Gonzaga vs. Illinois: Key storylines to watch for the Maui Invitational matchup

Gonzaga and Illinois face off in the quarterfinals of the Maui Invitational. What are the biggest storylines heading into this game?

The No. 1 ranked Duke Blue Devils have been receiving a large chunk of the attention heading into the Maui Invitational. They’re considered the favorites to cut down the final nets in the title game, and definitely the odds-on favorite in this upcoming tournament. However, there’s another top-3 team in the event that should receive consideration as well.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs have looked dominant in their own right, going 3-0 to start the season. They’re 5th in the country with 106 ppg scored, with wins over Idaho State, Texas Southern and Texas A&M. Even without Killian Tillie (ankle surgery), Gonzaga’s offense is on an elite level and should be considered right up there with the top contenders to win it all.

As for their first round opponents Illinois, they’re more on the rebuilding side of things under Brad Underwood. The Illini lost a fair amount of talent from the previous season and are dealing with injuries at the moment. The team is 1-1 after a win over Evansville, followed by an 88-80 defeat to Georgetown.

Coming into the game, the Bulldogs are sizeable favorites, while Illinois has been dubbed as the worst in the eight-team field. But as the early season has already shown, upsets are capable of happening. Here are a few storylines involving these two teams heading into the game.