Chambana Sun

The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team has secured a spot in the 2025 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. With a record of 21-12, Illinois has been selected as an at-large entry, marking the program's fifth consecutive tournament appearance under head coach Brad Underwood. The team is seeded sixth in the Midwest region.

Illinois will begin its tournament journey on Friday at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum. They are set to face the winner of Wednesday's First Four matchup between No. 11 seeds Texas and Xavier. The game is scheduled for 8:45 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on CBS.

Notably, Illinois is one of only three teams from the Big Ten Conference—and among just 13 teams nationwide—to have qualified for each of the last five NCAA Tournaments. This streak would have been six if not for the cancellation of the 2020 tournament due to COVID-19.

The current run marks Illinois' longest streak of consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances since their eight-year stretch from 2000 through 2007. In total, this year represents Illinois' 35th appearance in the tournament, where they hold an all-time record of 45-35.

Coach Brad Underwood will be making his ninth NCAA Tournament appearance over a span of twelve years as a head coach, excluding the canceled tournament in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Under Coach Underwood's leadership, Illinois has achieved significant success:

- One of four schools nationally with six straight seasons winning at least 20 games.

- Five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances.

- Reached the Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament in 2024.

- Wins in three out of four recent tournaments.

- Most successful Big Ten team over the past six seasons.

- Three Big Ten Championships in five years.

- Consistent Top-25 finishes and multiple All-American selections.

These achievements highlight Illinois' strength under Coach Underwood, with significant victories and consistent performances both nationally and within their conference.