Illinois basketball has been one of the most potent offensive programs in the country.
During the 2025-26 campaign, the Illini have been widely regarded as an offensive juggernaut. This is a team that averaged 84.2 points per game coming into the Elite 8, which ranked No. 20 in the nation.
That great scoring has to come from somewhere. That somewhere was from beyond the three-point arc. Illinois averages 31.1 three-pointers per game this season, which ranks No. 10 in the country. Shooting that many shots from deep should mean our three-point shooting percentage is low. That isn’t the case.
Illinois shot 35.1% from three-point range this season, which ranks No. 109 in the nation. We are going to fire a lot of shots from deep, and we are going to hit them.
That all changed against Iowa, though. Illinois came in and laid an absolute egg when it comes from the three-point arc. We only attempted 17 three-pointers, and the Illini hit just three of them. That comes out to 17.6% from three-point range.
Illinois has now played 36 games this season. Where does 17.6% rank among all of the games this season?
Dead last.
That is right. In the biggest game of the season, a game to advance to the Final 4, Illinois decided to lay a stinker and shoot the worst three-point shooting percentage of the season.
If you had asked me what the result of the game against Iowa was going to be if Illinois shot sub-25% from three-point range, I would have said a loss. We didn’t just shoot below 25%; this was a sub-20% shooting night, something we haven’t experienced this season.
Illinois basketball might be unstoppable if we can shoot that poorly and still make the Final 4
There is nothing negative to say about Illinois. This article is one of astonishment. Illinois just shot 17.6% from three-point range, and we advanced out of the Elite 8 by 12 points over Iowa.
Let that sink in for a second. Illinois just won an Elite 8 game by double-digits, shooting 17.6% from three-point range, an area of the game we rely on.
Whoever is next, Duke or UConn, should be scared of us. Illinois is playing a much better brand of basketball than I have seen in decades. We find ways to win even if the ball isn’t falling from deep. This team has a chance to win it all.