Illinois Basketball: Texas win saves the Illini from AP Top 25 plummet

Illinois basketball might have had a rough game against Penn State, but we are still staying strong in the AP Top 25.

It was a strange week for the Illini. We started the week ranked No. 17 in the country and took down No. 2 Texas. This victory we surely going to jet us up in the AP Top 25, but we still had to get past Penn State on Saturday.

This shouldn’t have been too tough of a test. While the Nittany Lions were a solid three-point shooting team, the Illini have the better roster. Sadly, the game on Saturday didn’t go in favor of the Orange and Blue. Penn State defeated us in an ugly 15-point dominating fashion.

The victory over a top-five team in Texas saved the Illini in the newest AP Top 25 poll. Despite the ugly loss to the Nittany Lions, Illinois only dropped one spot to No. 18 in the country.

Illinois basketball is likely to rise in the AP Top 25 in the coming weeks.

Well, in the first 10 games of the season, Illinois ended up playing four ranked opponents. We would go 2-2 in those contests, which is a solid showing. The only bad loss the Illini have had this season is the last game against Penn State.

Honestly, the loss to the Nittany Lions is kind of worrisome. The way we lost was ugly. After the game, Brad Underwood wasn’t happy, especially about leadership or lack thereof. We seem to be an unorganized mess right now.

But there are some easier games ahead. The next few weeks are chock full of teams that Illinois can beat and continue to climb in the AP Top 25.

The next three games include two home tilts against Alabama A&M and Bethune-Cookman. Sandwiched in between is the Braggin’ Rights game against Missouri. While the Tigers are 9-1, they’ve had a very easy schedule. The only team of note they have played was No. 6 Kansas, and they lost that game by 28 points.

These three games will take us into the New Year. I fully expect Illinois to go 3-0 in these contests. That would put us as 10-3 for the season heading into the meat of the Big Ten schedule. Getting to that mark should also move the Illini up in the AP Top 25.

The goal entering 2023 should be 10-3 overall and a top-15 ranking. That is achievable. Hopefully, this program responds well to a little adversity from the Penn State loss.