Joey Biggs Assistant Athletic Director, Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Joey Biggs Assistant Athletic Director, Operations | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Fighting Illini men's basketball team has secured a No. 3 seed in the East region for the 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. The team, led by head coach Brad Underwood, earned an automatic bid following their victory in the Big Ten Tournament. This marks Illinois' fourth consecutive appearance in the tournament under Underwood's leadership.
Illinois will face Morehead State, which also holds a record of 26-8, as the No. 14 seed in the first round on Thursday at CHI Health Center Omaha in Nebraska. The game is scheduled to begin at 2:10 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on TruTV.
The Illini are one of three teams from the Big Ten Conference to secure a spot in this year's tournament and one of only 14 teams nationwide to have qualified for each of the last four tournaments. This current streak is Illinois' longest since they appeared eight times consecutively from 2000 to 2007.
Overall, this is Illinois' 34th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, where they hold an all-time record of 42 wins and 34 losses. Coach Underwood will be making his eighth NCAA Tournament appearance over his career as a head coach, excluding the canceled postseason in 2020 due to COVID-19.
Under Coach Underwood's tenure, Illinois has become the Big Ten's most successful team over recent years with significant achievements including three Big Ten Championships within four years and five straight top-five finishes in conference play.
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