Illinois

Heartbreak#2628.1

Big Ten · Champaign, Champaign, Illinois

RivalriesIllinois–Indiana rivalryvs Indianaone-way Illinois–Iowa rivalryvs Iowatwo-way

The Heartbreak Index8.1 · #262

The Tortured · CBB, 1943

8.1

Heartbreak

#262

of 1,138 clubs

in CBB

8.1

agony

The clocks

CBB since 19439.4
CBB final appearance since 20050.8

Heaviest wounds

lost the final, 2005 · fell one round short, 2026 · fell one round short, 1989 · playoff run died early, 2024

One formula, every club the site covers. See the whole board →

YouTube

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1955-1085

All-time

0.643

Win %

NCAA titles

Final Fours

Tourney apps

#1 seeds

Weeks at #1

All-Americans

Greatest tournament games

Illinois’s top NCAA tournament games of all time by Game Score.

Sort by

#1 Illinois 70-75 #2 North Carolina

Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri

National Title

2005 · Apr 4, 2005 · Championship Game

2.34

Game Score

#1 Illinois 90-89 #9 Arizona (OT)

Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois

Elite Eight

2005 · Mar 26, 2005 · Regional Finals

1.92

Game Score

#2 Illinois 74-68 #4 Duquesne

Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois

Elite Eight

1952 · Mar 22, 1952 · Regional Finals

1.89

Game Score

#3 Illinois 81-83 #10 Michigan

Kingdome, Seattle, Washington

Final Four

1989 · Apr 1, 1989 · Final Four

1.89

Game Score

#11 Illinois 67-68 Austin Peay

Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, Birmingham (AL), Alabama

1987 · Mar 12, 1987 · First Round

1.88

Game Score

#6 Illinois 51-54 #3 Kentucky

Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky

Elite Eight

1984 · Mar 24, 1984 · Regional Finals

1.74

Game Score

#18 Illinois 86-88 Dayton

Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas

1990 · Mar 15, 1990 · First Round

1.74

Game Score

#13 Illinois 64-67 #17 Washington

Cox Arena, San Diego, California

2006 · Mar 18, 2006 · Second Round

1.74

Game Score

#13 Illinois 69-73 #2 Kansas

Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin

Sweet 16

2002 · Mar 22, 2002 · Regional Semifinals

1.74

Game Score

#13 Illinois 62-71 #7 Connecticut

Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana

Final Four

2026 · Apr 4, 2026 · Final Four

1.71

Game Score

#			Round	Match
1	Apr 4, 2005	2005	Championship Game	#1 Illinois 70-75 #2 North Carolina Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis, Missouri National Title	2.34
2	Mar 26, 2005	2005	Regional Finals	#1 Illinois 90-89 #9 Arizona (OT) Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois Elite Eight	1.92
3	Mar 22, 1952	1952	Regional Finals	#2 Illinois 74-68 #4 Duquesne Chicago Stadium, Chicago, Illinois Elite Eight	1.89
4	Apr 1, 1989	1989	Final Four	#3 Illinois 81-83 #10 Michigan Kingdome, Seattle, Washington Final Four	1.89
5	Mar 12, 1987	1987	First Round	#11 Illinois 67-68 Austin Peay Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center, Birmingham (AL), Alabama	1.88
6	Mar 24, 1984	1984	Regional Finals	#6 Illinois 51-54 #3 Kentucky Rupp Arena, Lexington, Kentucky Elite Eight	1.74
7	Mar 15, 1990	1990	First Round	#18 Illinois 86-88 Dayton Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas	1.74
8	Mar 18, 2006	2006	Second Round	#13 Illinois 64-67 #17 Washington Cox Arena, San Diego, California	1.74
9	Mar 22, 2002	2002	Regional Semifinals	#13 Illinois 69-73 #2 Kansas Kohl Center, Madison, Wisconsin Sweet 16	1.74
10	Apr 4, 2026	2026	Final Four	#13 Illinois 62-71 #7 Connecticut Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana Final Four	1.71

