Two of the most recognizable programs in college basketball returned to the Final Four on Saturday, ending droughts that stretched across two decades and multiple coaching staffs. Illinois defeated Iowa 71-59, earning its first Final Four appearance since the 2004-05 season. Arizona beat Purdue 79-64, reaching the national semifinals for the first time since 2000-01.
The bracket now has two programs that know exactly what this stage feels like, and have been waiting a long time to feel it again.
How Illinois got back here
The 2004-05 Illinois team finished 29-1, won the Big Ten tournament and reached the national championship game before falling to North Carolina. That group featured Dee Brown, Deron Williams and Luther Head, all future NBA players, and it set a standard the program spent years trying to match.
What followed was uneven. The Illini made the NCAA Tournament five times in the next eight years, then endured a lengthy drought that extended into coach Brad Underwood’s early seasons. A No. 1 seed in 2021 ended in a second-round loss to Loyola-Chicago.
The current team looks different from those that came before it. Keaton Wagler, a three-star recruit who developed into an All-American, scored a game-high 25 points against Iowa on Saturday. Kylan Boswell and Tomislav Ivisic have been consistent contributors throughout the run. The roster is a mix of developed talent, smart recruiting and transfer portal additions that Underwood has assembled into one of the country’s most efficient offenses, ranked first nationally by KenPom’s adjusted efficiency metrics.
How Arizona got back here
The 2000-01 Arizona team beat a No. 1-seeded Illinois squad in the Elite Eight on its way to the Final Four. That group included Gilbert Arenas and Richard Jefferson, and it was the last time the program advanced this far.
In the 17 seasons that followed, Arizona made the NCAA Tournament 15 times and went 0-5 in Elite Eight appearances. The Sean Miller era ended with tournament absences and NCAA scrutiny. Tommy Lloyd took over and immediately rebuilt the program’s national profile, guiding the Wildcats to five consecutive March Madness appearances.
This year’s team is built around Jaden Bradley, who earned Big 12 Player of the Year honors, and Motiejus Krivas, who has anchored the interior all season. Freshmen Brayden Burries and Koa Peat have exceeded expectations, with Burries averaging 16.2 points per game and Peat contributing 13.9. Arizona’s defense ranks first in adjusted efficiency nationally, giving the Wildcats a foundation that holds up in the games that matter most.
What comes next
Illinois will face the winner of the Duke and UConn matchup in the national semifinals. Arizona will meet the winner of Michigan and Tennessee. If both teams advance, a national championship game between the country’s top offense and top defense would follow.
Illinois has never won a national title. Arizona won its only championship in 1997. Both programs arrive in the Final Four with rosters built for this moment and fanbases that have been patient long enough.
The bracket will sort itself out over the coming days. What Saturday confirmed is that neither of these programs is here by accident.
