This time next weekend, we’ll be getting the printers ready to get our hands on some physical brackets on Selection Sunday.
But until then, all we have is Bracketology to keep us busy as Illinois preps for the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago.
That’s behind Michigan (+340), Duke (+360), Arizona (+550), Florida (+900), Houston (+1000), and UCONN (+1600).
As you can tell, Illinois is certainly a lock to
make it to the Big Dance for the sixth consecutive season, but the bigger question is where they will end up.
There is a path to the Final Four this season that sends Illinois from St. Louis to Chicago to Indy, and that would obviously be ideal for fans of the orange and blue.
TCR’s resident Bracketology, Cuscago Ty, has had the Illini solidly as a 2-seed for more than a month, and he thinks there’s a good chance they end up starting their tourney run in the STL.
ESPN’s Joe Lunardi has the Illini on the same seed line, but starting in Oklahoma City against No. 15 Portland State.
While TCR has nine Big Ten teams in the field, Lunardi makes the jump to 10 — which would be tied with the SEC for the most by a single conference in the country.
So what do you think? Will Illinois hold on to the 2 seed, assuming they can beat Maryland on Sunday? Or is there a chance they move down to a 3 if things go downhill down the stretch?
