Illinois Basketball Earns Top-3 Seed, Eyes History

0:00On March 16, Illinois basketball earned a number three seed in the NCAA tournament, right on track with projections. They head to Greenville, South Carolina for their first round matchup against Pan on Thursday. Coming off a late season stumble with four losses in their final eight regular season games, plus a quick big 10 tournament exit, the Alini still locked in this solid spot. Is there sixth straight appearance, matching a strong run under coach Brad Underwood? Fans and analysts see big potential here. As Underwood has now guided Illinois to a top three seed, three times in six seasons. The last deep run came two years ago with an elite eight finish, the farthest since their 2005 national title push. Advancing means facing either number six North Carolina or number 11 VCU next, a tough but winnable bracket path. Illinois boasts wins over top teams this year, setting them up to push past recent limits if they bring their best. With momentum building and revenge chances on the table, the Alini look primed to chase history in the coming weeks.