Season by season

2027 · Illinois

Big Ten

Record

0-0

Conf record

—

SRS

—

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2026 · Illinois

Big Ten

Record

28-9

Conf record

15-5

#13

SRS

Seed

Tournament

Final Four

2025 · Illinois

Big Ten

Record

22-13

Conf record

12-8

—

SRS

#13

Seed

Tournament

NCAA tournament

2024 · Illinois

Big Ten ◆

Record

29-9

Conf record

14-6

#10

SRS

#12

Seed

Tournament

Elite Eight

2023 · Illinois

Big Ten

Record

20-13

Conf record

11-9

—

SRS

#24

Seed

Tournament

NCAA tournament

2022 · Illinois

Big Ten ★

Record

23-10

Conf record

15-5

#19

SRS

#17

Seed

Tournament

NCAA tournament

2021 · Illinois

Big Ten ◆

Record

24-7

Conf record

16-4

SRS

Seed

Tournament

NCAA tournament

2020 · Illinois

Big Ten

Record

21-10

Conf record

13-7

#21

SRS

#31

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2019 · Illinois

Big Ten

Record

12-21

Conf record

7-13

—

SRS

#67

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2018 · Illinois

Big Ten

Record

14-18

Conf record

4-14

—

SRS

#76

Seed

—

Tournament

—

2017 · Illinois

Big Ten

Record

20-15

Conf record

8-10

—

SRS

#61

Seed

—

Tournament

NIT

2016 · Illinois

Big Ten

Record

15-19

Conf record

5-13

—

SRS

#108

Seed

—

Tournament

—

Year	School	Record	Conference	Conf	AP	SRS	Seed	Tournament
2027	Illinois	0-0	Big Ten
2026	Illinois	28-9	Big Ten	15-5	#13	#5	3	Final Four
2025	Illinois	22-13	Big Ten	12-8		#13	6	NCAA tournament
2024	Illinois	29-9	Big Ten ◆	14-6	#10	#12	3	Elite Eight
2023	Illinois	20-13	Big Ten	11-9		#24	9	NCAA tournament
2022	Illinois	23-10	Big Ten ★	15-5	#19	#17	4	NCAA tournament
2021	Illinois	24-7	Big Ten ◆	16-4	#2	#3	1	NCAA tournament
2020	Illinois	21-10	Big Ten	13-7	#21	#31
2019	Illinois	12-21	Big Ten	7-13		#67
2018	Illinois	14-18	Big Ten	4-14		#76
2017	Illinois	20-15	Big Ten	8-10		#61		NIT
2016	Illinois	15-19	Big Ten	5-13		#108
2015	Illinois	19-14	Big Ten	9-9		#38		NIT
2014	Illinois	20-15	Big Ten	7-11		#59		NIT
2013	Illinois	23-13	Big Ten	8-10		#38	7	NCAA tournament
2012	Illinois	17-15	Big Ten	6-12		#54
2011	Illinois	20-14	Big Ten	9-9		#17	9	NCAA tournament
2010	Illinois	21-15	Big Ten	10-8		#50		NIT
2009	Illinois	24-10	Big Ten	11-7		#26	5	NCAA tournament
2008	Illinois	16-19	Big Ten	5-13		#48
2007	Illinois	23-12	Big Ten	9-7		#31	12	NCAA tournament
2006	Illinois	26-7	Big Ten	11-5	#13	#12	4	NCAA tournament
2005	Illinois	37-2	Big Ten ★ ◆	15-1	#1	#2	1	Final Four
2004	Illinois	26-7	Big Ten ★	13-3	#13	#19	5	Sweet 16
2003	Illinois	25-7	Big Ten ◆	11-5	#11	#7	4	NCAA tournament
2002	Illinois	26-9	Big Ten ★	11-5	#13	#8	4	Sweet 16
2001	Illinois	27-8	Big Ten ★	13-3	#4	#6	1	Elite Eight
2000	Illinois	22-10	Big Ten	11-5	#21	#10	4	NCAA tournament
1999	Illinois	14-18	Big Ten	3-13		#51
1998	Illinois	23-10	Big Ten ★	13-3	#22	#21	5	NCAA tournament
1997	Illinois	22-10	Big Ten	11-7	#19	#21	6	NCAA tournament
1996	Illinois	18-13	Big Ten	7-11		#31		NIT
1995	Illinois	19-12	Big Ten	10-8		#46	11	NCAA tournament
1994	Illinois	17-11	Big Ten	10-8		#10	8	NCAA tournament
1993	Illinois	19-13	Big Ten	11-7		#40	6	NCAA tournament
1992	Illinois	13-15	Big Ten	7-11		#39
1991	Illinois	21-10	Big Ten	11-7		#51
1990	Illinois	21-8	Big Ten	11-7	#18	#9	5	NCAA tournament
