Next week will see the Illini will be making their 34th overall NCAA Tournament appearance, and fourth in a row following an 8-year drought. The Illini own an all-time NCAA Tournament record of 42-34. We’ll know their March Madness destination, opponent and tip-off time Sunday evening.
As a Xennial, Half Gen-X/Half millenial, Oregon Trail generation member, my Illini fandom experience begins in 1991, a few years before I enrolled at the school.
Having had two of my three older sisters attend the U of I, I am very familiar with what came before I decided to check in on Illini Athletics. However, for the purposes of this article, we’re only going to go through that which I remember vividly.
On this Selection Sunday Eve, let’s stroll down memory lane. Because you can’t figure out where you are going unless you first look back on where you have been.
1989
The Flyin’ Illini are a little bit before my time, but so much has been written and said about these guys, deservedly so, I feel I know their story pretty well. After all Dick Vitale HAS to mention them every single time he calls an Illini game for some reason.
As you know their story already, let’s move on.
1990
Illinois followed up that magical season by falling prey to the dreaded #12 over #5 upset in Austin. The Dayton Flyers won 88-86, sending the Illini home early.
1993
After two years on probation, thanks to Bruce Pearl (this is one of a zillion reasons why he’s a not good human being), Illinois won as a #6 over the #11 seed Long Beach State in Salt Lake City.
The joy didn’t last long as #3 seed Vanderbilt (yes, Vandy was once this good at basketball, amazingly) blew them out in round two.
1994
One and done in the #8-#9 game at the hands of Georgetown. At least it was an entertaining game that featured a great big man match-up in Deon Thomas and Kiwane Garris.
1995
Another cameo appearance as the Illini barely squeaked in as an #11 and got bounced by #6 seed Tulsa in Albany. The school’s all-time leading scorer, Thomas, and the second highest all-time scorer, Kiwane Garris teamed up for one season.
For the seven years combined they were on campus, the pair never saw the second weekend of the tournament unfortunately. There are two prevailing themes as you go through Illini basketball NCAA Tournament history- a ton of second round outs/failing to reach the sweet sixteen is the first.
The second is the failure to ever pull off a big upset/make a deep run as a lower seed.
Hopefully, someday that finally happens.
1997
Probably the second best team in the Big Ten that year behind Minnesota’s once in a generation Final Four squad, they beat USC, as a #6 handily in the first round. (Distinctively remember the view from Kam’s on this one). Then came the infamous story of what supposedly motivated #14 seed Tennessee-Chattanooga to knock them off in the second round.
The story goes that thin locker room walls in the arena led to the Mocs hearing the Illini getting cocky and celebrating before the game even began. All Illinois had to do was beat two double digit seeds and they would have reached the Elite 8.
UT-Chattanooga players allegedly heard Illini players humming the March Madness television broadcast theme song, and exclaiming “we’re going to the Final Four.”
No one on the Illini side affirmed this story at the time. Like the guy at the end of Jersey Boys said, ‘eh, you know everyone remembers things how they want to capeche!” More on this (and also the Kelvin Sampson/Eric Gordon drama, over at this link)
1998
All senior starting five went 13-3 in the Big Ten and tied for conference title. Rather disappointing that they couldn’t get to the sweet sixteen given that fact.
However, Exree Hipp (maybe the best name ever) and #4 seed Maryland, then an ACC team, were just too much for the fifth seeded Illini in round two.
2000
From losing as the #5 to the #4 in the second round to falling as the #4 seed to the #5 seed in round two in back-to-back years. Are you getting annoyed and tired by the tediousness of always losing in the second round yet?
At least this time, the opponent (Florida Gators) went all the way to the title game.
2001
A really special team that shared the conference title and earned a #1 seed, they easily cruised through the first three rounds. This included a 16-point win over the blue blood program that would hire Bill Self away.
Finally on the second weekend for the first time in forever, Illinois met Arizona for the third time that season in the Elite Eight. In the very rare three game series between out of conference sides, the Wildcats took the rubber match.
