Illinois Basketball Moves In Net Rankings After Beating Minnesota

Brad Underwood routinely tailors Illinois’ non-conference schedule to trial and situation his roster, putting together a slate loaded pinch high-level matchup aft high-level matchup successful tough, NCAA Tournament-style venues.

The Illini, who wrapped up their non-Big Ten contests earlier nan New Year, saw Texas Tech, Alabama, UConn, Tennessee and Missouri. And, present successful mid-January, Illinois has already played 7 convention outings.

The result? A 15-3 wide record. Not half-bad. Yet location are besides 13 well-respected clubs that presently person 2 aliases less losses. Nevertheless, nan NET rankings aren't deterred by nan number successful Illinois’ nonaccomplishment column, arsenic nan grueling level of title nan Illini person matched up pinch is intelligibly accounted for by nan metric.

Illinois surges successful NET rankings aft triumph complete Minnesota

In nan NET rankings, which were updated Sunday morning, Illinois is classed No. 7 successful nan state – a two-spot climb from No. 9 pursuing Saturday’s triumph against Minnesota. The next-closest squad that has been saddled pinch 3 losses aliases more? All nan measurement down astatine No. 15 (13-5 Florida).

Each of nan Illini’s defeats came against clubs classed successful nan NET's apical 20 – including Alabama (No. 18), UConn (No. 8) and Nebraska (No. 6). All of those blemishes suffice arsenic Quad 1 games.

Additionally, Illinois lays declare to 4 Quad 1 victories, pinch wins complete Texas Tech, Tennessee successful Nashville, astatine Ohio State and astatine Iowa. And nan Illini stay unbeaten successful Quad 2, 3 and 4 games.

Why does it matter?

If nan NET were nan only metric progressive successful nan NCAA Tournament committee’s action process, nan Illini would person a compelling statement for a No. 2 seed astatine this moment. But location are 2 caveats: 1) The NET is not nan only analytical instrumentality progressive – although, interestingly, some Bart Torvik and KenPom are moreover higher connected Illinois – and 2) nan play isn’t moreover adjacent to over.

The Illini still person 13 games remaining connected their regular-season schedule, pinch their toughest Big Ten agelong yet to beryllium played (at Purdue, astatine Nebraska, astatine Michigan State, vs. Michigan, positive much are connected nan docket).

And, again, that intends Illinois has ample opportunities to cement itself successful nan two- aliases three-seed scope for nan NCAA Tournament (and possibly make an extracurricular tally astatine a 1 seed if nan stars align). At nan aforesaid time, location are virtually endless onshore mines that could driblet nan Illini a fewer seed lines if they deed a unsmooth patch.

For now, Illinois rates arsenic nan country's astir respected three-loss squad successful each nan metrics and, successful turn, is firmly successful nan two- to three-seed class pinch Selection Sunday now little than 2 months out.