The College Basketball Belt

Illinois

12Reigns

102Days held

16Defenses

1956First reign

Every reign

12th reignBeat Iowa State 72–69 · lost to UConn
Mar 28, 2024 – Mar 30, 20242 days · 0 def.
11th reignBeat Northwestern 63–47 · lost to Michigan
Feb 15, 2006 – Feb 21, 20066 days · 1 def.
10th reignBeat North Carolina 68–64 · lost to Iowa
Nov 29, 2005 – Jan 7, 200639 days · 9 def.
9th reignBeat Indiana 67–61 · lost to Ohio State
Feb 16, 2001 – Feb 21, 20015 days · 0 def.
8th reignBeat Michigan 80–51 · lost to Penn State
Jan 12, 2001 – Jan 30, 200118 days · 3 def.
7th reignBeat Iowa 79–72 · lost to Purdue
Feb 21, 1998 – Mar 7, 199814 days · 2 def.
6th reignBeat Michigan State 84–63 · lost to Purdue
Feb 11, 1998 – Feb 13, 19982 days · 0 def.
5th reignBeat Indiana 78–67 · lost to Michigan
Jan 13, 1995 – Jan 16, 19953 days · 0 def.
4th reignBeat Michigan State 57–55 · lost to Ohio State
Jan 10, 1979 – Jan 12, 19792 days · 0 def.
3rd reignBeat Indiana 86–81 · lost to Michigan
Jan 3, 1965 – Jan 8, 19655 days · 0 def.
2nd reignBeat UCLA 110–83 · lost to Saint Louis
Dec 3, 1964 – Dec 4, 19641 day · 0 def.
1st reignBeat San Francisco 62–33 · lost to Kentucky
Dec 16, 1956 – Dec 21, 19565 days · 1 def.

6,610Longest wait between reigns, days (2006–2024)

2,225Average wait, days

957Days since the last reign ended (2024)

12–2Best belt season (2005–06)

	Player	Games	Wins	PTS
1	Dee Brown	14	11	212
2	James Augustine	14	11	179
3	Rich McBride	14	11	108
4	Warren Carter	14	11	71
5	Shaun Pruitt	13	11	74
6	Marcus Arnold	13	11	54
7	Jamar Smith	12	10	100
8	Brian Randle	12	10	95
9	Chester Frazier	8	6	7
10	Calvin Brock	7	7	14

Season	Games	W–L	Took it	Lost it
2023–24	2	1–1	1	1
2018–19	3	0–3
2017–18	1	0–1
2012–13	1	0–1
2005–06	14	12–2	2	2
2004–05	1	0–1
2000–01	7	5–2	2	2
1997–98	6	4–2	2	2
1994–95	3	1–2	1	1
1986–87	1	0–1
1978–79	3	1–2	1	1
1975–76	2	0–2
1972–73	1	0–1
1970–71	1	0–1
1965–66	1	0–1
1964–65	5	2–3	2	2
1962–63	1	0–1
1960–61	2	0–2
1959–60	1	0–1
1956–57	3	2–1	1	1