Team: Illinois Fighting Illini
Location: Champaign, Ill.
Conference: Big Ten
Head coach: Brad Underwood (fifth season, 47-49 overall)
2020-2021 record: 24-7 overall, 16-4 B1G
Top returning players: 7-foot, C, Kofi Cockburn (17.7 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 1.2 bpg); 6-foot-2, G, Trent Frazier (10.2 ppg, 2.7 rpg, 2.7 apg); 6-foot-1, G, Andre Curbelo (9.1 ppg, 4.0 rpg, 4.2 apg)
Top newcomers: 6-foot-10, F, Omar Payne (transfer from Florida), 6-foot-1, G, Alphonso Plummer (transfer from Utah), 6-foot-7, F, Ramses Melendez (4-star freshman)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/22945674/usa_today_15769698.jpg)