NCAA Basketball: Kansas and Baylor rise, Tennessee falls in latest top 25 power ranking
By Joey Loose
25. Illinois (17-7)
The Big Ten is a big mess and Illinois is a perfect example of this. They’ve really struggled at times this season, but they’re also the only team to beat multiple Top 10 teams away from home this season. When Illinois is on this game, there might only be a few teams better than them this season; but when the opposite happens, Illinois can be toppled by anybody.
With their game against Minnesota postponed, Illinois had just a single game this past week. After a rough first half, they bounced back for a 69-60 win over a ranked Rutgers squad, led by Coleman Hawkins’ 18 points and 8 rebounds. Dain Dainja (15 points, 7 rebounds) and Terrence Shannon Jr. (15 points) continued their strong play, while Luke Goode finally returned from injury.
The Illini are in third place in the Big Ten, behind the other two teams that are ranked ahead of them this week. Again, when they’re on their game, this team is undoubtedly a ranked squad that does serious damage during March Madness. However, there’s a rough stretch coming for Illinois and who knows which version of this team will show up in the games ahead. Next week, that slate includes road games at Penn State and Indiana, which certainly won’t be easy, having already lost to both of these teams at home.