The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team learned its 2023 March Madness NCAA Tournament draw on Sunday.
Illinois received a No. 9 seed, and the Illini face the Arkansas Razorbacks in the NCAA Tournament first round.
The game will take place at 3:30 p.m. CT on Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa.
The winner of the Illinois vs. Arkansas Razorbacks game will meet on Saturday the winner of No. 1 seed Kansas vs. No. 16 seed Howard.
Illinois enters the NCAA Tournament first round at 20-12 overall. Most recently, Penn State beat Illinois 79-76 in the Big Ten Conference tournament second round on March 9.
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The Arkansas Razorbacks come into the game vs. Illinois at 20-13 overall. On Friday, Texas A&M beat Arkansas 67-61 in the SEC tournament quarterfinals.
- Gene J. Puskar
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood gestures to an official during the first half of a college basketball game against Chattanooga in the first round of the NCAA men's tournament in Pittsburgh, Friday, March 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
- Charles Rex Arbogast
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood applauds and directs his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against St. Francis Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. Illinois won 106-48. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
- Michael Allio
Illinois' coach Brad Underwood sends Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (13), and Alfonso Plummer (11) into the game during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan State Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
- Gene J. Puskar
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood meets with reporters before the NCAA college men's basketball team's practice at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Illinois will face Chattanooga in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball tournament on Friday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
- Gene J. Puskar
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood yells instructions during the second half of a college basketball game against Chattanooga in the first round of the NCAA men's tournament in Pittsburgh, Friday, March 18, 2022. Illinois won 54-53. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
- Gene J. Puskar
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood disagrees with a technical foul being called on a dunk by RJ Melendez during the second half of a college basketball game in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 20, 2022. Houston won 68-53. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Brad Underwood: A look at the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball head coach
Here's a look at Brad Underwood, the Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball head coach and former Oklahoma State Cowboys basketball head coach.
- Gene J. Puskar
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood gestures to an official during the first half of a college basketball game against Chattanooga in the first round of the NCAA men's tournament in Pittsburgh, Friday, March 18, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
- Michael Allio, AP photo
Brad Underwood has coached Illinois into the NCAA Tournament.
- Doug McSchooler
Illinois men's head coach Brad Underwood addresses the media during the first day of the Big Ten NCAA college basketball media days, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
- Doug McSchooler
Illinois men's head coach Brad Underwood addresses the media during the first day of the Big Ten NCAA college basketball media days, Thursday, Oct. 7, 2021, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
- Michael Allio
Illinois' coach Brad Underwood talks with Illinois' Da'Monte Williams (20) before the start of an NCAA college basketball game against Texas Rio Grande Valley Friday, Nov. 26, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
- Michael Allio
Illinois' coach Brad Underwood reacts during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Notre Dame Monday, Nov. 29, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
- Charlie Neibergall
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood directs his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Iowa, Monday, Dec. 6, 2021, in Iowa City, Iowa. Illinois won 87-83. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
- Charles Rex Arbogast
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood applauds and directs his team during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against St. Francis Saturday, Dec. 18, 2021, in Champaign, Ill. Illinois won 106-48. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
- Michael Allio
Illinois' coach Brad Underwood addresses the media during the post-game media conference at the conclusion of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan Friday, Jan. 14, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
- Michael Allio
Illinois' coach Brad Underwood sends Benjamin Bosmans-Verdonk (13), and Alfonso Plummer (11) into the game during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan State Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
- Michael Allio
Illinois' coach Brad Underwood signals a play during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game against Michigan State Tuesday, Jan. 25, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
- Doug McSchooler
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood reacts to a call during an NCAA college basketball game against Indiana, Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022, in Bloomington, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
- Adam Hunger
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood looks on against Rutgers during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in Piscataway, N.J. Rutgers won 70-59. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
- Michael Allio
Illinois coach Brad Underwood gestures during the first half of the team's NCAA college basketball game against Ohio State on Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022, in Champaign, Ill. (AP Photo/Michael Allio)
- Michael Conroy
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood reacts to a call in the first half of an NCAA college basketball game against Indiana at the Big Ten Conference tournament in Indianapolis, Friday, March 11, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
- Gene J. Puskar
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood meets with reporters before the NCAA college men's basketball team's practice at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Thursday, March 17, 2022. Illinois will face Chattanooga in the first round of the 2022 NCAA Division 1 Men's Basketball tournament on Friday. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
- Keith Srakocic
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood yells to his team during practice for the first round of the NCAA men's college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 17, 2022, in Pittsburgh. They take on Chattanooga Friday. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
- Keith Srakocic
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood watches his team play against Chattanooga during the first half of a college basketball game in the first round of the NCAA tournament, Friday, March 18, 2022, in Pittsburgh. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
- Gene J. Puskar
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood yells instructions during the second half of a college basketball game against Chattanooga in the first round of the NCAA men's tournament in Pittsburgh, Friday, March 18, 2022. Illinois won 54-53. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
- Gene J. Puskar
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood disagrees with a call during the first half of a college basketball game against Houston in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 20, 2022. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
- Gene J. Puskar
Illinois head coach Brad Underwood disagrees with a technical foul being called on a dunk by RJ Melendez during the second half of a college basketball game in the second round of the NCAA tournament in Pittsburgh, Sunday, March 20, 2022. Houston won 68-53. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)
Brad Underwood is the Illinois Fighting Illini men’s basketball head coach. This is his sixth season as the Illinois basketball head coach. He previously took Illinois to the NCAA Tournament in 2020-21 and 2021-22. Illinois ended the 2022 NCAA Tournament with a 68-53 loss to Houston in the second round.
The Illinois men’s basketball program made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament during the 1941-42 season. Illinois has reached the Final Four on five occasions. Illinois last reached the Final Four in 2005, when it lost to North Carolina in the national championship game.
The 2023 NCAA Tournament Final Four in Houston starts Saturday, April 1. The NCAA Tournament national championship game is scheduled to take place Monday, April 3.
Erik Hall is the digital sports editor at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. You can find him on Twitter @HallErik.
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