Illinois, Michigan give Big Ten two shots at ending quarter-century-long title drought. Is this the year?

For only the fourth time in the 2000s, the Big Ten has two teams — Midwest Region No. 1 seed Michigan and South Region No. 3 seed Illinois — in the Final Four of the men’s NCAA Tournament.

Maybe this time, the conference’s quarter-century-and-counting championship drought actually will come to an end.

Michigan and West Region No. 1 seed Arizona will clash amid game-of-the-year hype in Indianapolis. These have been the two best teams in this tournament, hands down. Not that the semifinal matchup of Illinois and East Region No. 2 seed UConn is lacking a thing.

So what happened the last three times the Big Ten sent two of its finest onto the grandest stage in college basketball?

2000: 1 Michigan State, 8 Wisconsin

The Big Ten was guaranteed to have a team in the final because the Spartans and Badgers collided in the semis. How ugly was it? The Spartans went more than 11 minutes without a bucket, yet they won easily as the Badgers mustered all of 41 points. Don’t you miss the Dick Bennett days? Season series: 4-0 in favor of the Big Green.

The Spartans cut down the nets in Indianapolis after beating Florida 89-76 two nights later. Star Mateen Cleaves climbed the ladder gingerly, sprained ankle and all. Tom Izzo’s hair? Black. This remains the Big Ten’s last title.

2005: 1 Illinois, 5 Michigan State

Merciless North Carolina dominated the Spartans 87-71, then nipped the Illini 75-70 in the final. It was an anticlimactic end to an amazing season powered by Dee Brown, Deron Williams and Luther Head, but the Tar Heels were just a bit better in St. Louis. Too much — make that way too much — Sean May.

‘‘We went down fighting,’’ then-Illinois coach Bruce Weber said. ‘‘I can’t ask for more.’’

2015: 1 Wisconsin, 7 Michigan State

The Badgers were back in the Final Four for the second consecutive season and upset unbeaten Kentucky 71-64 in the semis, maybe the greatest night ever for the cheddarheads. But Duke, after blasting the Spartans 81-61, roared back from nine points down in the second half of a brutally physical final to break the Badgers’ hearts 68-63.