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    Illinois NCAA Tournament 1st/2nd Round Notes

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    Illinois opens NCAA Tournament play against Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday at 8:40 p.m. CT on CBS.

    Illinois opens NCAA Tournament play against Fairleigh Dickinson on Thursday at 8:40 p.m. CT on CBS.

    March 15, 2005

    Illinois-NCAA Tournament 1st/2nd Round Postseason Guide in PDF Format
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    #1 ILLINOIS (32-1, 15-1, Big Ten Champions)
    2005 NCAA Basketball Tournament-1st & 2nd Round
    #1 Seed • Chicago Region • March 17 & 19
    Indianapolis, Ind. • RCA Dome (37,565)

    Probable Starters
    F - 43 Roger Powell, Jr. (Sr., 6-6, 235, 12.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg)
    F - 40 James Augustine (Jr., 6-10, 230, 10.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.3 bpg)
    G - 4 Luther Head (Sr., 6-3, 185, 15.8 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 3.8 apg)
    G - 5 Deron Williams (Jr., 6-3, 210, 12.2 ppg, 3.7 rpg, 6.5 apg)
    G - 11 Dee Brown (Jr., 6-0, 185, 13.4 ppg, 2.6 rpg, 4.5 apg)

    Off The Bench
    G - 33 Rich McBride (So., 6-3, 215, 3.0 ppg, 1.5 rpg)
    F - 34 Fred Nkemdi (Sr., 6-5, 235, 0.7 ppg, 0.3 rpg)
    F - 41 Warren Carter (So., 6-9, 210, 2.6 ppg, 2.0 rpg)
    C - 45 Nick Smith (Sr.-r, 7-2, 250, 3.7 ppg, 2.3 rpg)
    C/F - 50 Jack Ingram (Sr.-r, 6-10, 245, 3.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg)
    F - 55 Shaun Pruitt (Fr., 6-8, 245, 1.5 ppg, 1.0 rpg)

    Injured
    G - 15 Calvin Brock (Fr., 6-4, 185, plans to redshirt)
    F - 42 Brian Randle (So., 6-7, 210, 1.8 ppg, 1.7 rpg in 2003-04)

    Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber
    Overall Record: 161-62/.722 (7th Year)
    At Illinois: 58-8/.878 (2nd Year)
    Big Ten: 28-4/.875
    NCAA Tournament: 4-3/.571

    Assistant Coaches: Wayne McClain (4th Year), Jay Price (2nd Year), Tracy Webster (1st year)
    Assistant to the Head Coach: Gary Nottingham (2nd Year)
    Trainer: Al Martindale (2nd Year; 22nd Year at Illinois)

    Television
    CBS - National:
    Dick Enberg, play-by-play; Jay Bilas, expert analyst.

    Radio
    Illini Sports Network - 47 stations:
    Brian Barnhart, play-by-play; Stephen Bardo, expert analyst; Loren Tate, pregame/ halftime/postgame interviews.
    Westwood One - National: Bob Papa, play-by-play; Mike Jarvis, expert analyst.

    The Illini in The NCAA Tournament
    Illini Single-Game Bests in NCAA Tournament Play ...

    Points          31, Deron Williams vs. Cincinnati, 3/21/04
    Rebounds        16, Nick Anderson vs. Syracuse, 3/26/89
                    16, Brian Cook vs. Notre Dame, 3/22/03
    Field Goal Pct. .875 (7-8), Lowell Hamilton vs. McNeese State, 3/16/89
                    .875 (7-8), Deon Thomas vs. Georgetown, 3/18/94
    3-Pt FGs        6, Cory Bradford vs. Arizona, 3/23/01
                    6, Deron Williams vs. Cincinnati, 3/21/04
    3-Pt. FG Pct.   .833 (5-6), Frank Williams vs. San Diego St., 3/15/02
    Free Throw Pct. 1.000 (8-8), Mark Smith vs. Wyoming, 3/14/81
                    1.000 (8-8), Kenny Battle vs. McNeese State, 3/16/89
                    1.000 (7-7), Ken Norman vs. Northeastern, 3/15/85
                    1.000 (7-7), Efrem Winters vs. Georgia, 3/17/85
    Free Throws     16, Kiwane Garris vs. Southern Cal, 3/14/97
    Free Throw Att. 17, Kiwane Garris vs. Southern Cal, 3/14/97
    Assists         12, Kiwane Garris vs. Southern Cal, 3/14/97
    Steals          6, Bruce Douglas vs. Georgia, 3/17/85
    Blocked Shots   3, Lowell Hamilton vs. Austin Peay, 3/12/87
    

