Illini Prepare for NCAA Tournament Showdown Against Xavier

MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin — The Illinois men’s basketball team, the No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region, is gearing up to face No. 11 seed Xavier at 8:45 p.m. Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Illini (21-12) will be seeking to build on their impressive regular season and overcome challenges posed by their opponents.

Freshman point guard Kasparas Jakucionis, who hails from Lithuania, began watching the NCAA Tournament as he developed his game in Spain. “You can see that every detail matters in the game, every little detail,” Jakucionis said. “Every possession, every rebound matters. And you win or go home. So that’s the thing, the beauty of it.”

Joining Jakucionis is first-year center Tomislav Ivisic, who first experienced the tournament while playing in Croatia last year. He noted the intensity of the competition. “Everyone comes here to win. Everyone wants to win. Huge stakes. And it’s just amazing to be part of that this year,” Ivisic said.

The Illini have had remarkable highs and lows this season, including a 32-point win over Oregon and a disheartening 43-point loss to Duke, marking the most lopsided defeat in the program’s history. “When these Illini show up, they can be great. When they don’t, they look like total frauds,” sports analysts noted ahead of their matchup with the Musketeers, who recently came back to beat Texas 86-80.

Coach Brad Underwood addressed the unique challenges presented by the NCAA Tournament. “The one thing that I’ve tried to reiterate to these guys is the other team is going to compete just as hard as you do and try to do it a little bit harder — and you just can’t let that happen,” Underwood stated during an open practice at Fiserv Forum.

While experience can be advantageous, the Illini field a relatively young team. The Musketeers’ star forward, Zach Freemantle, is 24 years old, significantly older than Jakucionis and the other freshmen. However, the Illini roster does include players such as guard Kylan Boswell and guard Tre White, who have NCAA Tournament experience.

Despite concerns about their overall tournament experience, the Illini possess talent that could propel them forward. Jakucionis has demonstrated his ability to control games, while Ivisic’s skills as a passer and three-point shooter could be pivotal. Additionally, Morez Johnson Jr. has recovered from injury to rejoin the team.

“I really have a feeling that [Will Riley] could be a huge player in this tournament,” Underwood remarked about the Canadian freshman who has shown significant potential.

As the team prepares to take the court, the stakes are high. A victory over Xavier would advance the Illini further in the tournament, while a loss would end their season prematurely. The players and coaching staff are ready to embrace the pressure and excitement that accompanies March Madness.