking the rest of the 2004-05 season en route to an NCAA title game appearance.
• Illinois’ first-ever win over the nation’s top team was a 57-55 victory over No. 1 Michigan State on Jan. 11, 1979, on a baseline jumper by Eddie Johnson at the buzzer.
• Illinois head coach Brad Underwood owns the two highest-ranked wins away from Champaign in program history, a 76-53 victory at No. 2 Michigan on March 2, 2021, and an 85-78 (OT) win vs. No. 2 Texas at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 12, 2022.

Complete Illinois Game Notes (PDF)

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GAME NOTES

https://uconnhuskies.com/documents/2024/3/29/38_-_Illinois_3_30_24.pdf

BOSTON – On the precipice of even more history, the top-seed UConn men’s basketball team (34-3) plays for the East Regional Final in the NCAA Elite Eight on Saturday, taking on three-seed Illinois (29-8) at the TD Garden. Tip-off is set for 6:09 p.m. ET and will air on TBS with Kevin Harlan, Dan Bonner and Stan Van Gundy on the call.

With a win on Saturday, the Huskies would set a program single-season record for wins and advance to the Final Four in consecutive seasons for the first time in program history. Connecticut has torched its way to this point in the Big Dance, winning its first three games by an average of 28.7 points per game. UConn has now won a program-record nine-straight NCAA Tournament games. Each of those wins has come by double-figures, tying an NCAA Tournament record set by Michigan State from 2000-01.

UConn is coming off a Sweet 16 win over San Diego State on Thursday. In a rematch of the 2023 Title Game, the Huskies commanded the Aztecs in an 82-52 win that saw its backcourt trio of Cam Spencer, Tristen Newton and Stephon Castle combine for 51 points. Castle had 16 and grabbed a career-high 11 rebounds for his first double-double, while Spencer led all scorers with 18 and Newton stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points, seven rebounds and four assists. Connecticut out-scored SDSU 42-21 in the second half and finished the game with a +21 rebounding margin.

The Huskies are playing in back-to-back Elite Eights for the first time since 1998 and 1999, the only other time the feat has been accomplished in program history. Newton, a consensus First Team All-American, leads the Huskies with 15.3 points per game to go with 6.8 rebounds and a team-high 6.1 assists per game. Spencer is second on the squad with 14.5 points per game and shoots 44.1 percent from 3-point range, top-five in the nation. Alex Karaban adds 13.6 points and 5.0 rebounds per game, while Donovan Clingan posts 12.6 points, 7.4 rebounds and 2.3 blocks a contest on 64.1 percent shooting. Castle rounds out all five starters averaging double-figures, posting 10.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Illinois advanced to its first Elite Eight since 2005 with a tight win over Iowa State on Thursday night. The Fighting Illini boast the No. 2 offense in the nation, per Kenpom, behind only Connecticut. Terrence Shannon Jr. leads the high-powered attack with 23.5 points per game, while Marcus Domask adds 15.8 and Coleman Hawkins chips in 12.3 a contest. As a team the Illini score over 84 points per game, shooting better than 47 percent from the floor and over 35 percent from 3-point range.

UConn has faced Illinois three times in program history. After dropping the first meeting in the 1938-39 season, the Huskies swept a home-and-home series played in the 1991-92 and 1994-95 seasons. UConn is 6-6 all-time in Regional Finals.

Should the Huskies advance, they would head to Phoenix for the seventh Final Four in program history. UConn would take on the winner of the West Regional final between No. 6 Clemson and No. 4 Alabama.

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