    • Illinois has received a No. 1 seed for the third time in school history. Illinois was a No. 1 seed in the Midwest Region in 1989 and went on to advance to the Final Four in Seattle. Illinois last earned a No. 1 seed in 2001 in the Midwest Region, when it advanced to the Elite Eight in San Antonio. The Illini are 7-2 (.778) all-time as a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

    • Illinois is making its 25th appearance in the NCAA Tournament, which is the second highest number of Tournament appearances among Big Ten schools trailing only Indiana's 32. This is the sixth-consecutive year Illinois has been in the Tournament, all with Top-5 seeds.

    • Illinois has compiled a 32-25 (.561) record all-time in NCAA Tournament appearances. Since 1975, when the field was increased to 32 teams, Illinois has advanced to the Sweet 16 seven times (1981, 1984, 1985, 1989, 2001, 2002 and 2004), the Elite Eight three times (1984, 1989 and 2001) and the Final Four once (1989).

    • Illinois has made four appearances in the NCAA Final Four, finishing third in 1949, 1951 and 1952. The Fighting Illini were beaten by Michigan in the national semifinals of the 1989 Final Four.

    Bruce Weber is making his fourth-straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament, which includes his last two years at Southern Illinois and his first two seasons at Illinois. His all-time NCAA Tournament record as a head coach is 4-3 (.571) after leading the Salukis to the 2002 Sweet 16 and the Illini to the Sweet 16 last year.

    • Illinois is 3-1 all-time in Indianapolis during NCAA Tournament play. The Illini defeated McNeese State in the first round and Ball State in the second round in 1989. Illinois last appeared at the RCA Dome in 2003, defeating Western Kentucky in the first round before falling to Notre Dame in the second round. Should they advance, the Illini are 4-0 all-time in Chicago during NCAA Tournament play.

    • Illinois' all-time series record vs. the Chicago Region:

    		2-1 vs. No. 2 Oklahoma State
    		5-6 vs. No. 3 Arizona
    		0-0 vs. No. 4 Boston College
    		1-2 vs. No. 5 Alabama
    		2-0 vs. No. 6 LSU
    		2-0 vs. No. 7 Southern Illinois
    		2-2 vs. No. 8 Texas
    		0-0 vs. No. 9 Nevada
    		1-0 vs. No. 10 St. Mary's
    		0-1 vs. No. 11 Alabama-Birmingham
    		2-0 vs. No. 12 Wisconsin-Milwaukee
    		6-0 vs. No. 13 Pennsylvania
    		2-0 vs. No. 14 Utah State
    		0-0 vs. No. 15 Southeastern Louisiana
    		0-0 vs. No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson
    

    • All-Time Scores vs. Possible 1st and 2nd round opponents:

    #16 Fairleigh Dickinson (First Meeting)
    #8 Texas  (2-2)
    	12-26-92    72-89    L    Austin, Texas
    	1-2-94      83-78    W    Champaign, Ill.
    	12-20-97    105-80   W    Champaign, Ill.
    	12-23-00    64-72    L    Austin, Texas
    #9 Nevada (0-0)
    

    • Illinois has posted a 13-0 record against the nine NCAA Tournament teams it faced this season. Here is a breakdown against this year's tournament field:

    	11/19/04    Delaware State     W    87-67
    	11/24/04    Oakland            W    85-54
    	11/27/04    vs. Gonzaga        W    89-72
    	12/1/04     Wake Forest        W    91-73
    	12/31/04    vs. Cincinnati     W    67-45
    	1/20/05     Iowa               W    73-68 (OT)
    	1/25/05     at Wisconsin       W    75-65
    	1/29/05     Minnesota          W    89-66
    	2/1/05      at Michigan State  W    81-68
    	2/12/05     Wisconsin          W    70-59
    	2/19/05     at Iowa            W    75-65
    	3/12/05     vs. Minnesota      W    64-56
    	3/13/05     vs. Wisconsin      W    54-43
    

    • Current members of the Fighting Illini squad have played a total of 50 games in the NCAA Tournament with Luther Head leading the way with eight games. Roger Powell and Nick Smith have played in seven games, while James Augustine, Dee Brown, Jack Ingram and Deron Williams have played in five games. In addition to his three NCAA games with the Illini, Ingram made two appearances at Tulsa as a sophomore in 2002 before transferring to Illinois. Rounding out the Illini roster, Rich McBride has played in three games, Warren Carter and Brian Randle in two, and Fred Nkemdi in one.

