Tim Anderson Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
Tim Anderson Assistant Coach | University of Illinois Division of Intercollegiate Athletics Website
The Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team is set to face the UConn Huskies in the NCAA Tournament's East Regional Final on Saturday. The game will take place at TD Garden in Boston, with a scheduled start time of 5:09 p.m. CT.
Illinois enters this matchup as a No. 3 seed, boasting a season record of 29-8, and having recently secured a victory over Iowa State in the regional semifinal round. This marks Illinois' first appearance in the Elite Eight since their run to the national title game in 2005.
Head Coach Brad Underwood has led Illinois to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, achieving notable success during his tenure. "Underwood has now led Illinois to the Elite Eight for the first time since the team's run to the 2005 Final Four," according to tournament notes.
Illinois faces a challenging opponent in UConn, which holds a series lead of 2-1 against them historically. However, this will be their first meeting within an NCAA Tournament setting.
Despite having never defeated a No. 1 seed in tournament history, with an all-time record of 0-5 against top seeds, Illinois remains optimistic about their chances against UConn. The Illini have previously beaten higher-seeded teams only three times throughout their tournament history.
Brad Underwood has made eight overall appearances in the NCAA Tournament with different programs over his career and maintains an even record of seven wins and seven losses.
With historical achievements such as five Final Four appearances without securing a national championship win, Illinois looks forward to advancing further under Underwood's guidance.
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