Yes, the University of Illinois men's basketball program has achieved the coveted No. 1 national ranking in the Associated Press poll multiple times throughout its storied history. Most famously, the powerhouse 2004-05 Illinois team—led by guards Dee Brown, Deron Williams, and Luther Head—spent a large majority of the season ranked number one in the country, starting the year with a historic 29-game win streak before finishing as the national runner-up in the NCAA tournament.