Illinois Basketball: 5 storylines for the Illini in the 2022 NCAA tournament
5. Familiar faces the Illini might have to play
I have gone over some region-specific storylines the Illinois basketball team could deal with this March, but I think the overarching theme to the 2022 NCAA tournament is how familiar Illinois is with a variety of programs.
Just in the South region alone, Illinois has played No. 1 Arizona, No. 7 Ohio State, and No. 11 Michigan this season. We also know what Loyola Chicago brings to the table.
In the West region, the Illini have played No. 7 Michigan State, No. 11 Rutgers, and No. 11 Notre Dame. Illinois is familiar with players from Duke, as the two teams played last season.
You can head down to the East region where Illinois has played No. 3 Purdue, No. 9 Marquette, and No. 12 Indiana. Illinois fans are also familiar with the coaching style of John Groce. He has No. 13 Akron in the NCAA tournament.
And then you have the Midwest region. Illinois has played No. 3 Wisconsin and No. 5 Iowa this season.
When you add all of the games up, Illinois is 10-7 against NCAA tournament teams this season. We are very familiar with numerous programs in the NCAA tournament, so that should help the Illini win some games.
This is a one-game season, though. Let’s focus on Chattanooga and get the victory. I want to see, at minimum, a Sweet 16 berth in 2022.