Led by first year head coach Bill Self, the Illini played their home games at Assembly Hall in Champaign, Illinois and were members of the Big Ten Conference.

The Illini were ranked in the Top 10 the entire season and tied for the Big Ten Championship with Michigan State.

The Illini defeated Purdue in the quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament, but fell to Indiana in the semifinals.

[4] However, the Illini run ended in the Elite Eight to eventual national runner-up Arizona, the third meeting between the two schools on the season.

Junior Cory Bradford set an NCAA record by making a three-point field goal in 88 consecutive games.