Assistant coach Paris Parham | 2016–17 record 17–12 (7–9 Big Ten) Assistant coach Jamall Walker | |
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The 2016–17 Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team represents the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign in the 2016–17 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. Led by fifth-year head coach John Groce, the Illini play their home games at State Farm Center and are members of the Big Ten Conference.
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Previous season
The Fighting Illini finished the 2015–16 season with a record of 15–19, 5–13 in Big Ten play to finish in 12th place in conference. The Illini defeated Minnesota and Iowa to advance to the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament where they lost to Purdue.
2016-17 additions
On September 16, 2015, Te'Jon Lucas of Milwaukee, Wisconsin verbally committed to attend Illinois in the fall of 2016 and signed his National Letter of Intent to finalize his recruitment on November 11, 2015. Lucas attended the NBA Top 100 camp in June 2015, had scholarship offers from California, Memphis, Purdue, and Wisconsin, and he strongly considered both USC and Old Dominion before committing to Illinois. Lucas is only the third player from the State of Wisconsin to commit to Illinois, and is the first since 1926.
2017–18 team recruits
On January 16, 2016, Javon Pickett of Belleville, Illinois verbally committed to attend Illinois in the fall of 2017. Pickett committed after having scholarship offers from Drake, Illinois State, Southern Illinois Edwardsville, Saint Louis University and Tennessee State. During Illinois' final home game against Minnesota on February 28, 2016, Da'Monte Williams verbally committed to attend Illinois in the fall of 2017. Williams is the son of former Illinois guard Frank Williams who led the Fighting Illini to three straight NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament appearances, including an Elite Eight appearance in 2001.