The Illinois Fighting Illini (21-12) will face the Xavier Musketeers (22-11) in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament on Friday in Milwaukee, WI.
Illinois enters the tournament as the No. 6 seed. They led the Big Ten in scoring, averaging 83.8 points per game shooting 45.0% from the field. Xavier, the No. 11 seed, led the Big East in fast break points, averaging 15.2 per game. The Musketeers knocked off the Texas Longhorns, 86-80, in Wednesday’s First Four game in Dayton.
Illinois boasts a high-scoring offense, but Xavier’s defense has been effective, limiting opponents to 71.