CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - The third-ranked Fighting Illini men's gymnastics team welcomes No. 1 Oklahoma to Huff Hall for the final meet of the regular season on Saturday, March 17. The Orange and Blue are coming off victories over both Air Force and UIC a week ago, as the Illini swept all six event titles and posted the top pommel horse total of the season (68.800). Saturday's meet will begin at 11 a.m. CT and will air live on the Big Ten Network.
Scouting the Sooners
Coming off three consecutive national championships, No. 1 Oklahoma enters the weekend having not lost a regular season meet since the 2014 NCAA team finals. In addition to the 87 straight wins, the Sooners have been ranked number one every week they have been eligible since 2014.
Oklahoma currently sits at 6-0 on the season, having picked up victories over Michigan, Nebraska, Stanford, Iowa, Navy and California. Based on overall averages, the Sooners hold the following rankings: floor (3rd), pommel horse (1st), still rings (1st), vault (1st), parallel bars (1st) and high bar (1st). Oklahoma holds a 47-8 all-time advantage over the Illini.
Illini Notes
- Nine Illini gymnasts have come away with event titles on the season, including Baker, Bull, A. Diab, M. Diab, Eggleston, Light, McLellan, Ngai and Quiana.
- Alex Diab's eight still rings titles ranks third in school history for a single season and is one away from tying for the most all time. Diab is also tied for third for career rings titles with 18.
- Brandon Ngai sits tied for third all-time with 22 career pommel horse titles.
- Chandler Eggleston is tied for seventh in school history with 11 career vault titles.
- Bobby Baker's 15.000 vault run against Michigan broke a school record under the current scoring system. Baker also came away with the best all-around total in school history (82.700).
- Brandon Ngai posted a 15.300 on pommel horse against Michigan to mark a new school record under the current points system.
- UI's team total of 412.500 at Penn State marks a season high and ranks eighth in school history under the current scoring system.
- Under the current scoring system, the Illini also posted the second-best floor total in school history (71.400), the 5th best rings score (70.300) and the third-best vault total (71.850) at Penn State on January 27.
Last Time Out
The Fighting Illini took down both Air Force and UIC at Huff Hall a week ago. The Illini finished with a team total of 405.700 and swept all six events. Alex Diab and Sebastian Quiana each came away with two titles on the night. Diab won both floor (14.550) and rings (14.650), while Quiana took the top spot on parallel bars (14.050) and high bar (13.450). Chandler Eggleston won vault with a 14.350 total, while Brandon Ngai posted a 15.300 to take the pommel horse title.
Up Next
Saturday's meet marks the end of the regular season for the Illini, as the team will get set for the Big Ten Championships, held in Ann Arbor, Michigan, April 6 & 7.
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