1989	Illinois	31-5	Big Ten	14-4	#3	#4	1	Final Four
1988	Illinois	23-10	Big Ten	12-6	#16	#8	3	NCAA tournament
1987	Illinois	23-8	Big Ten	13-5	#11	#8	3	NCAA tournament
1986	Illinois	22-10	Big Ten	11-7	#19	#9	4	NCAA tournament
1985	Illinois	26-9	Big Ten	12-6	#12	#2	3	Sweet 16
1984	Illinois	26-5	Big Ten ★	15-3	#6	#3	2	Elite Eight
1983	Illinois	21-11	Big Ten	11-7		#37	7	NCAA tournament
1982	Illinois	18-11	Big Ten	10-8		#28		NIT
1981	Illinois	21-8	Big Ten	12-6	#19	#6	4	Sweet 16
1980	Illinois	22-13	Big Ten	8-10		#7		NIT
1979	Illinois	19-11	Big Ten	7-11		#25
1978	Illinois	13-14	Big Ten	7-11		#52
1977	Illinois	14-16	Big Ten	6-12		#64
1976	Illinois	14-13	Big Ten	7-11		#53
1975	Illinois	8-18	Big Ten	4-14		#119
1974	Illinois	5-18	Big Ten	2-12		#153
1973	Illinois	14-10	Big Ten	8-6		#43
1972	Illinois	14-10	Big Ten	5-9		#92
1971	Illinois	11-12	Big Ten	5-9		#44
1970	Illinois	15-9	Big Ten	8-6		#33
1969	Illinois	19-5	Big Ten	9-5	#20	#4
1968	Illinois	11-13	Big Ten	6-8		#56
1967	Illinois	12-12	Big Ten	6-8		#53
1966	Illinois	12-12	Big Ten	8-6		#35
1965	Illinois	18-6	Big Ten	10-4		#2
1964	Illinois	13-11	Big Ten	6-8		#19
1963	Illinois	20-6	Big Ten ★	11-3	#8	#8		Elite Eight
1962	Illinois	15-8	Big Ten	7-7		#27
1961	Illinois	9-15	Big Ten	5-9		#58
1960	Illinois	16-7	Big Ten	8-6		#19
1959	Illinois	12-10	Big Ten	7-7		#16
1958	Illinois	11-11	Big Ten	5-9		#34
1957	Illinois	14-8	Big Ten	7-7		#9
1956	Illinois	18-4	Big Ten	11-3	#7	#1
1955	Illinois	17-5	Big Ten	10-4	#18	#5
1954	Illinois	17-5	Big Ten	10-4	#19	#2
1953	Illinois	18-4	Big Ten	14-4	#11	#1
1952	Illinois	22-4	Big Ten ★	12-2	#2	#6		Final Four
1951	Illinois	22-5	Big Ten ★	13-1	#5	#6		Final Four
1950	Illinois	14-8	Big Ten	7-5		#13
1949	Illinois	21-4	Big Ten ★	10-2	#4			Final Four
1948	Illinois	15-5	Big Ten	7-5
1947	Illinois	14-6	Big Nine	8-4
1946	Illinois	14-7	Big Nine	7-5
1945	Illinois	13-7	Big Ten	7-5
1944	Illinois	11-9	Big Ten	5-7
1943	Illinois	17-1	Big Ten ★	12-0
1942	Illinois	18-5	Big Ten ★	13-2				NCAA tournament
1941	Illinois	13-7	Big Ten	7-5
1940	Illinois	14-6	Big Ten	7-5
1939	Illinois	14-5	Big Ten	8-4
1938	Illinois	9-9	Big Ten	4-8
1937	Illinois	14-4	Big Ten ★	10-2
1936	Illinois	13-6	Big Ten	7-5
1935	Illinois	15-5	Big Ten ★	9-3
1934	Illinois	13-6	Big Ten	7-5
1933	Illinois	11-7	Big Ten	6-6
1932	Illinois	11-6	Big Ten	7-5
1931	Illinois	12-5	Big Ten	7-5
1930	Illinois	8-8	Big Ten	7-5
1929	Illinois	10-7	Big Ten	6-6
1928	Illinois	5-12	Big Ten	2-10
1927	Illinois	10-7	Big Ten	7-5
1926	Illinois	9-8	Big Ten	6-6
1925	Illinois	11-6	Big Ten	8-4
1924	Illinois	11-6	Big Ten ★	8-4
1923	Illinois	9-6	Big Ten	7-5
1922	Illinois	14-5	Big Ten	7-5
1921	Illinois	11-7	Big Ten	7-5
1920	Illinois	9-4	Big Ten	8-4
1919	Illinois	6-8	Big Ten	5-7
1918	Illinois	9-6	Big Ten	6-6
1917	Illinois	13-3	Western Intercollegiate ★	10-2
1916	Illinois	13-3	Western Intercollegiate	9-3
1915	Illinois	16-0	Western Intercollegiate ★	12-0
1914	Illinois	9-4	Western Intercollegiate	7-4
1913	Illinois	10-6	Western Intercollegiate	7-6
1912	Illinois	8-8	Western Intercollegiate	4-8
1911	Illinois	6-6	Western Intercollegiate	6-5
1910	Illinois	5-4	Western Intercollegiate	5-4
1909	Illinois	7-6	Western Intercollegiate	5-6
1908	Illinois	20-6	Western Intercollegiate	4-4
1907	Illinois	1-10	Western Intercollegiate	0-8
1906	Illinois	6-8	Western Intercollegiate	3-7

