NCAA Tournament March Madness

#21 Illinois

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Projected seed: 9 (automatic qualifier)

Illinois has showcased a mix of impressive wins and tough losses, making their tournament resume a bit of a rollercoaster. Key victories against teams like Wisconsin and Arkansas stand out, highlighting their ability to compete against quality opponents. However, their defensive struggles, particularly evident in losses to Alabama and Duke, raise concerns about their ability to close out games against elite competition. Upcoming matchups, especially against Iowa and Purdue, present crucial opportunities to solidify their standing—victories could bolster their case significantly, while losses might jeopardize their positioning further. Overall, they have the talent to be a competitive tournament team, yet their inconsistent defense could be their Achilles' heel in deeper rounds.

Date Opponent Ranking Outcome
11/4E Illinois334W112-67
11/8SIUE229W90-58
11/13Oakland201W66-54
11/20(N)Alabama6L100-87
11/23MD E Shore361W87-40
11/25Ark Little Rock217W92-34
11/28(N)Arkansas37W90-77
12/6@Northwestern56L70-66
12/10Wisconsin11W86-80
12/14Tennessee5L66-64
12/22(N)Missouri16W80-77
12/29Chicago St360W117-64
1/2@Oregon33W109-77
1/5@Washington94W81-77
1/8Penn St59W91-52
1/11USC58L82-72
1/14@Indiana57W94-69
1/19@Michigan St13L80-78
1/23Maryland9L91-70
1/26Northwestern56W83-74
1/30@Nebraska47L80-74
2/2Ohio St31W87-79
2/5@Rutgers77L82-73
2/8@Minnesota89W95-74
2/11UCLA30W83-78
2/15Michigan St13L79-65
2/18@Wisconsin11L95-74
2/22(N)Duke1L110-67
2/25Iowa6261%
3/2@Michigan1946%
3/7Purdue1552%