The No. 3 seeded Illinois Fighting Illini, the Big Ten tournament champions, take on the East Region’s No. 14 seed, the Morehead State Eagles, Thursday at 3:10 p.m. ET in Omaha, Neb. The game will be broadcast on TruTV.
Illinois Fighting Illini (26-8, 14-6 Big Ten)
The Illini — Big Ten tourney winners — can flex their muscles offensively. They netted 1.25 points per possession (per KenPom), the third-highest rate in the nation, and they’re insatiable on the offensive glass, generating a second chance on 36 percent of their possessions. Guard Terrence Shannon Jr. is capable of Carmelo Anthony-like dominance and 6-foot-10 forward Coleman Hawkins is a matchup nightmare who can defend every position. Hawkins nailed more than 39 percent of his 3-pointers during the regular season and was arguably the B1G’s staunchest defender.
Glaring inconsistencies have often impeded Illinois. Over the season’s first half, the Illini were a top-10 unit in effective field-goal percentage defense but collapsed down the home stretch. They also occasionally failed to close out games against meek opponents, like their loss to Penn State when they choked away a seven-point lead with 36 seconds remaining.
Outlook: If the Fightin’ Dee Browns bring even a B-level defensive game, an Elite Eight or Final Four appearance isn’t some fever-induced dream. Their across-the-board size and scoring ability, especially Shannon’s, are superb. But, without a true point guard, they could crumble in tight late-game situations. Still, count on the Illini to at least reach the second weekend. — Brad Evans, The Gaming Juice
Morehead State Eagles (26-8, 14-4 OVC)
The Eagles lost Mark Freeman — the preseason Ohio Valley Player of the Year — a week before the season began and reeled off 26 wins. That’s reason enough to be impressed by Preston Spradlin’s squad.
But there’s more! The Eagles can shoot from outside (36.1 percent) and do so frequently (45 percent of their shots are beyond the arc). They have multiple ball-handlers who can initiate the offense, the size to throw at high-major teams inside, and a bonafide go-to guy in the 6-foot-7 Riley Minix (20.8 points per game). The Eagles may not win a game, but they’re going to be a tough out. — Mike Miller, The Field of 68
What: East Region, First Round
Tipoff time: 3:10 p.m. ET Thursday
TV: TruTV
Location: Omaha, Neb.
Illinois vs. Morehead State odds
Odds are from BetMGM and update live. Find the best ticket deals on StubHub to see your favorite team.
Expert picks
Model projection: Illinois by 11, total 148
See Austin Mock’s best futures bets
Players to watch
Illinois
- Terrence Shannon Jr., graduate guard, first-team All-Big Ten
- Marcus Domask, graduate guard, first-team All-Big Ten
Morehead State
- Riley Minix, senior guard, OVC Player of the Year, first-team All-OVC
- Jordan Lathon, senior guard, first-team All-OVC
Library of Madness
(Top photo: Michael Allio / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images, David Berding / Getty Images)
