March Madness is heating up, and basketball analyst Charles Barkley has made a bold prediction: Xavier will take down Illinois in the first round of the 2025 NCAA Tournament. The highly anticipated matchup is set to take place Friday night in Milwaukee, where both teams are ready to battle for a spot in the next round.
Charles Barkley’s Confidence in Xavier Basketball
Barkley, known for his outspoken commentary, expressed his belief that Xavier is a sleeper team this year. On CBS, he stated, “This is one of my sleeper teams. I got them going to next weekend. I love the coach, Sean Miller. I got to follow him in Arizona. He’s a terrific X and O guy. These teams take on his personality, like most good teams take on their coach’s personality. So I expect them to win tonight, and I expect them to win Sunday, too.”
Sean Miller, now in his third season as Xavier’s head coach, has a history of success. His teams are disciplined, physical, and resilient—qualities that could give Xavier the edge against Illinois.
A Comfortable Matchup for Xavier?
Barkley went further to explain why he thinks this is a favorable matchup for the Musketeers. He noted, “Some matchups make you very uncomfortable. Illinois is a good team. Coach Brad Underwood is a terrific coach, also. But Xavier won’t be intimidated. In my opinion, they’ll probably have the more physicality on their side of the board.”
Illinois enters the tournament with a 21-12 record, but they suffered a tough loss to Maryland, 88-65, in the Big Ten Conference Tournament quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Xavier holds a 22-11 record and recently secured a hard-fought 86-80 victory over Texas in an NCAA Tournament play-in game.
Clark Kellogg Highlights Key Factor in Illinois vs. Xavier Matchup
CBS analyst Clark Kellogg also weighed in on the matchup, emphasizing Illinois’ offensive rebounding strength. “One of the things to keep an eye on in that game, though, is Illinois is one of the best offensive rebounding teams in the country because they space you, and they’ve got multiple guys that can shoot it. They run at that offensive board when they get shots up on the glass,” Kellogg explained. “Xavier is going to have to do a really good job defensive rebounding to keep those possessions from getting out of hand in favor of Illinois.”
With both teams capable of shooting well from three-point range, fans can expect a high-scoring, fast-paced game.
Illinois Basketball History & NCAA Tournament Expectations
Illinois has a rich NCAA Tournament history, making its first appearance in 1941-42. The Fighting Illini have reached the Final Four five times, most recently in 2005 when they finished as national runners-up to North Carolina. Under Brad Underwood, Illinois is making its fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, with last year’s run ending in the Elite Eight against eventual champion UConn.
What’s Next in March Madness?
The 2025 NCAA Tournament Final Four is set to take place at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas, on April 5, with the national championship game scheduled for April 7. If Xavier lives up to Barkley’s expectations, they could be a surprise contender deep into the tournament.
Basketball fans won’t want to miss this exciting Illinois vs. Xavier showdown. With both teams hungry for victory, it’s shaping up to be a thrilling March Madness battle.