Illinois Basketball: 2020-21 Illini bracketology projections 2.0

After the first two weeks of the 2020-21 college basketball season, where does the Illinois basketball team stand in the latest bracketology projections?

When taking a look at the preseason bracketology projections, the Illinois Fighting Illini were projected to be anywhere from a one-seed to a four-seed in the NCAA March Madness tournament.  For the most part, the Illini lived up to those high projections, as they would rout their first two opponents, defeating both North Carolina A&T and Chicago State by over 50 points.

The Illini also defeated a solid Ohio team, thanks to two Ayo Dosunmu free throws with just over two seconds remaining in the game that gave the Illini a lead they would hold onto through the final buzzer.

Illinois did, however, pick up their first loss of the season against the No. 2 Baylor Bears Wednesday night.  The Orange and Blue may have lost, but they showed they could compete with the No. 2 ranked team in the nation, as the game was a dog fight for roughly 30 of the game’s 40 minutes.

Let’s take a look at where the Fighting Illini stand in some of the latest bracketology predictions.

• CBS Sports Insider Jerry Palm: Nov. 23, 2020

Palm released this bracketology prediction before the Illini’s season opener, but I felt his projection was relevant, considering he is one of the big names in the world of bracketology.  In his November projection, the CBS Sports insider had the Illini as a No. 2 seed matched up against No. 15 Bowling Green.

Palm’s bracket would potentially give us the Emerald Coast Classic matchup vs. Florida we were hoping to see this season, as Illinois would play the winner of No. 7 Florida vs. No. 10 Northern Iowa, if victorious vs. Bowling Green.

• ESPN insider Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology: Dec. 1, 2020

In Lunardi’s previous bracketology projection, which was released November 17, he had the Illini projected as a No. 4 seed matched up against No. 13 New Mexico State.

In his latest bracketology projection, the ESPN insider has the Illini improving, as he has them projected to be a No. 3 seed in the tournament.  The Illini are matched up against No. 14 seed Wright State in this bracket.

Lunardi’s projected bracket would also give the possibility of a potential rematch of the 2005 National Championship game, as the Illini would play the winner of No. 6 North Carolina vs. No. 11 Oklahoma, if victorious in the first round matchup against Wright State.

The Illini will have another huge test Tuesday as they travel to Durham, NC to take on Duke.  This game will be another solid indication as to whether or not the Illini could truly be a top-four seed in the NCAA Tournament come March.