Consensus All-Americans

22 AP All-American selections.

Keaton Wagler2026

Terrence Shannon Jr.2024

Kofi Cockburn2022

Ayo Dosunmu2021

Kofi Cockburn2021

Dee Brown2006

Dee Brown2005

Luther Head2005

Deron Williams2005

Brian Cook2003

Frank Williams2001

Kendall Gill1990

Year	Player
2026	Keaton Wagler
2024	Terrence Shannon Jr.
2022	Kofi Cockburn
2021	Ayo Dosunmu
2021	Kofi Cockburn
2006	Dee Brown
2005	Dee Brown
2005	Luther Head
2005	Deron Williams
2003	Brian Cook
2001	Frank Williams
1990	Kendall Gill
1987	Ken Norman
1983	Derek Harper
1969	Dave Scholz
1965	Skip Thoren
1956	Bill Ridley
1954	Johnny “Red” Kerr
1953	Jim Bredar
1952	Rod Fletcher
1949	Dike Eddleman
1948	Dike Eddleman

NBA first-round picks

52 first-round NBA draft selections from this program.

Keaton Wagler2026

Last college yr: 2026

Kasparas Jakučionis2025

Last college yr: 2025

Will Riley2025

Last college yr: 2025

Morez Johnson Jr.2026

Last college yr: 2025

Terrence Shannon Jr.2024

Last college yr: 2024

Terrence Shannon Jr.2024

Last college yr: 2023

Brandin Podziemski2023

Last college yr: 2022

Meyers Leonard2012

Last college yr: 2012

Meyers Leonard2012

Last college yr: 2011

Deron Williams2005

Last college yr: 2005

Luther Head2005

Last college yr: 2005

Deron Williams2005

Last college yr: 2004

Draft	Player	Last college yr
2026	Keaton Wagler	2026
2025	Kasparas Jakučionis	2025
2025	Will Riley	2025
2026	Morez Johnson Jr.	2025
2024	Terrence Shannon Jr.	2024
2024	Terrence Shannon Jr.	2023
2023	Brandin Podziemski	2022
2012	Meyers Leonard	2012
2012	Meyers Leonard	2011
2005	Deron Williams	2005
2005	Luther Head	2005
2005	Deron Williams	2004
2005	Luther Head	2004
2003	Brian Cook	2003
2005	Deron Williams	2003
2005	Luther Head	2003
2002	Frank Williams	2002
2003	Brian Cook	2002
2005	Luther Head	2002
2002	Frank Williams	2001
2003	Brian Cook	2001
2002	Frank Williams	2000
2003	Brian Cook	2000
1990	Kendall Gill	1990
1989	Nick Anderson	1989
1989	Kenny Battle	1989
1990	Kendall Gill	1989
1989	Nick Anderson	1988
1989	Kenny Battle	1988
1990	Kendall Gill	1988
1987	Ken Norman	1987
1990	Kendall Gill	1987
1987	Ken Norman	1986
1987	Ken Norman	1985
1983	Derek Harper	1983
1983	Derek Harper	1982
1983	Derek Harper	1981
1973	Nick Weatherspoon	1973
1973	Nick Weatherspoon	1972
1973	Nick Weatherspoon	1971
1970	Mike Price	1970
1970	Mike Price	1969
1970	Mike Price	1968
1957	George Bon Salle	1957
1957	George Bon Salle	1956
1957	George Bon Salle	1955
1954	Johnny Kerr	1954
1954	Johnny Kerr	1953
1954	Johnny Kerr	1952
1951	Don Sunderlage	1951
1951	Don Sunderlage	1950
1951	Don Sunderlage	1949

The Heartbreak Index8.1 · #262▸

YouTube

Greatest tournament games

Season by season

Consensus All-Americans

NBA first-round picks

The Heartbreak Index8.1 · #262