blog posts Illini's late rally not enough in Braggin' Rights defeat Mar 26, 2025 3:15 pm Illinois baseball (12-10) nearly dug its way out of a 9-0 hole but ultimately fell to Missouri (9-14), 11-9, on Tuesday night at Grizzlies Ballpark. Illini sophomore Collin Jennings had a grand slam in the rally. Illinois concludes historic season with loss at top-seeded Texas in NCAA Tournament Mar 25, 2025 10:15 am Illinois' season came to a close in the NCAA Tournament Second Round on Monday afternoon. After winning their first Tournament game since 2000 on Saturday, they finished the season with 22 wins, tied for their third-most in program history. Illini fall to Kentucky in NCAA Tournament second round Mar 24, 2025 7:00 am Sixth-seeded Illinois fell to third-seeded Kentucky, 84-75, on Sunday evening. The Illini close the season with a 22-13 mark, including 12-8 in Big Ten play, and the program's fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. NCAA Tournament second round preview: Illinois vs. Kentucky Mar 23, 2025 7:00 am Following an 86-73 victory over Xavier, No. 6 seed Illinois advances to the NCAA Tournament Second Round and will face No. 3 seed Kentucky on Sunday in Milwaukee (4:15 p.m. CT, CBS). Round One: Illinois vs. Xavier, 8:45 pm tonight Mar 20, 2025 12:45 pm With junior Ty Rodgers redshirting, sophomore Dra Gibbs-Lawhorn is the lone scholarship player who has appeared in the NCAA Tournament with the Illini. Gibbs-Lawhorn came off the bench in all four games last year as a true-freshman. Illini Women's Basketball takes on Creighton in first round of NCAA tournament on Saturday Mar 20, 2025 12:45 pm The Illini enter the tournament with a 21-9 record and look to win their first NCAA Tournament game since 2000 on Saturday. This is their second appearance in the national competition under third-year head coach Shauna Green. Illini Women's Basketball secures #8 seed in NCAA Tournament, play Creighton on Saturday Mar 17, 2025 9:15 am Illinois will face Creighton at 6:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 22, in Austin, Texas. The winner of that game will take on the winner of No. 1-seeded Texas vs No. 16-seeded High Point/William & Mary on Monday. Illini Men's Basketball earns fifth straight NCAA tournament bid Mar 17, 2025 8:15 am Illinois is the No. 6 seed in the Midwest region. The Fighting Illini open play in the First Round on Friday in Milwaukee, taking on the winner of Wednesday's First Four match-up between No. 11 seeds Texas and Xavier. Illini face Maryland today in Big Ten tournament quarterfinals Mar 14, 2025 12:30 pm Following a 106-94 victory over 15th-seeded Iowa in Round 2, No. 7 seed Illinois advances to face No. 2 seed Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament (BTT) Quarterfinal on Friday (5:30 p.m. CT, BTN). High-flying offense sends Illinois soaring past Iowa in B1G Tournament Mar 14, 2025 7:00 am Setting a new program record for points scored in a conference tournament game, the Fighting Illini had five scorers finish in double figures in the 106 - 94 victory over the Hawkeyes. Kylan Boswell had a career-high 24 points, Illini begin Big Ten Tournament title defense tonight Mar 12, 2025 4:00 pm Illinois enters the 2025 Big Ten Tournament as the No. 7 seed after posting a 12-8 league record. Under head coach Brad Underwood, Illinois is the only program with a winning B1G record in each of the last six seasons. Three Illini earn All-Big Ten recognition Mar 12, 2025 11:45 am Freshman point guard Kasparas Jakucionis is a second-team All-Big Ten selection. Will Riley is the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year. Tomislav Ivisic was voted honorable mention All-Big Ten. Big Ten Tournament bracket set for men's basketball Mar 10, 2025 8:15 am Seventh seed Fighting Illini will open play in Indianapolis in round 2 on Thursday at 5:30 p.m. on BTN. They'll face the winner of the round 1 matchup between 10th-seeded Ohio State and 15th-seeded Iowa. Illini close regular season tonight vs. #18 Purdue Mar 7, 2025 4:00 pm Illinois plays its final regular season game tonight, hosting Purdue at sold-out State Farm Center (7 p.m. CT, FOX). The Illini will honor two players and six managers in a pregame Senior Night ceremony. Illini [7] fall to Nebraska [10] in Big Ten Tournament second round Mar 7, 2025 7:00 am Genesis Bryant recorded her 12th-straight game in double figures, notching a team-high 20 points while making four of her first six attempts from 3-point range. She also had five assists, three rebounds, and three steals. Illini women open Big Ten Tournament in second round on Thursday Mar 6, 2025 8:45 am Illini Women's Basketball takes on either Nebraska or Rutgers at 5:30 p.m. CT in the second round of the Big Ten