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Illinois Basketball: 5 key games for the Illini 2022-23 season

By Rees Woodcock

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 18: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks on against the Chattanooga Mocs during the first half in the first round game of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 18, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images)
PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - MARCH 18: Head coach Brad Underwood of the Illinois Fighting Illini looks on against the Chattanooga Mocs during the first half in the first round game of the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at PPG PAINTS Arena on March 18, 2022 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Kirk Irwin/Getty Images) /
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Feb 2, 2022; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Brad Underwood at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Illinois vs Baylor/Virginia – Las Vegas, Nevada – November 20 (Continental Tire Main Event)

The first round of the Continental Tire Main Event is going to be tough. Illinois has the challenge of beating a, likely, top 10 program in UCLA. But, win or lose, the next game in the tournament is going to be tough as well.

Waiting for the Illini regardless of the result of the first round is either Baylor or Virginia. The winner of the Illinois vs UCLA game will take on the winner of Baylor vs Virginia. So, if Illinois wins the game, then we will likely play Baylor.

A matchup against Baylor would be extremely tough. The Bears finished the 2021-22 campaign with a record of 27-7 and they were a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament. They would eventually lose to No. 8 North Carolina in the second round, but this is a good Baylor program.

Virginia is the other team that could be waiting on Illinois. The Cavaliers had a down season last year, finishing 21-14 overall and making the third round of the NIT. This was the first time since the 2012-13 season where Virginia failed to make the NCAA tournament. I don’t expect that to be the case this season, though.

No matter who Illinois plays in the second round, we have to pull out a win. It is going to look bad if the Illini start the season 3-2 with back-to-back losses against solid programs. Illinois needs to, at worst, split the two games in the Continental Tire Main Event.

There is also a possibility of Illinois winning both of their games in this tournament. If Illinois can beat a ranked UCLA team and then knock off a ranked Baylor program, then we are going to be looked at as a national title-contending team. This would put us on the radar of every team in the nation. The second game is going to be extremely important.

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