The Athletic Calls Illinois Basketball a March Madness 'Wild Card'

CJ Moore says the Illini have the talent to make a deep run – and maybe even cut down the nets

Jan 26, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini guard Kasparas Jakucionis (32) drives the ball past Northwestern Wildcats guard Angelo Ciaravino (44) during the first half at State Farm Center. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Every college basketball season, with each passing day that brings us closer to Selection Sunday and, eventually, the crowning of a national champion, fans and experts speculate over who has the stuff to cut down the nets in early April.

With seemingly endless data at our fingertips and the ability to analyze historical trends, it has become easier to pick (with a modicum of accuracy) a few top contenders, even in late January.

Using key standards that most national champions have met, The Athletic's CJ Moore was able to put together a list of this season’s top-tier candidates – which included No. 1 Auburn, No. 2 Duke and No. 4 Alabama.

To make that list, a team had to be led by a head coach that has appeared in an Elite Eight, finished the regular season in the top 20 in adjusted offensive and defensive efficiency in KenPom, and have at least three projected NBA picks.

Currently, the Tigers, Blue Devils and CrimsonTide are the only clubs in the country that fit all three criteria.

But there are some outliers.

As mentioned, the standards apply to most but not all former national champs. In fact, the 2014 UConn team fit exactly none of those criteria.

So if anyone were to pull off a surprise run to the national title, who might it be?

According to Moore, a wild card that is in the mix is Illinois.

He pointed to the Illini's depth, calling coach Brad Underwood’s squad “one of the most talented rosters in the country," even comparing Illinois to the 1997 Arizona team that took down three No. 1 seeds en route to a national title.

Although the Illini would be considered an outlier, it’s worth noting that by the time March rolls around, they could climb into the category of contender.

Looking at Moore’s criteria, the Illini appear to be one step away from adding a fourth team to his list of 2025 national-title candidates.

Given that Underwood reached the Elite Eight just last year, the Illini have at least three projected pros (Kasparas Jakucionis, Will Riley and Tomislav Ivisic) and are ranked 12th in defensive efficiency, there is only box left to check.

#illini freshman guard Kasparas Jakucionis enters the top-5 of @247Sports' latest NBA Draft Big Board.

READ: https://t.co/aAbKbQ75p2 pic.twitter.com/vbfnsSUjCy

— Jeremy Werner (@JWerner247) January 15, 2025

And Illinois currently sits just outside the top 20 in offensive efficiency (at 23rd), meaning one excellent offensive showing may be all it takes to launch Illinois into (at least one) discussion of national title contenders.

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