Let the madness begin.
After recent years of early exit struggles for Illinois men’s basketball, the time has come for the 2023-24 squad to take its turn in the big dance of the NCAA tournament. The No. 3 Illini will open their run in the tournament against the No. 14 Morehead State Eagles on Thursday.
“It’s terrific to be here,” said head coach Brad Underwood. “There’s nothing better than the NCAA tournament; there’s nothing better than hearing your name called on Selection Sunday. I’m excited to be here with this group. We’re coming into this tournament obviously off the Big Ten championship and feel like it’s different than in the last few years.”
The tipoff, slated for 2:10 p.m. CT, will mark Illinois’ fourth-straight NCAA appearance and 34th all-time appearance.
Coming off the momentum of winning the 2024 Big Ten tournament, Illinois will head into the first round of March Madness with significant wind in its sails. The early trophy triumphs were highlighted by the star performances of fifth-year guard Terrence Shannon Jr., who was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
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The Chicago native also broke numerous records including most points scored in a Big Ten tournament game (40) and in a Big Ten tournament final (34). Shannon is averaging 23 points per game this season and will continue to serve as a key part of the team’s success during the rest of the postseason.
The Illini’s first opponent, the Eagles, will see the two programs clash for the first time since the 1993-94 season. In the two schools’ only encounter, Illinois emerged victorious with a 110-75 result. Now, they will face off on college basketball’s biggest stage.
In the current season, Morehead State has gathered a 26-8 overall record and a 14-4 conference record to take the third-place spot in the Ohio Valley Conference standings. The Eagles went on to win the OVC tournament, punching their ticket to an NCAA first-round clash against the Illini.
Illinois will be taking a full-strength squad into its first-round matchup, with a projected lineup of Shannon, sophomore guard Ty Rodgers, graduate student forwards Marcus Domask and Quincy Guerrier and senior forward Coleman Hawkins expected to start against Morehead State.
“This group is very healthy,” Underwood said. “We’re playing our best basketball. I feel like we’re whole, which is something that through the course of a long season — there’s always ups and downs and trials and tribulations. I think we’re in a very good place injury-wise.”
The Illini will embark on their quest for a national championship at 2:10 p.m. CT on Thursday. After seasons of early disappointments in March, the 2024 squad will aim to do what past teams could not: win that final game of the season.
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