Did you know there was an Illini basketball game today? Did you care after the team’s embarassing loss in the Big Ten Tourney? No matter the answer to those questions, here’s what you need to know about Illinois’s first round match-up in the NIT.
First of all, because of rennovation to the State Farm Center, Illinois has to play all its NIT games on the road even though they’re the 3 seed in their region. So, for this first game, Illinois will be in Alabama to play the Crimson Tide. The Tide started the year 12-3 and then collapsed, going 6-11 down the stretch and losing to Florida in the first round of the SEC Tournament. This collapse cost coach Anthony Grant his job; as a result assistant coach John Brannen will be coaching Alabama in the NIT.
Alabama has a few decent shooters — as a team the Tide shoots about 50% from inside the arc–but have struggled against quality opponents because they rely a lot on the three and have a worse track record behind the arc (sound familiar?). The only win Alabama has against an NCAA Tourney team this year was a 56-50 win over UCLA (widely regarded as the least deserving team to receive an at-large bid), the Tide also lost to NIT 5 seed Arizona State 76-71 earlier this season.
The struggles Alabama has had this season mean relatively little if the Illini of the Big Ten Tourney show up in Tuscaloosa. If the team plays with as little passion and energy against Alabama as it did against Michigan, then the true end of the season will likely feel welcome.
I don’t know which Illini team will show up, but this tweet doesn’t inspire confidence:
Adding more doubt is the fact that Illinois is 2-8 in true road games this year. After seeing them collapse up close and in person against Michigan, I’m predicting a loss (not that my predictions are ever very good).
My prediction: Illinois 61– Alabama 67