Michigan
Illinois
Another Top 10 Challenge Awaits the Wolverines in Champaign
2/26/2026 9:14:00 AM | Men's Basketball
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The third-ranked University of Michigan men's basketball team (26-2, 16-1 Big Ten) travels to Champaign, Ill., on Friday (Feb. 27) for its third top-10 matchup in the last four games, taking on 10th-ranked Illinois (22-6, 13-4 Big Ten) at the State Farm Center. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. CT (8 p.m. ET) on Fox, with Jason Benetti and Bill Raftery on the call.
Notes
• Following its 77-67 win over Minnesota, Michigan secured a share of the 2026 Big Ten regular-season title, its first since 2021. With the title share and the expanded Big Ten Tournament format, Michigan has earned a triple-bye and will begin play in the quarterfinals on Friday (March 13).
• With a win at No. 10 Illinois, Michigan would secure the outright Big Ten regular-season title -- its first since 2021. The Wolverines' last outright crown came in 2014, when Nik Stauskas led U-M to a 15-3 conference record, clinching the championship with an 84-53 victory at Illinois on March 4.
• The Big Ten title is U-M's 16th regular-season championship. The Wolverines now have 20 Big Ten titles overall, including four Big Ten Tournament crowns, most recently in 2025 during Dusty May's first season at U-M.
• Based on available research, Elliot Cadeau is the second known player to win regular-season conference championships in both the Big Ten (2026, Michigan) and ACC (2024, North Carolina). Mason Gillis previously accomplished the feat, winning back-to-back Big Ten titles at Purdue (2023, 2024) before using his COVID year at Duke in 2024-25 and capturing the ACC regular-season title.
• Michigan's trip to No. 10 Illinois marks its third road game against a top-10 opponent in the last four contests. U-M is 6-1 against ranked teams this season.
• Heading to Illinois, U-M closes a nine-game, 28-day stretch that featured six road contests and four top-10 opponents. The Wolverines begin the final week of the regular season with their seventh road game (at Iowa) in the last 11 contests.
• With a 26-2 record, Michigan continues to build one of the most dominant seasons in program history, highlighted by 22 wins by 10-plus points, 13 by 20-plus, 10 by 30-plus, seven by 40-plus (Big Ten record) and one by 50-plus.
• Michigan's 16-1 Big Ten record stands as the best 17-game start in program history. The Wolverines' previous best 17-game starts were 15-2 in 1984-85 (NCAA Second Round) and 1976-77 (Elite Eight).
• U-M tied the program record for Big Ten wins with 16, matching the season-ending 16-2 records set in 1984-85 (41 years ago) and 1976-77 (49 years ago).
• Michigan has won 12 straight Big Ten games, marking just the third time in program history the Wolverines have posted a win streak of 10 or more games. U-M's record is 15 straight wins in 1984-85 (16-2), followed by 13 straight in 1964-65 (13-1).
• Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Yaxel Lendeborg has stuffed the stat sheet this season, averaging 14.2 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.
• Elliot Cadeau has recorded five-plus assists in each of his last 10 games. He has 18 games this season with five-plus assists, including three with 10-plus assists.
• Over his last eight games, LJ Cason is 14-for-28 (50.0 percent) from three-point range.