    • Illinois competed in postseason play 11 consecutive years from 1980-90, including eight consecutive years (1983-90) in the NCAA Tournament.

    • Illinois' all-time leading scorer in NCAA Tournament play is Frank Williams, who tallied 148 points in nine games (16.4 avg.).

    • Illinois' all-time leading rebounder in NCAA Tournament play is Brian Cook, who grabbed 74 rebounds in 11 games (6.7 avg.).

    • Ken Norman shot .632 (36-57) from the field and .833 (15-18) from the free-throw line in NCAA Tournament competition, the best figures among any Illini who played more than three tournament games.

    • Bruce Douglas handed out 55 assists in nine NCAA Tournament games, more than any other Illini player. He dealt out 11 assists in games vs. Kentucky (1984) and Georgia (1985).

    Brian Cook and Sean Harrington both appeared in 11 NCAA Tournament games, more than any other Fighting Illini player.

    • Fifteen different Fighting Illini players have recorded double-doubles in NCAA Tournament action on 17 different occasions. The last Illini player to double-double was Brian Cook who had 19 points and 16 rebounds March 22, 2003 against Notre Dame, following a 17-point and 10-rebound performance against Western Kentucky March 20, 2003. Kiwane Garris had 27 points and 12 assists against USC on March 14, 1997 to post the only double-double that didn't include points and rebounds.

    Many would say that Nick Anderson's 24-point, 16-rebound performance against Syracuse in 1989 was the finest effort ever by an Illini player in tournament action, since he propelled Illinois into the 1989 Final Four. Anderson was named the Midwest Regional MOP that year. He also had a double-double vs. McNeese State (3/16/89), making him and Cook the only Illini players to twice accomplish that feat.

    • The only Fighting Illini players to be named to the Final Four All-Tournament Team were John "Red" Kerr and James Bredar in 1952. They joined Kansas' Clyde Lovellette and Dean Kelley, and St. John's Bob Zawoluk and Ron MacGilvray on that all-star squad. Dike Eddleman (1949) was named to the 1939-40s All-Decade Team.

    Weber wins Henry Iba Award
    Head Coach Bruce Weber has been named the winner of the 2005 Henry Iba Award, presented annually by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association to the national college basketball coach of the year. Weber becomes the first Illinois coach to receive the award since the USBWA began selecting a coach of the year in 1959.

    Weber has guided the Illini to a school-record 32 wins this season and both the regular season Big Ten championship as well as the tournament title. The Illini have been ranked No. 1 for 15 straight weeks and enter the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed.

    Weber will be presented the Iba Award at a breakfast during the NCAA Final Four weekend on April 1 at the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis.

    Recapping the Big Ten Tournament
    • Illinois entered the Big Ten Tournament as a No. 1 seed for the third time in tournament history, and went on to win the championship. This marked Illinois' second conference tournament title, along with winning the 2003 tournament. Illinois became just the second No. 1 seed to win the tournament - along with Michigan State in 1999 - and joined the Spartans as the only team to win both the outright regular season Big Ten title as well as the conference tournament in the same season. MSU first accomplished the feat in 1999.
    • Now with two tournament championships, Illinois becomes just the second Big Ten school to become a multiple-time winner of the tournament, joining Michigan State, who claimed back-to-back tournament titles in 1999 and 2000.
    • Illinois held its opponents (Northwestern, Minnesota and Wisconsin) to 32.5 percent shooting (53-163) during the Big Ten Tournament and allowed an average of just 50 points per game. The Illini also forced 46 turnovers during the three-game stretch, (15.3 avg.) and outrebounded the opposition by an average of 6.7 rebounds.
    • Illinois has the most all-time Big Ten Tournament wins (16) and the best all-time Big Ten Tournament winning percentage (.727, 16-6).
    • Illinois has the most Big Ten championship game appearances, having advanced to the title game five times in eight tournaments, including the last three years.
    • Illinois is the only school to advance to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals every year in the 8-year history of the event.
    • Illinois' entire starting lineup has now earned Big Ten All-Tournament Team honors during his respective career. Roger Powell, Jr. was honored in 2003, and Dee Brown and Deron Williams were both honored last year. Luther Head was named to this year's All-Tournament Team, while James Augustine was named the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player.

