Illinois takes on Northwestern in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament. Which team wins and keeps their season alive?
TV schedule: Wednesday, March 13, 9:00 pm ET. Big Ten Network
Arena: United Center in Chicago, IL
Tonight, Illinois basketball will take on Northwestern basketball, for the second course of tonight’s Big Ten Tournament buffet. These two teams split their regular season conference meetings. Who wins may just depend upon the hungrier team.
Northwestern
For the 2018-19 season, Chris Collins’ Cats have a grand total of four wins. During the month of January, the Wildcats played their best basketball, winning three conference games. On January 6th, they defeated Illinois at home, by the score of 68-66. January 18th was a victory over Rutgers, at the Rutgers Athletic Center. In their only conference road win, the Wildcats prevailed by eight, 65-57. Finally, on January 22nd, Indiana came a calling to Welsh-Ryan Arena and lost by seven, 73-66.
Northwestern wouldn’t win again, until March 6th. In that game, an Ohio State squad, minus big-man Caleb Wesson, was routed by 18 points. The final score was 68-50. Before the Ohio State route, the Cats suffered through ten straight losses between January 26th and March 3rd. Going the whole month of February without a win was brutal and it lands you in the basement, of the Big Ten.
Illinois
Head Coach Brad Underwood’s Illini squad positioned itself for a possible first round bye, right up to the last day of the regular season. In counterpoint to Northwestern’s disastrous February, Illinois was playing inspired basketball. Four of their seven conference wins occurred during the short-month. Nebraska, Michigan State, Rutgers and Ohio State all fell victim, to Brad Underwood’s charges. The Illini were sitting on a 6-7 conference record, when Penn State arrived in Champagne, on February 23rd. The Nittany Lions defeated them by 7 points and followed that up with a 16 point route, on March 10th. Illinois salvaged one win, against Northwestern, on March 3rd.
Head-to-Head
Let’s take a look at the Northwestern win, on January 16th. In that game, both teams were relatively even in all statistics except one. The Illini went 0-11, from three-point range. The thing is, the Illini only lost by two, in that game. If just one of those three’s find the net, it’s an Illini sweep. When the Cat’s went to Champagne, they lost by five.
Senior Vic Law injured his shin on Senior Day, in Evanston. We don’t know his game time status, but should he play, he probably won’t be 100%. A 100% Vic Law is what the Wildcat’s need to defeat the Illini. I pick the Illini to Survive and Advance.