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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) – For the sixth consecutive year, the Illinois men’s basketball team is heading to the NCAA Tournament.
During Sunday’s selection show on CBS, the Illini were announced as the number three seed in the South region.
Illinois is set to compete against the 14th-seeded Penn in the opening round on Thursday, March 19. The initial rounds will take place in Greenville, South Carolina, with potential Sweet 16 and Elite 8 matchups scheduled in Houston, Texas.
If victorious in their first game, Illinois will face the winner of the contest between sixth-seed North Carolina and 11th-seed VCU.
The Illini enter the tournament with a 24-8 record, despite losing five of their last nine matchups. Their Big Ten Tournament run ended abruptly with a first-game defeat to Wisconsin on Friday.
Penn is coached by former Iowa head coach Fran McCaffrey. The Quakers are 18-11 overall and won the Ivy League Tournament championship in overtime against Yale. They enter the NCAA Tournament on a five-game winning streak.
The one seed in Illinois’ region is Florida, the two seed is Houston.
Teams in the South region are:
- One seed: Florida
- Two seed: Houston
- Three seed: Illinois
- Four seed: Nebraska
- Five seed: Vanderbilt
- Six seed: North Carolina
- Seven seed: Saint Mary’s
- Eight seed: Clemson
- Nine seed: Iowa
- Ten seed: Texas A&M
- 11 seed: VCU
- 12 seed: McNeese
- 13 seed: Troy
- 14 seed: Penn
- 15 seed: Idaho
- 16 seed(s): Prairie View A&M/LeHigh
Illinois’ NCAA tournament history under head coach Brad Underwood includes:
- 2025: Six seed, loss in round of 32
- 2024: Three seed, loss in Elite 8
- 2023: Nine seed, loss in first round
- 2022: Four seed, loss in round of 32
- 2021: One seed, loss in round of 32