    Augustine Big Ten Tournament MOP; Head named to All-Tournament Team
    Junior James Augustine was a consistent force throughout the weekend in leading the Illini to the Big Ten Tournament title. For his efforts, he was named the tournament's Most Outstanding Player. Augustine averaged a double-double of 12.7 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting 73.7 percent from the field (14-19). He led the Illini in scoring against Northwestern, totaling 15 points with eight boards. He recorded his third double-double of the season vs. Minnesota with 11 points and a career-high tying 14 rebounds. He finished with 12 points, nine boards and three blocks in the title game vs. Wisconsin.

    Luther Head earned All-Tournament Team honors after leading the Illini with 40 points (13.3 avg). He also averaged 5.7 rebounds and had 11 assists on the weekend. Head had 14 points vs. Northwestern, a team-high 14 vs. Minnesota and 12 vs. Wisconsin.

    Illini Secure Winningest Season in School History
    With its 32 victories, Illinois has set a school record for wins in a season. The previous Illini record was 31 wins, set by the 1988-89 Flyin' Illini squad which advanced to the NCAA Final Four and finished the year with a record of 31-5. Following are the winningest seasons in school history, in terms of total wins:

       Rank    Season    Wins     Record
        1.	   2004-05	  32	  32-1 (.970)
        2.	   1988-89	  31	  31-5 (.861)
        3.	   2000-01	  27	  27-8 (.771)
        T4.	   2003-04	  26	  26-7 (.788)
        T4.	   2001-02	  26	  26-9 (.743)
        T4.	   1984-85	  26	  26-9 (.743)
        T4.	   1983-84	  26	  26-5 (.838)
        8.	   2002-03	  25	  25-7 (.781)
    

    Brown Named USBWA First-Team All-American; Head named to Second Team
    Illinois had two players recognized on the 2005 U.S. Basketball Writers Association All-America Teams. Dee Brown was selected to the 5-player first team, while Luther Head was named to the 5-player second team.

    Brown, the Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, is averaging 13.4 points with 25 games in double figures. He leads the Big Ten in 3-point field goal shooting at 45.5 percent, while ranking second in the conference with 85 three-pointers. Brown leads the Illini with 60 steals and is averaging 4.6 assists to rank third in the Big Ten.

    Brown is joined on the first team by Utah's Andrew Bogut, Wake Forest's Chris Paul, Duke's J.J. Redick and Kansas' Wayne Simien.

    Head, a first-team All-Big Ten selection, leads the Illini in scoring with an average of 15.8 points. He has scored in double figures in 30 of 33 games, with nine games of 20 or more points. Head leads the Big Ten with 93 three-pointers and has recorded 56 steals. He also leads the Illini in free throw shooting (79.8 percent) while ranking third in both assists (3.8 apg) and rebounds (4.1 rpg).

    Joining head on the second team are Arizona State's Ike Diogu, North Carolina's Sean May, Arizona's Salim Stoudamaire and Syracuse's Hakim Warrick.

    Illini Guards All Named Second-Team All-Americans by NABC
    Illinois' entire starting backcourt was voted to the All-America Second Team as selected by the National Association of Basketball Coaches, with Deron Williams, Dee Brown and Luther Head all receiving recognition. The NABC picks a 5-player first team, second team and third team, with 15 total players receiving All-America honors. Illinois was the only school to have multiple players named to the NABC All-America Teams.

    Illini Ranked No. 1 in Final Associated Press Poll
    For just the third year in school history - and for the 15th straight week - Illinois is the No. 1-ranked team in the nation. The Illini's 15 consecutive weeks at No. 1 is the longest streak by any team in eight years, since Kansas owned the top spot for the final 15 weeks of the 1996-97 season.

    The Illini were unanimously voted No. 1 in the poll released on March 14, which is the final AP poll of the season. This is the first time in school history that the Illini have been ranked No. 1 in the final AP poll. Previously, Illinois' best final ranking was No. 2 in 1952. The Illini are also the first Big Ten team to be ranked No. 1 in the final AP poll since Indiana in 1993.