Tournament. The contest will air on Big Ten Network from Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Kim named Illini football’s skill development coordinator Mar 4, 2025 9:00 am Joe Kim, a veteran consultant and coach with over 30 years of experience in the NFL, joined the Illinois football staff as the program's skill development coordinator. Illinois Baseball set for Las Vegas College Baseball Classic Feb 28, 2025 9:45 am The Illini will take on Texas Tech (Friday, 4pm CT), Washington (Sat. 2 p.m. CT) and No. 15 Texas (Sun. 1 p.m. CT) in this round robin showcase. Illini host Hail to the Orange Out tonight vs. Iowa Feb 25, 2025 10:00 am Illinois returns to Big Ten Conference play on Tuesday, hosting Iowa at State Farm Center (8 p.m., FS1). It's the annual Hail to the Orange Out and all Illini fans are encouraged to wear orange T-shirts. Fighting Illini fall short in hard-fought road battle at #4 USC Feb 24, 2025 8:30 am The Fighting Illini turned a double-digit deficit into a brief lead in the third quarter, but USC pulled away in the second half to secure the win. Genesis Bryant led the Illini in scoring with 22 points, including five 3-pointers. Illini face #3 Duke in Saturday matchup at Madison Square Garden Feb 21, 2025 8:30 am Illinois travels to New York for a non-conference battle with #3 Duke at Madison Square Garden (7 p.m. CT, FOX). It's the third game of a six-game span to close the regular season in which the Illini face five top-25 ranked foes. Up next for Illini Women's basketball, a tough road test at #3 UCLA Feb 19, 2025 1:30 pm Illinois women's basketball plays Thursday night as the Illini travel to the West Coast to take on No. 3 UCLA at 8:30 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. Illini suffer road loss at #11 Wisconsin Feb 19, 2025 8:15 am The 95-74 loss snapped the Fighting Illini's nine-game winning streak against the Badgers and marked the Orange and Blue's first defeat against Wisconsin in six years. Fighting Illini visit #11 Wisconsin tonight Feb 18, 2025 9:15 am Illinois travels to Madison to face #11 Wisconsin (7:30 p.m. CT, FS1). It's the second game of a six-game span to close the regular season in which the Illini face five top-25 ranked foes. Fighting Illini take No. 25 spot in AP poll Feb 17, 2025 4:15 pm Illinois women's basketball has re-entered the national rankings, coming in at No. 25 in the AP Top-25 poll. On an eight-game winning streak, the Fighting Illini hold a 21-5 record overall,11-4 in Big Ten play. Illini falter late against Michigan State at State Farm Center Feb 17, 2025 8:15 am After a commanding lead of 16 points in the first half, neither team led by more than four in a back-and-forth battle throughout the first 13 minutes of the second half. But the Illini missed their final 19 shots to lose 79-65.. Illinois faces rematch with Spartans on Terrence Shannon Jr. Jersey Night Feb 14, 2025 10:30 am After a stirring clash last month, Illini men's hoops hosts Michigan State on Saturday night and will honor former Illinois star Terrence Shannon Jr. Big fourth quarter helps Illini women's hoops power past Penn State Feb 14, 2025 10:30 am Illinois took down Penn State at the State Farm Center on Thursday night for the team's seventh win in a row. Illini Women's Basketball at home tonight against Penn State Feb 13, 2025 1:45 pm Illinois hosts Penn State at State Farm Center at 6 p.m. on B1G+. The Illini have won six in a row. Penn State arrives with a 10-14 record and a 1-12 mark in conference play this season. Illini host UCLA tonight and it's Kofi Cockburn Honored Jersey Night Feb 11, 2025 8:30 am Illinois plays the first of back-to-back home games tonight, hosting UCLA (7 p.m. CT, Peacock). The Bruins own the league's longest active winning streak, winners of seven straight. #23 Illinois Falls on the Road to Rutgers Feb 6, 2025 8:15 am Will Riley led the Illini in scoring for the third straight game with 18 points. He also had six assists, matching his career high, and grabbed three rebounds. Bostic named to Women’s College All-Star Game watch list Feb 5, 2025 10:15 am Kendall Bostic has been named to the Women's College All-Star Game Watch List. The Kokomo, Ind., native was one of 68 players appearing on the watch list that represented 51 different programs and 15 conferences. Illini open two-game road swing at Rutgers tonight Feb 5, 2025 9:30 am The Fighting Illini are coming off a come-from-behind win over Ohio State on Sunday in which the Illini erased an 11-point second-half deficit to secure their 10th victory of the season at State Farm Center. Riley earns second B1G Freshman of the Week honor Feb 4, 2025 8:30 am Will Riley led the Illini in a pair of games last week, averaging 20.0 points and 3.5 rebounds. His 24 