NCAA Tournament March Madness

#16 Illinois

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Projected seed: 7 (automatic qualifier)

Illinois has carved out a respectable resume this season, highlighted by significant wins against ranked opponents like Arkansas and a solid victory over Purdue. Their victories against middle-tier teams like Ohio State and Northwestern enhance their profile, but the losses to top-tier teams such as Alabama and Tennessee have exposed defensive vulnerabilities, particularly evident in games where they allowed over 100 points. The inconsistency on defense could hinder their tournament success unless they tighten up before the postseason, especially with upcoming games against potential bracket busters that could further either solidify or damage their standing.

Date Opponent Ranking Outcome
11/4E Illinois319W112-67
11/8SIUE222W90-58
11/13Oakland180W66-54
11/20(N)Alabama5L100-87
11/23MD E Shore358W87-40
11/25Ark Little Rock229W92-34
11/28(N)Arkansas35W90-77
12/6@Northwestern49L70-66
12/10Wisconsin14W86-80
12/14Tennessee6L66-64
12/22(N)Missouri21W80-77
12/29Chicago St361W117-64
1/2@Oregon30W109-77
1/5@Washington101W81-77
1/8Penn St55W91-52
1/11USC61L82-72
1/14@Indiana45W94-69
1/19@Michigan St11L80-78
1/23Maryland8L91-70
1/26Northwestern49W83-74
1/30@Nebraska52L80-74
2/2Ohio St34W87-79
2/5@Rutgers71L82-73
2/8@Minnesota88W95-74
2/11UCLA22W83-78
2/15Michigan St11L79-65
2/18@Wisconsin14L95-74
2/22(N)Duke1L110-67
2/25Iowa60W81-61
3/2@Michigan18W93-73
3/7Purdue17W88-80
3/13(N)Iowa60W106-94
3/14(N)Maryland8L88-65
3/21(N)Xavier42W86-73
3/23(N)Kentucky1550%