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Illinois Basketball: 5 storylines for the Illini in the 2022 NCAA tournament

By Rees Woodcock

Jan 21, 2022; College Park, Maryland, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood looks onto the court during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2022; College Park, Maryland, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood looks onto the court during the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at Xfinity Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 29: Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars calls to players against the Oregon State Beavers during the first half in the Elite Eight round of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 29, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 29: Head coach Kelvin Sampson of the Houston Cougars calls to players against the Oregon State Beavers during the first half in the Elite Eight round of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 29, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /

2. Revenge against Kelvin Sampson

There is a chance Illinois is in a battle with the Chattanooga Mocs in the first round. If the Illini can manage to get past the Mocs, then there is a chance we play the Houston Cougars.

Houston got the No. 5 seed in the South bracket after having a really good year. The Cougars finished the season 29-5 and their only losses came to Wisconsin, Alabama, Memphis (x2), and SMU. SMU is the only team out of those five losses that aren’t in the NCAA tournament, and they were on the bubble.

I am actually not sure how Houston dropped to a No. 5 seed. They had roughly the same record as last year, and in 2021, the Cougars were a No. 2 seed and went to the Final 4. Houston ended the season with the third-best NET Ranking in the country, right behind Gonzaga and Arizona. This is a top-three seed team that is now in the No. 5 slot.

With that being said, there is a chance for Illinois to play Houston in the second round of the NCAA tournament. On paper, this isn’t a big deal. To some of the younger Illinois fans, this isn’t a big deal. But, to me, this is a big deal.

In 2007, Eric Gordon was the best high school basketball player in the nation. The Indianapolis native had everyone coming after him, but Bruce Weber was able to land the talented guard. Gordon would have been a huge piece to that 2007-08 Illini squad.

Kelvin Sampson was then hired by the Indiana Hoosiers as their next head coach. Gordon would flip his commitment from Illinois to Indiana. Less than two full years into the Indiana job, Sampson was fired for recruiting violations. He was banned from college basketball for five years, and the Hoosiers were put on probation for three seasons.

Shady recruiting tactics by Sampson took Gordon away from Illinois. I think that is a pretty safe conclusion to draw. Sampson is now the head coach of Houston. This could be a chance for Illinois to get revenge for a program-changing shift back in 2006. Who knows, maybe instead of chest-bumping Gordon, Chester Frazier will chest bump Sampson this time around.

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