Men's Basketball - Year-By-Year Records
| Year-By-Year Records | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Overall | Big Ten | Big Ten Finish | Postseason | Coach |
| 1906 | 6-8 | 3-6 | 4th | Elwood Brown | |
| 1907 | 1-10 | 0-8 | 5th | F.L. Pinckney | |
| 1908 | 20-6 | 6-5 | 3rd | Fletcher Lane | |
| 1909 | 7-6 | 5-6 | 4th | Herb V. Juul | |
| 1910 | 5-4 | 5-4 | 4th | Herb V. Juul | |
| 1911 | 6-6 | 6-5 | 4th | T.E. Thompson | |
| 1912 | 8-8 | 4-8 | 5th | T.E. Thompson | |
| 1913 | 10-6 | 7-6 | 5th | Ralph R. Jones | |
| 1914 | 9-4 | 7-3 | 3rd | Ralph R. Jones | |
| 1915 | 16-0 | 12-0 | FIRST | Ralph R. Jones | |
| 1916 | 13-3 | 9-3 | 2nd (t) | Ralph R. Jones | |
| 1917 | 13-3 | 10-2 | FIRST (t) | Ralph R. Jones | |
| 1918 | 9-6 | 6-6 | 4th (t) | Ralph R. Jones | |
| 1919 | 6-8 | 5-7 | 5th | Ralph R. Jones | |
| 1920 | 9-4 | 8-4 | 3rd | Ralph R. Jones | |
| 1921 | 11-7 | 7-5 | 4th (t) | Frank J. Winters | |
| 1922 | 14-5 | 7-5 | 4th (t) | Frank J. Winters | |
| 1923 | 9-6 | 7-5 | 4th (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1924 | 11-6 | 8-4 | FIRST (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1925 | 11-6 | 8-4 | 3rd (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1926 | 9-8 | 6-6 | 5th (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1927 | 10-7 | 7-5 | 4th (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1928 | 5-12 | 2-10 | 9th (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1929 | 10-7 | 6-6 | 5th (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1930 | 8-8 | 7-5 | 4th (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1931 | 12-5 | 7-5 | 5th | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1932 | 11-6 | 7-5 | 5th | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1933 | 11-7 | 6-6 | 5th (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1934 | 13-6 | 7-5 | 4th | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1935 | 15-5 | 9-3 | FIRST (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1936 | 13-6 | 7-5 | 3rd (t) | J. Craig Ruby | |
| 1937 | 14-4 | 10-2 | FIRST (t) | Douglas R. Mills | |
| 1938 | 9-9 | 4-8 | 8th (t) | Douglas R. Mills | |
| 1939 | 14-5 | 8-4 | 3rd | Douglas R. Mills | |
| 1940 | 14-6 | 7-5 | 4th (t) | Douglas R. Mills | |
| 1941 | 13-7 | 7-5 | 3rd (t) | Douglas R. Mills | |
| 1942 | 18-5 | 13-2 | FIRST | NCAA Elite Eight | Douglas R. Mills |
| 1943 | 17-1 | 12-0 | FIRST | Did Not Participate & | Douglas R. Mills |
| 1944 | 11-9 | 5-7 | 6th | Douglas R. Mills | |
| 1945 | 13-7 | 7-5 | 3rd | Douglas R. Mills | |
| 1946 | 14-7 | 7-5 | 5th (t) | Douglas R. Mills | |
| 1947 | 14-6 | 8-4 | 2nd (t) | Douglas R. Mills | |
| 1948 | 15-5 | 7-5 | 3rd (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1949 | 21-4 | 10-2 | FIRST | NCAA Third Place | Harry Combes |
| 1950 | 14-8 | 7-5 | 3rd (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1951 | 22-5 | 13-1 | FIRST | NCAA Third Place | Harry Combes |
| 1952 | 22-4 | 12-2 | FIRST | NCAA Third Place | Harry Combes |
| 1953 | 18-4 | 14-4 | 2nd | Harry Combes | |
| 1954 | 17-5 | 10-4 | 3rd (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1955 | 17-5 | 10-4 | 2nd (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1956 | 18-4 | 11-3 | 2nd | Harry Combes | |
| 1957 | 14-8 | 7-7 | 7th | Harry Combes | |
| 1958 | 11-11 | 5-9 | 8th (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1959 | 12-10 | 7-7 | 5th (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1960 | 16-7 | 8-6 | 3rd (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1961 | 9-15 | 5-9 | 7th | Harry Combes | |
| 1962 | 15-8 | 7-7 | 4th (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1963 | 20-6 | 11-3 | FIRST (t) | NCAA Elite Eight | Harry Combes |
| 1964 | 13-11 | 6-8 | 6th (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1965 | 18-6 | 10-4 | 3rd | Harry Combes | |
| 1966 | 12-12 | 8-6 | 3rd (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1967 | 12-12 | 6-8 | 7th (t) | Harry Combes | |
