Illini Ranked No. 24 in Associated Press Poll

For the first time in 1,869 days, the University of Illinois men’s basketball program is ranked.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- For the first time in 1,869 days, the University of Illinois men’s basketball program will play a game with a number proceeding its name.

Illinois (12-5, 4-2 in Big Ten) was ranked No. 24 in the latest Associated Press Top 25 poll, which was released Monday afternoon. The last time Illinois has been ranked in that poll was Dec. 1, 2014 when the Illini won its first six games of the 2014-15 season.

Illinois won three straight Big Ten Conference games (vs. Purdue, at Wisconsin and vs. Rutgers) in a six-day period including the program’s first road win at Wisconsin in nearly a decade.

Illinois currently has four wins against teams inside the Top 50 of the NET rankings and three losses against teams inside the Top 20.

The Fighting Illini are holding Big Ten opponents to 59.2 points per game, 37.0% shooting (132/357), and 26.2% three-point shooting (33/126) this season. Illinois is two games over .500 (4-2) in the Big Ten for the first time since Feb. 14, 2015. Illinois’ defense is holding Big Ten opponents to 59.2 points per game, 37 percent shooting and 26.2 percent from three-point range this season.

The Illini slipped into second place in the Big Ten, trailing only No 15 Michigan State, which sits at 13-4 and 5-1 in conference play after the Spartans were blown out Sunday at Purdue. The Big Ten has five teams ranked in this Associated Press poll (No. 15 MSU, No. 17 Maryland, No. 19 Michigan, No. 21 Ohio State and Illinois at No. 24).

Illinois will next take the floor by hosting Northwestern (6-9, 1-4) Saturday at 4 p.m. at State Farm Center. The last time Illinois was ranked for consecutive weeks was between Nov. 26, 2012 and Jan. 14, 2013, which included John Groce winning his first 12 games as the Illini head coach including winning the 2012 Maui Invitational.