points in the game against Ohio State tied the most by a freshman off the bench in a conference game this season. Bryant earns Big Ten Player of the Week honors Feb 4, 2025 8:15 am Putting together three phenomenal performances in Illinois' 3-0 week, Bryant led the team to two road wins in addition to the program's first-ever win over Maryland, Illinois' third win over an AP Top-25 ranked team this season. Tonight: Illini face road test at Nebraska Jan 30, 2025 8:15 am No. 18 Illinois plays at Nebraska at 7:30 p.m. (BTN), opening a stretch of three road contests in four games over a span of 10 days. The Illini are coming off an 83-74 home win over Northwestern on Sunday. Illinois Men's Tennis travels to Tennessee for ITA kickoff weekend Jan 24, 2025 3:15 pm Men's Tennis begins its 2025 dual schedule at ITA Kickoff Weekend with a contest against Tennessee in the first round on Saturday, then square off with either Auburn or Michigan on Sunday in Knoxville, Tennessee. Fighting Illini set for showdown at Northwestern Jan 23, 2025 8:00 am Illini women's basketball takes on Northwestern in Evanston tonight at 7 p.m. The game will be shown on the Big Ten Network. The Wildcats are on a five-game losing skid and enters the game with a 7-10 overall record, 0-6 in the Big Ten. Illinois Football finishes season ranked #16 in AP poll Jan 22, 2025 9:45 am The Fighting Illini beat #14 South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl to secure the program's highest AP Top 25 finish since 2001. Illinois tied its program record with 10 wins in 2024, including four wins against AP Top 25 ranked teams. Illini women fall to Michigan State at State Farm Center Jan 21, 2025 9:00 am Illinois fell to No. 22 Michigan State, 86-68, at State Farm Center on Sunday afternoon. Kendall Bostic registered her 11th double-double of the season, with 20 points and14 rebounds, plus a steal and an assist. Illinois drops top-20 battle at Michigan State Jan 20, 2025 11:15 am No. 19 Illinois fell to No. 12 Michigan State, 80-78, at Breslin Center on Sunday afternoon. The Illini are set for a two-game home swing next week, which begins on Thursday at 8 p.m. against Maryland. Illini visit 12th-ranked Michigan State Sunday Jan 18, 2025 11:15 am No. 19 Illinois is back on the road for the second time this week, facing Big Ten leader (6-0) and No. 12-ranked Michigan State on Sunday at Breslin Center (11 a.m., CBS). Illini women in Bloomington tonight for clash with Indiana Jan 16, 2025 12:45 pm Indiana enters tonight's game with a 12-4 record and a 4-1 mark in conference play. The Hoosiers are 7-2 on their home court this season, which includes a victory over No. 24 Stanford. Fighting Illini set for road battle tonight at Indiana Jan 14, 2025 8:15 am Illinois has back-to-back road games this week, beginning tonight at Indiana (6 p.m. CT, Peacock).Illinois has won two of its last three games at Indiana, posting consecutive wins in 2021 and 2022 before a one-possession loss in 2023. Illini gymnasts earn three event titles in season opener Jan 13, 2025 9:30 am The Illinois Women's Gymnastics program completed their first meet of the 2025 season at the Ball State Quad on Sunday. Seven gymnasts made their Illini debuts on the team's way to a runner-up finish. Illini carry 4-game winning streak into Penn State matchup on Wednesday Jan 7, 2025 1:45 pm #13 Illinois returns from its Pacific Northwest road swing, which included wins at No. 9 Oregon and Washington, to host Penn State Wednesday (8 p.m., BTN) in the first of back-to-back home games this week. Jakucionis earns second B1G Freshman of the Week honor Jan 7, 2025 8:00 am Jakucionis earns his second Big Ten Freshman of the Week award this season, following recognition on Dec. 16. Jakucionis is currently averaging 16.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.4 rebounds on the season #22 Illini face top-10 challenge tonight at #9 Oregon Jan 2, 2025 8:30 am Illinois opens the 2025 calendar year with a trip to the Pacific Northwest to face new Big Ten members Oregon and Washington, beginning Thursday night in Eugene against the No. 9-ranked Ducks (9 p.m. CT, FS1). Braggin' Rights at stake Sunday in St. Louis Dec 20, 2024 9:15 am The annual Braggin' Rights clash between Illinois and Missouri is Sunday afternoon in St. Louis (noon on ESPN). The Illini are looking for back-to-back victories for the first time since a stretch of five straight wins from 2013-17. Jakucionis named Big Ten Freshman of the Week Dec 17, 2024 9:15 am Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis is co-Big Ten Freshman of the Week along with Rutgers' Dylan Harper. Jakucionis averaged 23.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 3.5 assists against a pair of top-20 teams.