Illinois back in AP Top 25

WCIA — Illinois men’s basketball fell out of the Associated Press Top 25 with a loss to Marquette earlier this season, but after three straight wins of an average of 27 points the Illini find their way back in at No. 24.

Purdue leads the way for the Big Ten at No. 1, with the aforementioned Golden Eagles showing up in third. Upcoming Illini opponents No. 10 Tennessee and No. 13 Florida Atlantic find themselves in the middle of the pack.

The heat turns up on the season at the weekend with Illinois getting Big Ten play started at Rutgers on Saturday. Right after that, two Top 25 matchups with the Owls and Volunteers the following week.

“No knock on the last three, but we’re going to take a little step up here and get back to that Kansas, Marquette caliber,” Illinois head coach Brad Underwood said. “It’s your preparation that allows you to be successful in those deals and those games. And it’s a league game, it’s getting everybody up to speed to know that there’s a different intensity that happens in conference play.”

Tip-off between the Illini and Scarlet Knights in New Jersey is 3 p.m.