Illinois basketball is heating up just in time, jumping to No. 16 in the latest AP Top 25 and showing real promise as the season hits its stride. The Illini are favored in their next five games, setting up a potential top-10 showdown with Purdue later this month. With six Big Ten teams now ranked, the conference is flexing serious muscle nationally. It’s wild to think last year’s No. 16 didn’t even make the tournament—rankings can be unpredictable! Still, this momentum is huge for fans and future recruits. How confident are you in Illinois’ run, and which Big Ten team do you think will go deepest in March? #Sports #IllinoisBasketball #BigTen