    This has been the first season in school history that the Illini have been ranked first for more than one week. Prior to this season, the last time Illinois was ranked No. 1 was the week of Jan. 23-29, 1989. The UI first appeared No. 1 in the Associated Press poll for a week during the final week of the regular season in January, 1952. In each of the previous two seasons when the Illini achieved a No. 1 ranking, they went on to advance to the NCAA Final Four.

    Brown Sweeps Big Ten Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year Honors
    Junior Dee Brown was named Big Ten Player of the Year by both the coaches and the media on March 8, and was also honored as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year by the league coaches. Brown is the third Illini player in the last five years to be chosen as the Big Ten Player of the Year, joining Frank Williams (2001) and Brian Cook (2003). He is only the third UI player ever to be named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, joining Bruce Douglas (1985 and 1986) and Stephen Bardo (1989).

    Brown has pulled off a rare feat by sweeping both awards this year. He is just the third Big Ten player since the conference began honoring a defensive player of the year in 1984 to be named both Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season, joining Michigan's Gary Grant (1988) and Minnesota's Bobby Jackson (1997).

    Illinois' Three Guards Named First-Team All-Big Ten
    Illinois had three players named to the 5-player All-Big Ten first team (coaches and media) announced on March 8 in junior Dee Brown, senior Luther Head and junior Deron Williams. The Illini backcourt trio has joined exclusive company by earning first-team accolades. This marks the first time since 1975, and just the fifth time since World War II, that at least three players from the same team have been placed on the All-Big Ten first team. It is the third time in school history that it has happened. Paul Judson, George Bon Salle and Bill Ridley all earned first-team recognition for the Illini in 1956, while Gene Vance, Jack Smiley and Art Mathisen were the first UI trio to accomplish the feat in 1943.

    This is the second straight first-team All-Big Ten selection for Williams. He becomes the first Illini player since Frank Williams in 2001 and 2002 to make the first team in consecutive seasons.

    Weber Named Big Ten Coach of the Year
    Bruce Weber was honored by the media on Tuesday for directing Illinois' outstanding season by being named the 2005 Big Ten Coach of the Year. Weber is just the second Illini coach to ever earn the honor. Since the award began in 1973, Lou Henson was the school's only other honoree, in 1993. Under the direction of Weber this season, the Illini have won a school-record 32 games, which included 29 straight wins to start the year, tying the 12th best start in NCAA Div. I history and the third best start in Big Ten history. Illinois won its second straight outright Big Ten championship this year with a 15-1 league record, tying the best record since the conference went to a 16-game schedule in 1998. Along with last year's conference championship, Weber is now the first coach in the 100-year history of Big Ten basketball to win consecutive outright titles in each of his first two seasons.

    Illinois' Three Guards Named Finalists for Wooden Award
    Illinois leads the nation with three players named to the official ballot for the Wooden Award All-America Team and Player of the Year. The Wooden Award Committee has selected 23 players as finalists for the award, which includes Illinois' Dee Brown, Luther Head and Deron Williams. A national panel of over 1,000 voters comprised of sports media and college basketball experts will vote for the 10-member Wooden All-America Team as well as the Wooden Award Player of the Year. The winner be announced on April 9 at Noon CT during a CBS telecast of the Wooden Award ceremony from the Los Angeles Athletic Club.

    Head Named Rupp Award Finalist
    Illini senior Luther Head is one of 10 finalists for the Adolph Rupp Trophy, presented by the Commonwealth Athletic Club of Kentucky. Joining Head as finalists for the Rupp Player of the Year Award are Andrew Bogut (Utah), Ike Diogu (Arizona State), Joey Graham (Oklahoma State), Sean May and Rashad McCants (North Carolina), Chris Paul (Wake Forest), J.J. Redick (Duke), Wayne Simien (Kansas) and Hakim Warrick (Syracuse). The finalists have been chosen by a committee of coaches, administrators and journalists. A 5-player Rupp All-America Team will be announced at the conclusion of the regular season, and the winner of the Rupp Trophy will be announced on March 31 in St. Louis.

    Weber Named Finalist for Naismith Coach of the Year Award
    Bruce Weber has been named a finalist for the Naismith Award, which is given by the Atlanta Tipoff Club. The finalists have been compiled by the Club's Board of Selectors, which is comprised of coaches, adminsitrators and journalists from throughout the country. The winner will be announced at the Naismith Awards Banquet on April 8 in Atlanta.

