Illinois' Kasparas Jakucionis on Winning in March: 'We Need Everybody'

The Illini's star freshman guard is aware that a deep run in the Big Dance isn't a one-man job

Mar 20, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis (32) speaks at press conference during NCAA Tournament First Round Practice at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Several of Illinois' American-born players have been asked in recent days whether their foreign-born teammates understood the weight and significance of March Madness on the sports landscape. But no one needs to bother with an explanation for Kasparas Jakucionis.

Over the past few years, Jakucionis, the Illini's freshman lead guard from Lithuania, began tuning into NCAA Tournament games and coverage, and it’s safe to say he learned a thing or two about what it takes for a team to put together a deep run in the Big Dance.

“To win," he said, "especially in these games, we need everybody.” 

Jakucionis has become the heart and soul of the Illini offense and, to a large extent, the team at large, leading Illinois in scoring (15.0 points per game) and assists (4.6 per game). But if his time spent soaking up NCAA Tournament knowledge back home in Vilnius, Lithuania, from afar weren't enough, this season surely taught him something about .competing at the highest level of college basketball.

“We need everyone to be involved every possession,” Jakucionis said. “Need to do their job on the defensive end and on the offensive end, I think. One player cannot do anything in this type of competition.”

With sixth-seeded Illinois (21-12) facing 11th-seeded Xavier (22-11) on Friday (8:45 p.m. CT, on CBS) in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, Jakucionis will need his teammates to step up in a few key categories to ensure that the Illini keep dancing.

New home for the weekend pic.twitter.com/Bz3La2ISjw

— Illinois Men's Basketball (@IlliniMBB) March 20, 2025

Backcourt mate Kylan Boswell must bottle up the Musketeers' next-level shooter Ryan Conwell (3.0 threes per game); big men Morez Johnson Jr. and Tomislav Ivisic need to control the glass; Will Riley has to carry his hot hand and strategic attacking mentality into tournament play.

That doesn’t mean Jakucionis can't or won’t be needed to carry his own weigh. But he says he recognizes that no single player can win a championship by themselves, and that it will take a team effort to survive and advance.

And that's all Jakucionis wants to do.

“The team celebrations," he said of watching the NCAA Tournament championship game, "was most what I wanted to experience.”

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Plotting Illinois Basketball's Path to a National Championship

Big Ten NCAA Tournament First-Round Predictions: Can Illinois Keep Dancing?

3 Big Questions for Illinois vs. Xavier in NCAA Tournament First Round