Illinois Basketball: Top ranked wins at home under Brad Underwood

Illinois basketball has returned to the national stage. After winning two of the last four Big Ten tournaments and finishing at the top of the conference twice in the past four years, Brad Underwood has truly been a savior in Champaign. After finally getting the Illini back to the second weekend of the NCAA tournament, fans now expect a level of excellence from their basketball program. If there is one flaw to the Underwood era, however, is that the team just has not secured that elusive home victory over a big-time opponent.

On Saturday evening, the Illini let a game slip from their grasp after exchanging blows with number-one-ranked Tennessee. It was a microcosm of some of the battles they have held at State Farm Center against marquee opponents as they always fall just a little short. When they hosted number two-ranked Purdue last year, Illinois basketball lost by 6 points. When they hosted number-two Arizona during the 2021-2022 season, they fell short by four points. Have the Illini ever been able to pull off that big win at home?

Top-ranked Wins have stayed against Big Ten Opponents

1. Win over number 14 Wisconsin on January 7th, 2023

   1. The Illini desperately needed this win after starting their conference season 0-3. Terrence Shannon Jr had 24 points and 8 rebounds, while Coleman Hawkins added 20 points on 6 three-point attempts to beat the Badgers 79-69.

2. Win over 10th ranked Michigan State on January 25th, 2022

   1. Illinois basketball beat the Michigan State Spartans in a rockfight, 56-55. Of note, the Illini won this game over number 10 Michigan State without Kofi Cockburn who missed the game with a concussion.

3. Win over 11th ranked Wisconsin on February 2nd, 2022

   1. Kofi Cockburn dominated the 11th-ranked Wisconsin Badgers Wisconsin Badgers with 37 points and 12 rebounds in an 80-67 victory. Looking back, winning this game proved vital to the Illini’s efforts to win the regular season championship.

Remember this statline from Kofi Cockburn when Wisconsin came to Champaign a few years ago pic.twitter.com/L4BhUBhjjd

— Armchair Illinois (@ArmchairIllini) December 11, 2024

Other ranked wins at home include beating number 7-ranked Iowa at home during the COVID year. The highest-ranked opponent that the Illini were able to beat was Number 5-ranked Michigan, whom the Illini beat on December 11th, 2019.

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