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March Madness 2023: Meet the 13 former Illinois players part of the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16

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Wes Huett, Journal Star
·4 min read

The NCAA men's basketball tournament continues this week across the nation.

The field of 68 included two teams from the state of Illinois: the University of Illinois and Northwestern University, both of the Big Ten Conference. Both lost before the Sweet 16.

But what about those athletes who with hometowns listed from Illinois? We have you covered.

Below are the at least 43 NCAA Tournament players who are from Illinois, separated by those still in the Sweet 16 and then by conference starting with the Big Ten and MVC, followed by other major conferences and mid-majors.

Sweet 16

  • Malik Hall, Michigan State: 6-8 senior forward from Aurora Matea Valley. Sweet 16 vs. Kansas State

  • A.J. Casey, Miami (Fla.): 6-9 freshman forward from Chicago Whitney Young. Sweet 16 vs. Houston

  • Kam Craft, Xavier: 6-6 freshman guard from Chicago. He played prep ball at Buffalo Grove. Sweet 16 vs. Texas

  • Devin Davis, Creighton: 6-0 junior guard from Chicago Westinghouse. Sweet 16 vs. Princeton

  • Sami Osmani, Creighton: 6-4 junior guard from Oak Lawn. Sweet 16 vs. Princeton

  • Amari Bailey, UCLA: 6-5 freshman guard from Chicago. He played prep ball at Sierra Canyon in California. Sweet 16 vs. Gonzaga

  • Nimari Burnett, Alabama: 6-4 sophomore guard from Chicago Morgan Park. He also played prep ball at Prolific Prep in California. Sweet 16 vs. San Diego State

  • Max Scharnowski, Alabama: 6-6 junior forward from Elgin. He played prep ball at Wheaton Academy. Sweet 16 vs. San Diego State

  • Braden Huff, Gonzaga: 6-10 freshman forward from Glen Ellyn Glenbard West. Sweet 16 vs. UCLA

  • Malachi Smith, Gonzaga: 6-4 junior guard from Belleville West. Sweet 16 vs. UCLA

  • Cam Lawin, San Diego State: 6-3 freshman from Chicago Orr. Sweet 16 vs. Alabama

  • Blake Peters, Princeton: 6-1 sophomore guard from Evanston. First round vs. Creighton

  • Caden Pierce, Princeton: 6-6 freshman guard from Glen Ellyn Glenbard West. First round vs. Creighton

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Illinois Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (0) passes the ball during the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament game against the Penn State Nittany Lions, Thursday, March 9, 2023, at United Center in Chicago. Penn State Nittany Lions won 79-76.
Illinois Fighting Illini guard Terrence Shannon Jr. (0) passes the ball during the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament game against the Penn State Nittany Lions, Thursday, March 9, 2023, at United Center in Chicago. Penn State Nittany Lions won 79-76.

Big Ten Conference

  • Brandon Lieb, Illinois: The 7-0 junior center from Deerfield.

  • Nick Martinelli, Northwestern: 6-7 senior forward from Glenview Glenbrook South.

  • Amarion Nimmers, Iowa: 6-2 freshman guard from Rock Island.

  • AJ Redd, Illinois: 6-3 freshman guard from Chicago St. Ignatius.

  • Connor Serven, Illinois: 6-9 junior forward from Bushnell-Prairie City.

  • Terrence Shannon Jr., Illinois: 6-6 senior guard from Chicago Lincoln Park.

  • Ahron Ulis, Iowa: 6-3 junior guard from Chicago Heights Marian Catholic.

  • Paxton Warden, Illinois: 6-4 freshman guard from Glen Ellyn Glenbard West.

Missouri Valley Conference

  • Conor Enright, Drake: 6-0 freshman guard from Mundelein.

  • Nate Ferguson, Drake: 6-8 junior forward from Lemont.

  • Roman Penn, Drake: 6-0 senior guard from Calumet City. He played prep ball in Indiana.

AAC

  • Damaria Franklin, Memphis: 6-3 senior guard from Chicago. He played prep ball at Niles North and transferred from Illinois-Chicago.

  • Conor Glennon, Memphis: 5-10 junior guard from Chicago Brother Rice.

ACC