Arizona won in Maui while Illinois emerged victorious in the United Center, earlier that season.
2002
Closest Illinois has ever come to scoring that big upset victory in the tourney, as Kansas got their revenge on the Illini from the year before. The Illini got back to the sweet sixteen, as a #4 seed, but lost by four to the Jayhawks in Madison.
This year had some really nice memories though of Illinois winning big at the United Center, then a de facto home court, in the first two rounds.
2003
Another two and tootle-loo, this time at the hands of Notre Dame, who at the time were really in a tournament slump.
This was an embarrassing loss for Illinois.
2004
Illinois gets their first ever tournament upset win since the era of seeding began. #5 seed Illinois knocks off #4 Cincinnati, in a game that comprised part of a MTV Newlyweds episode. Nick Lachey, of 98 Degrees, is a huge Cincy fan and the cameras captured him watching his team get whomped 92-68.
Duke knocked out Illinois in the next round.
2005
You already know the story of this season: national runner-up, 37 wins (then a single season record), ranked #1 most of the year, the Mannheim Miracle in the Elite 8 versus Arizona, the demolishing of a good Louisville team in the Final Four.
But of course, that title game, which was still there for the taking in the final minute, despite…shooting 14-40 from 3 and James Augustine fouling out in just 9 minutes. Yes, magical season, terrible ending.
2006
Augustine and Dee Brown came back to lead a team that was ranked in the top ten in March, and really should have been a #3 seed, but got a #4 seed instead. Then they played like a team that didn’t even deserve that under seeding.
Brown and Augustine, the winningest duo in school history, went out in the second round, at the hands of Washington.
2007
Lost a really ugly, dull, low-scoring game to Virginia Tech that they had all but wrapped up. Illinois had a double digit lead in the second half, but fell 54-52 because they couldn’t make a free throw to save their lives.
Would have accomplished the famous #12 over #5 too, had they won.
2009
By this point the program was in severe decline, and Illinois followed up losing as a #12 to a #5 by losing as a #5 to a #12 (Western Kentucky) in back to back tourney appearances.
2011
Finally! Another “upset” as Illinois beat the #8 while a #9, with the victim being good old friend Lon Kruger and UNLV.
However, the fun didn’t last long, as KU knocked Illinois out again, in you guessed it, round two.
2013
Of the 20 tournament appearances we recapped here, Illinois got eliminated in the second round in 11, including this one.
However, when #7 seed Illinois had #2 seed Miami right where they wanted them in the final stretch, a very controversial call went against them and turned the tide. It even became known as the “Illinois Rule.”
Illini fans are paranoid that the referees are all out to get them…for a reason.
Ayo Dosunmu @AyoDos_11 the masked mamba, the masked Closer doing TV. #Illini #IlliniNation #RUTGvsILL pic.twitter.com/UcC9Rg4Vx0
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) March 13, 2021
2021
As owners of the Big Ten Tournament title (for the third time in Illini history), and a #1 seed (for the fourth time in school history), this was a Final Four or bust kind of year. Once again, the Illini didn’t even make it to the second weekend. (Sensing a theme here?!)
How did Loyola pull off the big upset? We had an exclusive with Drew Valentine, the Ramblers new head coach, and then as assistant, who gave us the scoop.
2022
A Big Ten regular season co-title preceded a #1 seed in the Big Ten Tournament flameout. Then they won their first round game, over Middle Tennessee State, in about as ugly a fashion as possible. The Illini trailed the entire way, up until the very end, with a final score in the 40s.
Then they met their good old friend Kelvin Sampson in the round of 32. That got real bad towards the end of it. So thus, the Illini basketball second round curse continues.
2023
Just doomed from the start, another L in an #8-#9 game versus Arkansas. It was ugly, dull and tedious all around. Matthew Mayer lost a shoe in the middle of it, and worse, it looked he didn’t even care that he did. By this point, most Illini basketball fans were just happy to have the season over with.
2024 ???
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to Ravens Wire, part of the USA Today SMG’s NFL Wire Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and the Washington Times. You can follow him on Twitter.