Illinois Basketball: Illini draw interesting opponent in latest March Madness bracketology

Just three Sundays away from Selection Sunday, various pundits are putting out their bracketology predictions, and one expert has the Illinois basketball team set to face a familiar foe.

Fresh off a much-needed Monday night win over Minnesota, the Illini have four games remaining in the regular season.  As of now, the Orange and Blue sit fourth in the Big Ten with five other programs.

Since there are more than two teams tied for the fourth spot, the tiebreaker is all of the tied team’s record against the other tied teams. In this case, Iowa would win the tiebreaker and get the No. 4 spot, as they are 5-1 against the other teams. Michigan State would follow at 4-3, and then it would be Illinois at 2-2. Michigan 2-3, Maryland 2-4, and Rutgers 2-4 round out the tied teams.

Indiana leads all those teams for the No. 3 spot by just half-game. These last four games will feel like a century for Big Ten fans.

Here is where the Illinois basketball team stands in the latest bracketology predictions for March Madness.

Feb. 21, 2023: Joe Lunardi, ESPN

In Lunardi’s latest bracketology projection, he has Illinois as a seven seed going up against No. 10 Florida Atlantic in the South Region of the bracket.

Florida Atlantic sits atop Conference USA by just a half-game over North Texas.  The Owls lost their lone power-five matchup in an 80-67 defeat to Ole Miss.  With a win, the Illini would likely advance to take on No. 2 UCLA, who is currently ranked No. 4 in the country.

The Illini could get a shot at revenge in the Sweet 16 against No. 3 Virginia, who the Orange and Blue fell to back in November, 70-61.

Feb. 21, 2023: USA Today

Like Lunardi, the experts at USA Today project Illinois to be the seven seed in the South Region of the bracket.  In this scenario, the Illini are matched up against No. 10 Nevada, who are third in the Mountain West Conference.

This would be a favorable first-round matchup for the Illini given the Wolf Pack have lost to the one ranked opponent they’ve played this season, twice.  If all goes as expected, Illinois would move on to face No. 2 Arizona, which wouldn’t be as favorable of a matchup.

The Wildcats are second in the PAC 12 and No. 7 in the country. They also hold notable wins over teams such as No. 19 Creighton, No. 17 Indiana, No. 11 Tennessee, No. 4 UCLA, and so on.

If the Orange and Blue are able to pull off the unlikely upset, they are looking at a Sweet 16 date vs No. 3 Tennessee.

Feb. 20, 2023: Jerry Palm, CBS Sports

Remember that familiar foe I was referring to?  I saved the juicy scenario for last.

In Palm’s latest projection, he has Illinois as an eight seed set to face No. 9 Auburn, who is led by the one and only Bruce Pearl.

For those who may not be familiar, Pearl went to lengths to diminish the Illinois basketball program by coercing former high school star player Deon Thomas to say he was offered money and a car by the coaching staff to come play at the Illini in a secretly recorded phone conversation.

Pearl would eventually turn that conversation over to the NCAA, who ultimately found no wrongdoing by the Illini after a hefty investigation.  Pearl has since apologized for the sketchy behavior, but not all is forgiven.

If the Illini are able to knock Pearl and his Tigers out of the first round, they would advance to take on one of the most red-hot teams in the nation, No. 1 Kansas.  The Jayhawks are No. 3 in the country, but the Illini do have one trend going in their favor.

Kansas tends to struggle against other successful teams, as they are just 3-5 against ranked opponents this year. If the Illini are able to advance to the Sweet 16, they potentially have an opportunity to get revenge against No. 4 Indiana, who the Illini have fallen to twice this season.

Illinois will look to trend up in the coming bracketology projections when they take on No. 23 Northwestern on Thursday.