NCAA Tournament March Madness

#295 N Illinois

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Projection: need to automatically qualify

Northern Illinois has had a rocky season that will require them to clinch the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Title to secure a spot in the NCAA tournament. Looking at the key games, it's clear that high-caliber opponents have overwhelmed the Huskies. Their struggles against Marquette, Northwestern, and Iowa showcase that they have significant room for improvement before they can be competitive at the national level. On the flip side, victories against Appalachian State and a nail-biter over Toledo reflect their potential to upset teams when performing at their peak. However, these bright spots are overshadowed by a sequence of conference losses, including disappointing performances against Akron and Ohio, which hint at inconsistencies plaguing the team. To raise their profile, the Huskies will need a combination of leadership stepping up and strategic execution to make a miraculous run through the MAC tournament.

Date Opponent Ranking Outcome
11/6@Marquette11L92-70
11/11Appalachian St81W91-78
11/17@Georgia St228W70-64
11/18(N)Ark Little Rock209W98-93
11/25@DePaul308W89-79
11/27@Northwestern33L89-67
12/5Indiana St32L90-67
12/9@Monmouth NJ177L74-71
12/21Northern Iowa101L76-63
12/29@Iowa58L103-74
1/2Akron110L73-51
1/6@Ohio149L78-66
1/9@W Michigan297L95-90
1/13Bowling Green206L83-72
1/16Kent188L83-76
1/23Toledo136L89-73
1/27@Ball St266L81-71
1/30@C Michigan240L84-77
2/3E Michigan322W76-66
2/6@Miami OH259W62-59
2/10@South Alabama217L75-66
2/13Buffalo357W72-68
2/17@Kent188L85-47
2/20Ball St266L70-63
2/24Ohio149L80-59
2/27@Toledo136W75-72
3/2@Akron110L80-73
3/5C Michigan240L69-63
3/8@Buffalo357W78-68