Final Illini Bracketology: Where Was Illinois Projected in NCAA Tournament?
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- NCAA senior vice president of basketball Dan Gavitt confirmed to Sports Illustrated Sunday that "there will be no bracket release."
Due to the concerns over the COVID-19 novel coronavirus epidemic, the NCAA released a statement Thursday afternoon announcing an unprecedented decision of canceling the 2020 NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments.
Once he started learning Thursday morning what was happening in conference tournaments across America, Illinois head coach Brad Underwood knew immediately his team wasn’t going to be recognized on the largest stage of March Madness. The cancellation of the 2020 NCAA tournament guaranteed Illinois would not be on a selection show Sunday or be one of 64 teams part of first round action either the following Thursday or Friday.
Underwood said Friday he, like several other college coaches were initially holding out hope for the NCAA tournament to be postponed similarly to professional leagues.
"I think we were all trying to avoid finality, and cancel is final, yet as Josh just mentioned, I think when you get so close to the end of the school year, you get so many other factors involved," Underwood said. "It was way above just a basketball tournament. You know, you've got travel restrictions, you've got so many other things that go on. I think you've got logistical plans. I would have loved to have seen it played, but I also am smart enough to understand that there were complications well beyond the realm of what is normal in terms of just postponing something and rescheduling it. There was a tremendous amount of complications to that. You know, you're disappointed that it is final, it's over, we're not going to play it, but you fully understand the path with which it had to be that way."
And so, since there will be no selection show or tournament, here are what the national experts projected Illinois (21-10, 13-7 in Big Ten Conference) before the 2019-20 season was canceled.
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Illinois’ NCAA tournament resume when the 2019-20 season ended:
NET Ranking: 39
Quadrant 1 Record (Home vs. 1-30; Neutral vs. 1-50; Away vs. 1-75): 6-8
Quadrant 2 Record (Home vs. 31-75; Neutral vs. 51-100; Away vs. 76-135): 4-1
Quadrant 3 Record (Home vs. 76-160; Neutral vs. 101-200; Away vs. 136-240): 1-1
Quadrant 4 Record (Home vs. 161-353; Neutral vs. 201-353; Away vs. 241-353): 9-0
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Here are where the Illini were currently projected according to several of the most noteworthy bracket projectors:
Shelby Mast - USA Today - Mast’s final bracket had the Illini as a 7-seed playing Utah State (24-8, 12-6 in Mountain West Conference) in St. Louis with Creighton as the 2-seed. Utah State just clinched its bid into the NCAA field by knocking off San Diego State 59-56 in the conference tournament final this past weekend thanks to a game-winning three-pointer by the tournament’s most valuable player Sam Merrill.
NOTE: Since the NCAA tournament expanded to 64 teams, Illinois has only been a 7-seed once in school history and it was their last selection in 2013. John Groce’s Illini team defeated Colorado 57-49 in Austin, Texas before losing 63-59 to 2-seed Miami (Fla.). Illinois has never played Utah State outside of Champaign and the two teams haven’t played since the Illini won 115-64 on Dec. 7, 1985.
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Joe Lunardi - ESPN - Lunardi's final bracket released Monday morning has Illinois as an 7-seed in St. Louis against Southern California (21-10, 11-7 in Pac 12 Conference) with Creighton as the 2-seed.
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Jerry Palm - CBS Sports - Palm's final bracket projection had Illinois as a 6-seed in Greensboro, North Carolina vs. the First Four round game of Wichita State vs. Cincinnati with Duke being the No. 3 seed.
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Mike DeCourcey - Fox Sports/BTN/Sporting News - In his first year doing bracket projections, DeCourcey has the Illini as a 6-seed in Greensboro, North Carolina vs. the First Four round game of Cincinnati vs. Stanford with Duke being the No. 3 seed.
NOTE: Illinois has played once in Greensboro, North Carolina (the current site of the ACC tournament) and that was a 78-77 loss to Duke on Nov. 28, 2000. Illinois has played Cincinnati in the NCAA tournament as the Illini won 92-68 in Columbus, Ohio in the 2004 second round.
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Tim Krueger - Stadium - Krueger had Illinois as a 7-seed in Sacramento, California against Oklahoma (19-12, 11-7 in Southeastern Conference) with San Diego State as the 2-seed.
NOTE: This would've been classified as the Lon Kruger Game as the former Illini coach roams the sidelines for the Sooners and his final game with the Illini was a 93-76 loss to Florida (Kruger once took the Gators to the Final Four as well) in the 2000 NCAA tournament second round in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
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Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lon Kruger yells from the bench during the second half against the West Virginia Mountaineers at WVU Coliseum.
Ben Queen/USA TODAY Sports
Brian Bennett - The Athletic - Krueger had Illinois as a 7-seed in Sacramento, California against Oklahoma (19-12, 11-7 in Southeastern Conference) with San Diego State as the 2-seed.
NOTE: Illinois and Marquette haven’t played since agreeing to a home-and-home contract in 1992 and 1993. Marquette won both games (1992 in Champaign, 1993 in Milwaukee) and have won four out of five since 1961.
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Bracket Matrix - The combination of over 100 premier online bracket analysts had Illinois as a 7-seed in Sacramento against defending national runner-up Texas Tech (18-13, 9-9 in Big 12 Conference).