The University of Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team advanced to the Final Four of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament with a victory over Iowa in the Elite Eight of the Midwest Regional.
This marks Illinois' sixth appearance in the Final Four.[1] The Fighting Illini previously reached the national semifinals in 1949, 1951, 1952, 1981 and 2005.[1]
In 2005, Illinois advanced to the championship game but lost to North Carolina, 75-70.[2] The program has never won an NCAA men's basketball title.[1]
The Elite Eight game took place on March 28, 2026, at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, site of the 2026 Midwest Regional.[3]
Illinois will compete in the Final Four at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, with semifinals on April 4 and the championship on April 6.[3]
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball", accessed October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illinois_Fighting_Illini_men%27s_basketball
- Sports-Reference.com, "2005 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament", accessed October 2024, https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/postseason/2005-NCAA.html
- NCAA.com, "NCAA Division I men’s basketball committee announces sites for 2026-28 NCAA tournament regionals, Final Four", March 13, 2024, https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2024-03-13/ncaa-division-i-mens-basketball-committee-announces-sites-2026-28-ncaa-tournament-regionals-final-four
