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Illinois Basketball Enters Rankings in New AP Top 25 Poll

See where the Illini land as they head into a huge test at No. 8 Alabama on Wednesday

Steven Greenberg

Nov 13, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Ben Humrichous (3) blocks Oakland Golden Grizzlies forward Buru Naivalurua (12) during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Nov 13, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini forward Ben Humrichous (3) blocks Oakland Golden Grizzlies forward Buru Naivalurua (12) during the second half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
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Three games into a new season, Illinois’ men’s basketball team is right back where it was heading into the 2023-24 campaign – as the last team ranked, at No. 25, in the AP Top 25 poll.

If it works out as well from here as it did last time, wouldn’t it be nice?

The previous Illini squad was consistent enough to remain ranked (with the exception of a single week) all season, spent the last 15 weeks ranked no lower than 14th and ended the season – after having marched to the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament – at No. 6 in the final, post-tournament poll.

The current team – off to a 3-0 start – might have a hard time matching that staying power. That’s because the next game up, on Wednesday, is at (well, near) mighty Alabama, which opened the season ranked No. 2 but slipped to No. 8 after a loss at Purdue. With All-American guard Mark Sears leading the way, the Crimson Tide are experienced, crazy-athletic and just plain huge.

Then again, Illini coach Brad Underwood has said his team has a “higher ceiling” than it did even a year ago, so let’s not sell anyone short here. Maybe they’ll pull off a surprise at Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama, which is about an hour from the Tide’s campus.

As one of 62 voters in the weekly AP poll, I had the Illini at No. 20 on my preseason ballot and have them at No. 21 now. They haven’t done anything to deserve being moved down, but others behind them have stormed up (Kentucky) or into (Wisconsin) most everyone’s rankings by virtue of attention-getting wins against top opponents.

The Big Ten has five teams in the current poll: Purdue at 6, Indiana at 16, Wisconsin at 19, Rutgers at 24 and Illinois at 25.

AP Top 25: 1. Kansas, 2. UConn, 3. Gonzaga, 4. Auburn, 5. Iowa State, 6. Purdue, 7. Houston, 8. Alabama, 9. Kentucky, 10. North Carolina, 11. Tennessee, 12. Duke, 13. Baylor, 14. Creighton, 15. Marquette, 16. Indiana, 17. Arizona, 18. Cincinnati, 19. Wisconsin, 20. Arkansas, 21. Florida, 22. St. John's, 23. Texas A&M, 24. Rutgers, 25. Illinois.

My latest ballot: 1. Kansas, 2. UConn, 3. Gonzaga, 4. Purdue, 4. Auburn, 6. North Carolina, 7. Iowa State, 8. Alabama, 9. Houston, 10. Kentucky, 11. Duke, 12. Indiana, 13. Creighton, 14. Tennessee, 15. Marquette, 16. Ole Miss, 17. Wisconsin, 18. Arizona, 19. Cincinnati, 20. Michigan State, 21. Illinois, 22. Rutgers, 23. St. John’s, 24. Clemson, 25. Xavier.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

How to Watch: Illinois Basketball vs. Alabama (Game 4)

Kylan Boswell vs. Mark Sears: Key Matchup in Illinois Basketball vs. Alabama

Illinois Basketball Will Face Alabama Coming Off Upset Loss to Purdue

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Steven Greenberg
STEVEN GREENBERG

Steve Greenberg, a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, has written about college sports since the early 1990s.

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