West Coast trips are rarely comfortable, and Illinois (16-6, 6-5 Big Ten) learned that the hard way earlier this season. After dropping a tough road game at Oregon State in their first trip out to the Left Coast, the Illini returned to the Pacific Ttime Zone this week with something to prove – and this time, they left with a win.

Illinois took care of business in Seattle, knocking off No. 25 Washington (17-5, 7-4) 75-66 in a game that was never particularly pretty but was controlled for most of the night. The Illini led for long stretches, absorbed Washington’s runs and consistently responded when things threatened to get tight. It wasn’t a highlight-reel performance or a shooting clinic, but it was the kind of road win that good teams learn how to secure as the season goes on.

After a disappointing result on their first West Coast swing, this one felt like a step forward.

1. Cearah Parchment has cemented herself as Illinois’ No. 2 option

Berry Wallace has been the offensive engine for Illinois all season, but games like this highlight how important it is to have another reliable scorer next to her. Cearah Parchment delivered exactly that in Seattle.

Parchment finished with 23 points and 10 rebounds, showing her ability to score efficiently while also impacting the game on the glass. She knocked down shots from the perimeter, finished inside and punished Washington when attention shifted toward Wallace. That balance changes the ceiling of the Illini offense. When Illinois can play through more than one primary option, it becomes much harder to defend – especially on the road.

2. The Illini won in spite of a poor three-point shooting day

Illinois didn’t exactly catch fire from deep, finishing just 4-for-15 from three-point range. Instead of forcing shots or letting misses spiral into momentum swings, the Illini stayed patient.

They attacked the paint, earned trips to the free-throw line and converted when it mattered. Illinois attempted 24 free throws and made 17, quietly building separation without relying on long-range shooting. That’s a positive sign, especially in a hostile environment where shooting legs can disappear quickly. Winning a road game without relying on threes is a trait of a mature team.

3. The defense did enough to survive the Huskies’ stars

Washington star guard Sayvia Sellers got her points, but Illinois avoided letting her completely take over the game. Only three Huskies reached double figures, and none scored more than 17 points – a sign of how difficult Illinois made consistent offense all night.

The Illini didn’t dominate defensively, but they stayed connected, avoided extended breakdowns and forced Washington to work for nearly every basket. By making scoring a grind and preventing a single explosive run, Illinois maintained control and closed the game out comfortably – exactly what you want from a road performance.

Let’s rewind back to mid-December, as the Illinois basketball team drops a home game to then-No. 23 Nebraska.

The Illini dropped to 8-3 overall and 1-1 in the Big Ten after that loss. At the time, it didn’t seem that Illinois was going to contend for one of the top seeds in the NCAA tournament.

That loss changed everything, though. Since the disappointing close loss to the Cornhuskers, Illinois has gone on one of the best runs in program history. This run includes winning 11 games in a row. But moreover, the quality of wins matters more.

Illinois has had five games on the road in that 11-game stretch, all of which were, of course, victories. Three of those five games were against ranked opponents. No. 19 Iowa was the first game. Two out of the last three wins overall have really elevated Illinois from a quality NCAA tournament seed to now being in the driver’s seat for a No. 1 seed in the Big Dance.

Just a week ago, Illinois had an all-time performance from Keaton Wagler to knock off then-No. 4 Purdue in West Lafayette. This victory enabled the Illini to crack the top 10 and put us in the national spotlight.

It was this Sunday that skyrocketed the Orange and Blue to another atmosphere. Going on the road in Lincoln and taking down No. 5 Nebraska was huge for the Illini. We now have two top-five wins in the past three games.

Coming into the weekend, Illinois was already solidly a two-seed by multiple NCAA tournament predictions. Nebraska was a projected No. 1 seed. With the win, the Illini are surely going to be slotted as a No. 1 in the updated NCAA tournament projection.

On top of those wins, Illinois’ schedule the rest of the way out is promising. We have nine games left, with the only ranked contests being on the road against No. 7 Michigan State and home against No. 3 Michigan. This is a schedule that Illinois can feast on.

The Illinois basketball NET Rankings only continue to get stronger after Sunday’s huge win

The NCAA tournament takes the NET Rankings into account when seeding programs. The better the record against Quad 1 teams, the better chance for a No. 1 seed come March.

After the win over Nebraska, Illinois now sits at 7-3 overall against Quad 1 programs. Only three other teams in college basketball have more Quad 1 wins – Michigan, Duke, and Arizona.

Beyond those three programs, Illinois can make the claim for a top seed: 11 wins in a row, and victories over two top-five programs. That is a resume that the Illini can hold up high when all the dust settles. There is still more work to do, though. Let’s finish this thing strong.