Illinois Focuses on Shooting, Rebounding for NCAA Tournament

0:00On March 16th, the 2026 NCAA tournament bracket got locked in on Sunday evening, putting Illinois as the number 3 seed in the South. Region. They'll open against the 14th seeded Penn Quakers. Like every coach in the field, Illinois head man Brad Underwood stressed that it's a clean slate now, zero and zero for everyone. That means brushing aside the Illinois's rough 4 and 5 finish over their last 9 games. The season slumps, rest debates, and momentum talk all fade away. The focus shifts straight to tournament survival and a potential deep run. Underwood laid out simple keys to make it happen. He wants sharper shooting, especially from beyond the arc after some recent cold streaks. The team has the shooters, they just need to heat up. Defensive rebounding tops his list too. While Illinois ranks third nationally on the offensive glass at 38.7%, they're only number 37 on defense. They've let crucial boards slip in big moments, like late in the big 10 tournament against Wisconsin.

1:01The good news is, they're already on it with strong practices. Underwood says they've addressed the lapses and can sustain intensity for a full 40 minutes, setting them up well for what's ahead.