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Illinois Basketball: 2020-21 Illini bracketology projections 1.0

By Collin Allen

CHAMPAIGN , IL - NOVEMBER 13: The Big 10 logo on the floor before a college basketball game between the Georgetown Hoyas and the Illinois Fighting Illini at the State Farm Center on November 13, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption ***
CHAMPAIGN , IL - NOVEMBER 13: The Big 10 logo on the floor before a college basketball game between the Georgetown Hoyas and the Illinois Fighting Illini at the State Farm Center on November 13, 2018 in Champaign, Illinois. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** /
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The Illinois basketball season begins this week which means we will also see many way-too-early March Madness bracket predictions.

The Illinois Fighting Illini have not made the NCAA tournament since 2013, when they got robbed in the second round against the Miami Hurricanes.  There is no doubt they would have made the tournament last season, but the COVID-19 pandemic put an abrupt halt to the 2019-20 season.

This season the Illini will look to end their seven-year tournament absence as they open up their season this Wednesday as the No. 8 ranked team in the nation.

Let’s see where the Illini stand in the latest bracketology predictions.

  • CBS Sports analyst Andy Katz’ Bracketology: Sep. 29, 2020

College basketball analyst Andy Katz, who has the Orange and Blue ranked No. 1 in his Big Ten preseason standings and ranked No. 4 in the nation, released his first bracketology on September 29.  He had Illinois as a No. 1 seed.  Katz had the Illini matched up against the winner of the two No. 16 seeds Prairie View A&M and St. Francis (PA).

With a win, the Illini would play the winner of No. 8 Providence and No. 9 Northern Iowa.

  • ESPN insider Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology: Nov. 17, 2020

In ESPN college basketball analyst Joe Lunardi’s latest bracketology, the Illini weren’t given as much love as they were given from Katz.  Lunardi has the Illini as a No. 4 seed.

In this bracket, the Illini would face off against No. 13 seed New Mexico State.  If victorious, the Illini would play the winner of No. 5 Tennessee and No. 12 Loyola-Chicago.

If the Illini were to live up to expectations in this bracket, they would potentially get the opportunity to knock off No. 1 seed Villanova in the Sweet-16.

  • Stadium.com contributor Tim Krueger’s Bracketology: Nov. 23, 2020

Like Lunardi, Krueger didn’t favor the Illini as much as Katz did.  In this bracket, Krueger also had the Illini seeded as a No. 4 seed facing off against No. 13 Winthrop.  The Illini would match-up against the winner of No. 5 Texas and No. 12 Western Kentucky if victorious vs. Winthrop.

The possibility of a second Illinois vs. Baylor match-up is possible as the two teams could meet in the Sweet 16 in a No. 1 vs. No. 4 battle.

Next. 3 strengths for the Illini against North Carolina A&T. dark

It appears as if the Illini have all the tools necessary to end their seven-year NCAA tournament hiatus.  These next couple of weeks will be a big determination as to whether or not the Orange and Blue deserve to be a No. 1 seed come March 2021, as they are scheduled to battle No. 2 ranked Baylor and No. 9 ranked Duke in their pre-conference slate of games.

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