    Weber Named Finalist for Jim Phelan Coach of the Year
    Bruce Weber has been named one of 10 finalists for the Jim Phelan National Coach of the Year, which is presented by CollegeInsider.com. The voting is done by a 21-member panel made up of current and retired head coaches, athletic administrators and members of the media. In addition to Weber, other finalists are Ray Giacoletti (Utah), Bobby Lutz (Charlotte), Bruce Pearl (Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Skip Prosser (Wake Forest), Al Skinner (Boston College), Tubby Smith (Kentucky), Bob Thomason (Pacific), Ralph Willard (Holy Cross) and Roy Williams (North Carolina). The winner will be announced on April 1 in St. Louis.

    Illini Trio Named Finalists for Oscar Robertson Player of the Year
    Illinois leads the way with three players named to the list of 16 finalists for the Oscar Robertson Player of the Year, as voted on by the U.S. Basketball Writers Association. Starting guards Dee Brown, Deron Williams and Luther Head all appear on the USBWA ballot for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, which will be awarded on April 1 in St. Louis. Illini Continue Climbing All-Time Chart for Most Wins in a Season According to NCAA records that date back to 1938, Illinois is the 57th team in Div. I history to record at least 32 wins in a season. Among those previous 56 teams, 19 squads went on to win the NCAA Championship.

    The NCAA record for wins in a season is 37, which has been accomplished by three teams: Duke in 1986 (37-3) and 1999 (37-2) and UNLV in 1987 (37-2). Following is the breakdown of the number of teams to reach victory-totals of of 32 through 37 wins in a season:

     Win Total    No. of Teams     Most Recent Team, Year
        37            3            Duke, 1999
        36            1            Kentucky, 1948
        35            10           Duke, 2001
        34            10           Connecticut, 1999
        33            5            Connecticut, 2004
        32            28           Illinois, 2005
    
    Illinois has tied the second most wins in a season in Big Ten history, equaling the 32 victories registered by Indiana in 1975-76 when the Hoosiers won the NCAA title with a perfect 32-0 record, and the 32 wins by Michigan State in 1999-2000 when the Spartans won the national championship with a record of 32-7. The Illini are just one off the Big Ten record for wins in a season. In 1998-99, Michigan State won 33 games en route to a 33-5 record and Final Four appearance.

    Illini Final Undefeated Squad of Season
    Illinois was the last NCAA Div. I team in the country to boast a perfect record at 29-0 before losing March 6 at Ohio State. Illinois now has 32 victories, which is the hightest win-total in the nation this season.

    Illini Nation's Second Winningest Team over Past Five Seasons
    Illinois ranks as the second-winningest team in the nation over the past five seasons in terms of total wins, and ranks third nationally over that same time span in terms of winning percentage. Illinois has reeled off 136 victories since the beginning of the 2000-01 season, which trails only Duke and is tied with Kansas. Illinois' .810 winning percentage over the same time period trails just Duke and Gonzaga. Following is a list of the five winningest teams (ranked by total wins) over the past five years

       Rank   School      Wins   Record    Pct.
        1.	  Duke        148    148-26    .851
        T2.	  ILLINOIS    136    136-32    .810
        T2.	  Kansas      136    136-34    .800
        4.	  Gonzaga     132    132-27    .830
        5.	  Kentucky    130    130-33    .793
    

    Weber Makes History as Illini Clinch Second Straight Outright Big Ten Championship
    Following Michigan State's loss at Indiana on Feb. 27, Illinois clinched its second straight outright Big Ten title. This is the program's fourth Big Ten title in the last five years and fifth in the last eight years, and is the 17th conference championship in school history for the Illini.

    This is first time in 53 years and the third time in school history that the Illini have won back-to-back outright league championships, along with 1942 & 1943 and 1951 & 1952. Illinois becomes the first Big Ten team to win back-to-back outright titles since Purdue won three straight outright titles from 1994 through 1996.

    Bruce Weber has also entered the record books, becoming the first coach in the 100-year history of Big Ten basketball to win consecutive outright championships in each of his first two seasons.

    *For complete Illinois Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament 1st/2nd Round Postseason Guide, click on .pdf link at the top of this page.

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