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Illinois Basketball: 2020-21 Illini bracketology projections 4.0

By Collin Allen

Jan 2, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) and guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) celebrate during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 2, 2021; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini center Kofi Cockburn (21) and guard Ayo Dosunmu (11) celebrate during the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at the State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports /
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We are just seven weeks away from Selection Sunday, so where does the Illinois basketball team stand in the latest bracketology projections?

The Illinois Fighting Illini have played five games since my previous bracketology update.  The Illini went 3-2 during this stretch, beating Purdue, Northwestern, and Penn State.  The Orange and Blue, however, would also drop two home games versus Maryland and Ohio State.

Let’s take a look at where the Fighting Illini now stands in a few experts’ latest March Madness bracket predictions after having played five more games.

  • Fox Sports insider Michael DeCourcy’s Bracketology: January 18, 2021

In DeCourcy’s first bracketology projection, he had the Illini as a three-seed in the West Region of the bracket, facing off against 14-seed Winthrop.

In the Fox Sports analyst’s newly updated March Madness prediction, DeCourcy has the Illini tumbling to a five-seed matched up versus 12-seed Belmont in the East Region of the bracket.

Belmont is currently undefeated and leads the Ohio Valley Conference with a record of 9-0.  The Braves have a season record of 15-1 with their lone loss of the season coming to Samford.  This would be no walk in the park for the Orange and Blue as Belmont has serious potential to do some damage in the tournament.

With a win versus Belmont, the Illini would advance to the Round of 32 to play the winner of four-seed Louisville versus 13-seed Toledo.

  • ESPN insider Joe Lunardi’s Bracketology: January 22, 2021

When looking at Joe Lunardi’s December 29, 2020 bracketology prediction, the ESPN insider had Illinois as a three-seed facing off against 14-seed Wright State.

In his latest January 22 projection, like DeCourcy, Lunardi has the Illini tumbling, but only down to a four-seed.  Like DeCourcy, again, Lunardi has the four-seed Illini matched up against 13-seed Belmont.  If victorious versus the Braves, Illinois would advance to play the winner of five-seed Creighton versus 12-seed Winthrop.

Like his previous bracket, the Illini would likely have to knock off the nation’s No. 1 ranked team, Gonzaga, in order to advance to the Final Four.

  • CBS Sports insider Jerry Palm’s Bracketology: January 22, 2021

Jerry Palm has the Illini seeded the lowest out of all analysts in his new projection.  Palm has the Illini as the six-seed in the “Bankers Life 2” Region of the bracket.  The six-seed Illini are matched up against 11-seed Stanford in the first round of Palm’s projection.

Stanford is currently 8-5 on the season and 4-3 in the Pac-12 Conference.  Their record may not blow you away, but the Cardinals are most definitely a dangerous team with a plethora of weapons, such as seniors Oscar Da Silva and Daejon Davis, along with freshman standout Ziaire Williams.

If successful versus the Cardinals, Illinois would go on to play the winner of the matchup between three-seed Missouri and 14-seed Colgate.  The Illini could get the opportunity to seek revenge versus rival Missouri, who they lost to by a score of 81-78 in their December 12 contest.

Next. 3 reasons Nimari Burnett should pick the Illini. dark

The Illini still have seven weeks to work on their resume in a tough Big Ten Conference and change the minds of these analysts.  They will get a huge opportunity next Friday when they host the No. 4 ranked Iowa Hawkeyes in what should be a heated battle.

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