The bracket is officially set for the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. Illinois (21-12) is an at-large selection, earning the program’s fifth consecutive bid under head coach Brad Underwood. Illinois is the No. 6 seed in the Midwest region.
The Fighting Illini open play in the First Round on Friday in Milwaukee at Fiserv Forum, taking on the winner of Wednesday’s First Four match-up between No. 11 seeds Texas and Xavier.
Game time is set for 8:45 p.m. CT and will be televised on CBS.
Illinois is one of only three Big Ten teams – and one of just 13 teams nationally – to earn a bid in each of the last five* NCAA Tournaments (*Illinois’ streak would be at six, but the 2020 Tournament was canceled due to COVID-19).
Illinois’ active streak of five consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances is its longest since participating eight years in a row from 2000 through 2007.
Illinois is making its 35th overall NCAA Tournament appearance in program history, owning an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 45-35.
Coach Underwood, meanwhile, will be making his ninth* NCAA Tournament appearance in 12 years as a head coach (*10th precluded by cancelation of 2020 Tournament due to COVID-19).
ILLINOIS BASKETBALL UNDER HEAD COACH BRAD UNDERWOOD
• One of only four schools nationally with six straight 20-win regular seasons
• Five straight NCAA Tournament appearances (sixth precluded by COVID-19 cancelation in 2020)
• 2024 NCAA Elite Eight; Illinois’ first appearance since 2005
• NCAA Tournament wins in three of the last four years
• Big Ten’s winningest team in league play over the last six seasons
• Only team with a winning Big Ten record in each of last six seasons
• 81 B1G wins from 2019-20 through 2024-25 are most in school history over six-year stretch
• Three Big Ten Championships in last five years
• Four Top-25 finishes the previous five years, including two in the Top 10
• Top-two B1G finishes three of the last five years
• Four All-Americans (three consensus)
• 19 All-Big Ten selections (seven first team)
• 2024 B1G Tournament Champions
• 2022 B1G Regular Season Champions
• 2021 B1G Tournament Champions
• Led B1G in wins in 2021
• 2021 NCAA Tournament No. 1 seed (fourth in school history)
