The One Reason Illinois Basketball Falls Just Short of Powerhouse Status

The Illini are missing a key accomplishment that would launch it into discussions with Duke, Kansas, Kentucky and others

Mar 21, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Illinois center Tomislav Ivisic (13) attempts to score as Xavier forward Zach Freemantle goes for a block during the first half of their first round NCAA men’ s basketball tournament game at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jovanny Hernandez/USA Today Network via Imagn Images | Jovanny Hernandez-Imagn Images

In any sport, the best measure of success is simple: winning. And in its 120-year history, Illinois has done a lot of that. In fact, the program’s 1,927 wins ranks 16th in all of Division I – more than notable programs such as Villanova, Michigan State, UConn and Michigan.

Still, on any list of the best college basketball schools, Illinois sits firmly behind the majority of the aforementioned programs, along with a handful of others – specifically, the blue bloods: Duke, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina and UCLA.

And although there’s no argument that can currently be made for Illinois to be mentioned in the same breath as any of those historic programs (or even relative new kids on the block Villanova and UConn), a case can be made for the Illini having a comparable resume to Michigan State, Arizona, Purdue, Gonzaga and the second-tier studs – though not just yet.

Illinois is missing one tiny little element: a national title. Sounds like a memo from Captain Obvious, right? But Purdue and Gonzaga, which basically show up every year to post 25 wins and make an NCAA Tournament run, are in that next echelon of powerhouses without having won an NCAA championship. The Illini – who haven’t had the clockwork consistency of those two programs – would need a title to push into that tier anytime soon.

In the last 6 seasons (since 2019-20), Brad Underwood has led Illinois to:

• 10+ Big Ten wins in all 6 yrs (only B1G team to do so)
• 80 Big Ten wins (tied most w/ PUR)
• 34 Big Ten road wins (no other B1G team has more than 30)

Consistent success. pic.twitter.com/NPzD3tpBhA

— Ben Stevens (@BenScottStevens) March 3, 2025

But before imagining a world in which Illinois cuts down the nets, first let’s do a quick exercise. Here’s a blind resume test of three squads (we won’t use total wins in our criteria since we already mentioned Illinois’ number):

Team 1

Winning percentage: .642

NCAA Tournament appearances: 35

Final Fours: 5

National titles: 0

Team 2

Winning percentage: .647

NCAA Tournament appearances: 36

Final Fours: 3

National titles: 0

Team 3

Winning percentage: .669

NCAA Tournament appearances: 27

Final Fours: 2

National titles: 0

Based strictly on those numbers, the rankings already appear to be in order: Team 1, then Team 2, then Team 3. Those programs, in order, are Illinois (Team 1), Purdue (Team 2), Gonzaga (Team 3). Arguably, at least historically, the Illini already have a better resume than the Boilermakers and the Bulldogs.

Now, imagine Illinois adding a title to the mix. Much easier said than done, of course. A championship run takes a perfect combination of talent, chemistry, system and sheer luck. Can coach Brad Underwood and the Illini pull it off in the next few years? The program seems closer to the goal than it has in decades. And if it happens, Illinois immediately rises from a very good college basketball program to a top-notch powerhouse.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

The Big Question: Should Illinois Basketball Keep Firing So Many Threes?

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