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Illinois Basketball Finishes Regular Season Ranked Highly in Key Metrics
The Illini wrap up their schedule with strong rankings in the AP Poll, KenPom, Bart Torvik, and NET despite some late-season struggles.
Mar. 10, 2026 at 7:21pm
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Illinois men's basketball team finished their 2025-26 regular season schedule with a 78-72 victory over Maryland, ending the year ranked in the top 10 of the AP Poll and top 5 in several advanced metrics like KenPom and NET rankings. Despite some late-season losses, the Illini maintained their status as one of the top teams in college basketball heading into postseason play.
Why it matters
Illinois' high rankings across the board, even with a few losses down the stretch, demonstrate the team's overall strength and consistency throughout the regular season. This positions them well for a deep run in the upcoming Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament, where they will look to make a championship push.
The details
The Illini are ranked No. 9 in the latest AP Poll, behind only two other Big Ten teams - No. 8 Michigan State and No. 3 Michigan. They rank even higher in advanced metrics, coming in at No. 5 in the NET rankings, No. 6 in Bart Torvik's system, and No. 5 in KenPom. Despite a 7-loss regular season, Illinois has zero losses outside of Quad 1 competition and boasts the No. 1 offense in the country according to KenPom.
- Illinois wrapped up their regular season schedule on March 8, 2026.
- The latest AP Poll was released on March 10, 2026.
The players
Andrej Stojakovic
An Illinois guard who took a free throw during the team's victory over Maryland.
Ben Humrichous
An Illinois forward who hit a three-pointer in the first half against Maryland.
Brad Underwood
The head coach of the Illinois men's basketball team.
What’s next
Illinois is set to face the winner of Wisconsin-USC/Washington in the Big Ten Tournament as they look to make a deep postseason run.
The takeaway
Despite some late-season stumbles, Illinois has proven itself to be one of the elite teams in college basketball this season. Their consistently strong rankings across the board suggest they have the talent and resume to make a championship push in the postseason tournaments.
