As the dust settles on another thrilling NCAA women's basketball season, all eyes are already turning toward the next March Madness—and the Illinois Fighting Illini are right in the mix. ESPN bracketology expert Charlie Creme released his post-transfer portal projections in late April, offering an early glimpse at the 2026-27 season, which is still six months away. But since then, the landscape has shifted dramatically: the NCAA announced last week that the women's tournament field will expand to 76 teams in 2027, adding eight new spots and opening the door for even more Cinderella stories.

For Illinois head coach Shauna Green, this news only adds to the excitement. Under her leadership, the Illini have punched their ticket to March Madness in three of her four seasons. Creme currently projects Illinois as a No. 5 seed, heading to a sub-regional in Fort Worth, Texas, on the TCU campus—where the Horned Frogs would host as a No. 4 seed. That's right in line with where the Illini should be next season, sitting comfortably on the 4/5 seed line.

But Green and her squad have bigger goals. The top 16 seeds earn the coveted right to host the first and second rounds, a clear-cut target for an Illinois team that's built for a deep run. And here's the good news: the Illini are returning their top eight players from last season's rotation, a group that powered the team to a 22-12 record and a second-round NCAA tournament appearance before falling to Vanderbilt in Nashville. With that kind of continuity and experience, Illinois is poised to make some serious noise when March rolls around again.