Illinois is back in the Round of 16 for the 14th time in the last two decades. Before the Illini get a rematch with North Carolina, here’s how they’ve fared once they’ve reached this stage of the NCAA tournament:
YEAR, OPPONENT — RESULT, COMMENT
2014, Baylor, L 4-0, Bears shut out Illini after UI advances with thrilling win against Memphis in Urbana
2012, Southern Cal — L 4-0, UI doesn’t win a set in any singles match against Trojans
2011, Virginia — L 4-0, After one-year absence from Round of 16, Illini fall flat in return
2009, Georgia — L 4-3, Illini can’t avenge 2007 national title defeat to Bulldogs
2008, Ohio State — L 4-3, UI wins doubles point, but falls in four of six singles matches against Buckeyes
2007, Mississippi — W 4-3, Second-year coach Brad Dancer took Illini all the way to national title match
2006, UCLA — L 4-2, Narrow loss in doubles point out in Palo Alto helps seal Illini’s fate
2005, Florida State — L 4-2, First Round-of-16 loss, and first time not in quarterfinals since 2001
2004, Harvard — W 4-3, Illini get past Vanderbilt in quarterfinals, but repeat title bid falls short
2003, Washington — W 4-2, Craig Tiley’s bunch won program’s first national title with a 4-3 triumph over Vanderbilt
2002, Notre Dame — W 4-1, Heartbreak again in quarterfinals after 4-2 loss to Southern Cal
2000, LSU — W 4-3, Second straight season with quarterfinal setback, this time 4-3 against VCU
1999, Arizona State — W 4-1, Program’s deepest run at the time ended in quarterfinals with 4-3 loss to Mississippi