Fighting Illini Secure #8 Seed in NCAA Tournament, Take on [9] Creighton in First Round on Saturday

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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Illinois women’s basketball team is going dancing once again, earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in program history. The Fighting Illini will make their first appearance in the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2003 after playing in the First Four of the 2022-23 event.

Illinois (21-9) will face Creighton (26-6) at 6:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, March 22, hosted by No. 1-seeded Texas in Austin, Texas. The winner of the first-round game between the Illini and the Bluejays will take on No. 1-seeded Texas and No. 16-seeded High Point/William & Mary on Monday.

The Orange and Blue enter the NCAA Tournament with a 21-9 record, with their 21 regular-season wins tying the program record. Looking to win their first NCAA Tournament game since 2000 on Saturday, the Illini are making their second appearance in the national competition under third-year head coach Shauna Green.

During the 2024-25 regular season, Illinois registered three ranked wins, their most in a single campaign since 1999-2000; equaled the program record with 10 nonconference victories; and set a new program record with an eight-game Big Ten winning streak that spanned from Jan. 23 through Feb. 16 en route to going 11-7 in league play.

The Illini finished in a tie for fifth place in the Big Ten standings and recorded a single-digit seed for the third consecutive conference tournament for the first time since doing so in six straight seasons from 2005-10.

Three student-athletes earned All-Big Ten recognition: Kendall Bostic (First Team, Sportsmanship Award), Genesis Bryant (Second Team), and Adalia McKenzie (Honorable Mention).

Illinois enters the 2025 NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament with an 8-9 all-time record in the event. The Illini are making their second appearance in a three-year span for the first time since earning four consecutive bids during the 1996-97 through 1999-2000 campaigns.

Including her time as the head coach at Dayton, Green has now led six squads to NCAA Tournament appearances. Dating back to her time at Loras College (D3), Green has led her last 10 teams to winning seasons.