On the evening of March 21, 2025, the Xavier Musketeers will face off against the Illinois Fighting Illini in what promised to be an exciting first-round matchup in the NCAA Tournament. This highly anticipated clash is set to take place at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, with the game scheduled to tip off at 9:45 p.m. ET, broadcasting live on CBS.
Xavier enters this contest as the No. 11 seed and is coming off a thrilling victory against Texas in the First Four, where they overcame a 13-point deficit to secure an 86-80 win. That pivotal game took place on March 19, 2025, at UD Arena, marking their first step into the NCAA Tournament. Head coach Sean Miller expressed pride in his team's resilience, exclaiming, "I could care less" about Illinois during his post-game comments, emphasizing the joy of advancing rather than focusing on their next opponent.
Although Miller initially brushed off Illinois, he soon recognized their strengths in a subsequent press conference on March 20. “Illinois is a fantastic team,” he said, commending their balanced attack and ability to perform at a high pace. The Illini, holding the No. 6 seed, finished the season with a 21-12 record and have proven themselves formidable with a strong average of over 80 points per game in the Big Ten.
The last time these two teams met was in the 2018-2019 season during the Maui Invitational, where Xavier edged out Illinois with an 83-74 victory. In that matchup, Xavier guard Quentin Goodin led his team with 15 points, while Ayo Dosunmu scored a game-high 19 points for the Illini. Both teams have a history of competitive matchups, and this game is expected to be no different.
The Illini, who made their way through a challenging season, have had their ups and downs. They advanced with their last official game being a 88-65 loss to Maryland in the Big Ten quarterfinals on March 14. However, they reset their focus during practice leading up to the tournament, as stated by guard Kylan Boswell: “It's good sometimes to go back to the lab and just reset for all of us.”
Illinois players Kasparas Jakucionis, Tomislav Ivisic, and Boswell addressed media at a press conference on March 20. Jakucionis reflected on his relative inexperience with the NCAA, stating, “I started watching college basketball two years ago, focusing on March Madness games and their details,” highlighting their ambition to make a mark in the tournament.
Leading into the game, the Illinois team continues to prepare, focusing on both their strengths and those of Xavier, particularly their prowess in transition play. Brad Underwood, Illinois’ coach, emphasized the need to defend against Xavier's transition game, noting, “They have a relentless nature of getting second shots.”
As the matchup approaches, both teams are targeting a berth in the second round of the tournament. The winner of the Xavier-Illinois game will advance to play the victor of the matchup between No. 3 Kentucky and No. 14 Troy on March 23.
Fans eager to witness this thrilling encounter can expect high energy and skill on display, with all eyes on the players as NCAA Tournament history unfolds.
Tickets for the game have been in demand, starting around $154, allowing attendance for fans of both teams to soak in the March Madness atmosphere. The excitement in the air is palpable, and both teams are ready to rise to the occasion.
