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For the second time in four years, Your Fighting Illini are the Big Ten Tournament Champions, beating Wisconsin for the eighth-straight time overall on Sunday in Minneapolis, 93-87.
Much like the previous two victories at Target Center, the Illini came back from a double-digit deficit to beat a third sizzling-hot team in as many days. […]
Unlike the previous BTT Championship in 2021 with Ayo and Kofi, this particular set of victories did not FEEL like relief, it felt more like inevitability.
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is a weird thing to FEEL for a lifelong fan of this state university. Inevitability is always a negative emotion or foreboding of catastrophe just around the corner.
* AP…
Terrence Shannon Jr. scored 34 points on 15-for-17 shooting from the free-throw line, helping 13th-ranked Illinois outlast Wisconsin 93-87 in Big Ten tournament championship game on Sunday. […]
Shannon finished with 102 points in three games this weekend, one short of the Big Ten Tournament scoring record, and was voted the Most Outstanding Player. Keegan Murray had 103 points for Iowa in 2022, but the Hawkeyes played four games that year on the way to the title.
After celebrating in a shower of orange-and-blue confetti and cutting down the nets at Target Center, the Illini hustled to a side room for the NCAA Tournament selection show to learn they’re the No. 3 seed in the East Region, with a first-round game at 2:10 p.m. Thursday (truTV) against No. 14 Morehead State. […]
Illinois, the winningest team in the Big Ten over the last five seasons, has its most victories since a 26-win team in 2005-06.
* News-Gazette…
“When you’re part of something that’s really special — and that’s this league — when you accomplish something like this, you don’t take it for granted,” Illinois coach Brad Underwood said. “To come here and have three games that were all a little bit different and then have the confetti fall at the end, I couldn’t be prouder of these guys. I’m glad they get to experience that feeling and hoist that trophy.” […]
Before the trophy was hoisted and the confetti fell, Marcus Domask knew exactly who he wanted to celebrate with first. Terrence Shannon Jr. was in the sights of the Southern Illinois transfer the entire time.
“I ran over to TJ,” Domask said. “What he did this tournament was unbelievable. He put us on his back and carried us. I went to TJ first, and then everybody was just jumping around and it’s a celebration.
“It was the reason I came to Illinois. I came to Illinois to win championships. That was pretty much all me and coach talked about in the portal. Who was going to be on the team. How we were going to win championships. That was the main thing I was looking for.”
* Illini Now…
Illinois guard Terrence Shannon was greeted with a chant from the Wisconsin fans each time he went to the foul line during Sunday’s Big Ten title game.
A section of the Badgers fans would chant “No Means No” as Shannon prepared to shoot. It was in reference to Shannon facing rape allegations stemming from an incident last September.
According to Brian Hamilton of The Athletic, the Big Ten has since stopped the chant. It was caught early in the first half.
* More…
* The Intelligencer | Illini earn No. 3 seed in NCAA Tournament: Illinois is the No. 3 seed in the East region and will open their NCAA Tournament run against No. 14 seed Morehead State (26-8) in the first round at 2:10 p.m. Thursday in Omaha, Neb., at CHI Health Center Omaha. Illinois is one of three Big Ten teams – and one of 14 teams nationally – to earn a bid in each of the last four NCAA Tournaments.
* WCIA | Illinois wins second Big Ten Tournament Title in four years: “You just get chills honestly, especially myself growing up in the Midwest, an Indiana boy, you know you grow up watching college basketball your whole life,” junior Luke Goode said. “Watching people cut down the nets and having the opportunity to be in those shoes is something people will always remember.”
posted by Isabel Miller
Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 12:45 pm
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Beat Morehead State.
Comment by Andersonville Right Winger Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 1:17 pm
Go Marquette!
Comment by Warriors Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 1:19 pm
Congratulations to the Illini! Nothing is given on nightly basis in Big Ten ball and this season was no exception again. Should be a great tournament and fingers crossed that the Illini have a nice, deep run.
Comment by Google Is Your Friend Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 1:22 pm
Always good to see Illinois have some representation in March Madness. Now if only SIU could get its ball program figured out again…
Comment by Treefiddy Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 1:24 pm
I get the feeling Underwood decided half way through the season he needed to lighten up on the tough guy, in your face, Bobby Knight wanna be approach.
I think he looked at his roster and decided he had some great athletes who could run and gun and decided to let them play and get out of their way and let them ball.
Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 1:29 pm
I-L-L…
Comment by George Ryan Reynolds Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 1:38 pm
=tough guy, in your face, Bobby Knight wanna be approach.=
To your point - Robert Montgomery Knight never would have slipped into the cold tub with players and then post a picture on X.
Comment by Cool Papa Bell Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 1:38 pm
SIU fired Bryan Mullins, and I really don’t know who will step into the job, so I’m worried we might have a few lean years in Carbondale coming up.
As to the Illini, they looked great at the B1G tourney. I thought Nebraska was going to run away, but they clamped down on defense and stole that game. I think they have a pretty tough region with Iowa State, UConn, and Auburn. It would be nice to beat Bruce Pearl though.
Comment by Steve Rogers Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 2:17 pm
I-N-I !!!
Comment by The Magnificent Purple Walnut Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 2:32 pm
This will be an especially bitter year if the Illini don’t advance at least to the Sweet 16. They have a solid setup to advance at least two rounds.
Then again, never a bad idea to bet against a Big Ten team in March Madness. You’d make money doing just that this entire millennium.
Comment by TJ Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 2:36 pm
Happy for Illinois, but don’t forget Northwestern is also in the Big Dance as well. Go Cats.
And Bradley and Loyola play each other Wednesday in a first round NIT matchup. BU!!
Comment by Bogey Golfer Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 2:49 pm
Shannon earned himself a lot of money with this performance this weekend. The Illini can be quirky but I could definitely see them beating UConn. But, no love for my Northwestern Wildcats? For the first time, we get to dance 2 years in a row. For us, that is a big deal. GO CATS & GO ILLINI! Now to do my bracket(s).
Comment by levivotedforjudy Monday, Mar 18, 24 @ 2:54 pm