| 1968 | 11-13 | 6-8 | 7th (t) | Harv Schmidt | |
| 1969 | 19-5 | 9-5 | 2nd (t) | Harv Schmidt | |
| 1970 | 15-9 | 8-6 | 3rd (t) | Harv Schmidt | |
| 1971 | 11-12 | 5-9 | 5th (t) | Harv Schmidt | |
| 1972 | 14-10 | 5-9 | 8th (t) | Harv Schmidt | |
| 1973 | 14-10 | 8-6 | 3rd (t) | Harv Schmidt | |
| 1974 | 5-18 | 2-12 | 10th | Harv Schmidt | |
| 1975 | 8-18 | 4-14 | 9th (t) | Gene Bartow | |
| 1976 | 14-13 | 7-11 | 7th (t) | Lou Henson | |
| 1977 | 16-14 | 8-10 | 6th | Lou Henson | |
| 1978 | 13-14 | 7-11 | 7th | Lou Henson | |
| 1979 | 19-11 | 7-11 | 7th | Lou Henson | |
| 1980 | 22-13 | 8-10 | 6th (t) | NIT 3rd Place | Lou Henson |
| 1981 | 21-8 | 12-6 | 3rd | NCAA Sweet 16 | Lou Henson |
| 1982 | 18-11 | 10-8 | 6th | NIT Second Round | Lou Henson |
| 1983 | 21-11 | 11-7 | 2nd (t) | NCAA First Round | Lou Henson |
| 1984 | 26-5 | 15-3 | FIRST (t) | NCAA Elite Eight | Lou Henson |
| 1985 | 26-9 | 12-6 | 2nd | NCAA Sweet 16 | Lou Henson |
| 1986 | 22-10 | 11-7 | 4th (t) | NCAA Round of 32 | Lou Henson |
| 1987 | 23-8 | 13-5 | 4th | NCAA First Round | Lou Henson |
| 1988 | 23-10 | 12-6 | 3rd (t) | NCAA Round of 32 | Lou Henson |
| 1989 | 31-5 | 14-4 | 2nd | NCAA Final Four | Lou Henson |
| 1990 | 21-8 | 11-7 | 4th (t) | NCAA First Round | Lou Henson |
| 1991 | 21-10 | 11-7 | 3rd (t) | Lou Henson | |
| 1992 | 13-15 | 7-11 | 8th | Lou Henson | |
| 1993 | 19-13 | 11-7 | 3rd (t) | NCAA Round of 32 | Lou Henson |
| 1994 | 17-11 | 10-8 | 4th (t) | NCAA First Round | Lou Henson |
| 1995 | 19-12 | 10-8 | 5th (t) | NCAA First Round | Lou Henson |
| 1996 | 18-13 | 7-11 | 9th | NIT First Round | Lou Henson |
| 1997 | 22-10 | 11-7 | 4th (t) | NCAA Round of 32 | Lon Kruger |
| 1998 | 23-10 | 13-3 | FIRST (t) | NCAA Round of 32 | Lon Kruger |
| 1999 | 14-18 | 3-13 | 11th | Lon Kruger | |
| 2000 | 22-10 | 11-5 | 4th | NCAA Round of 32 | Lon Kruger |
| 2001 | 27-8 | 13-3 | FIRST (t) | NCAA Elite Eight | Bill Self |
| 2002 | 26-9 | 11-5 | FIRST (t) | NCAA Sweet 16 | Bill Self |
| 2003 | 25-7 | 11-5 | 2nd | NCAA Round of 32 | Bill Self |
| 2004 | 26-7 | 13-3 | FIRST | NCAA Sweet 16 | Bruce Weber |
| 2005 | 37-2 | 15-1 | FIRST | NCAA Runner-Up | Bruce Weber |
| 2006 | 26-7 | 11-5 | 2nd (t) | NCAA Round of 32 | Bruce Weber |
| 2007 | 23-12 | 9-7 | 4th (t) | NCAA First Round | Bruce Weber |
| 2008 | 16-19 | 5-13 | 9th (t) | Bruce Weber | |
| 2009 | 24-10 | 11-7 | 2nd (t) | NCAA First Round | Bruce Weber |
| 2010 | 21-15 | 10-8 | 5th | NIT Quarterfinal | Bruce Weber |
| 2011 | 20-14 | 9-9 | 4th (t) | NCAA Round of 32 | Bruce Weber |
| 2012 | 17-15 | 6-12 | 9th (t) | Bruce Weber | |
| 2013 | 23-13 | 8-10 | 7th (t) | NCAA Round of 32 | John Groce |
| 2014 | 20-15 | 7-11 | 8th (t) | NIT Second Round | John Groce |
| 2015 | 19-14 | 9-9 | 7th (t) | NIT First Round | John Groce |
| 2016 | 15-19 | 5-13 | 12th | John Groce | |
| 2017 | 20-15 * | 8-10 | 9th | NIT Quarterfinal | John Groce/Jamall Walker |
| 2018 | 14-18 | 4-14 | 11th (t) | Brad Underwood | |
| 2019 | 12-21 | 7-13 | 10th (t) | Brad Underwood | |
| 2020 # | 21-10 | 13-7 | 4th | Canceled % | Brad Underwood |
| 2021 | 24-7 | 16-4 | 2nd ^ | NCAA Round of 32 | Brad Underwood |
| 2022 | 23-10 | 15-5 | FIRST (t) | NCAA Round of 32 | Brad Underwood |
| Total | 1,858-1,039 (.641) | 978-743 (.568) | 18 Big Ten Titles | 32 NCAA Tournaments | |
& -- Illinois elected not to participate in the 1943 NCAA Tournament after three starters were drafted and entered military service following the final regular-season game
* -- UI went 18-14 under Groce, and 2-1 in the NIT under Walker (interim coach)
# -- Season ended on March 12, 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic, forcing cancellation of Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments
% -- UI would have participated in the NCAA Tournament, but it was canceled due to COVID-19
^ -- UI led the Big Ten in wins while playing a full conference schedule, but because of an unequal number of games played, finished as runner-up by a winning percentage differential of .024
