Six days after knocking off number nine Penn State in Happy Valley, the Illinois Fighting Illini are set to face off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers tonight at 8:00 PM EST.
The Cornhuskers have not been a big threat to Big Ten opponents this season, but there is a lot on the line for the Fighting Illini as the race to the top of the Big Ten is very competitive.
The Illini are currently sixth (9-6) in the Big Ten.
What is on the line in tonight’s matchup?
A Fighting Illini victory
A win for the Fighting Illini would not boost their NCAA tournament resume as this would be a quad-4 victory. However, this would put them at 10-6 in the conference, placing them in a five-way tie for second-place, along with Penn State, Iowa, Michigan State, and Wisconsin.
With a win, their record on the season would be 18-9, giving them the advantage over Wisconsin if the standings remain.
A Fighting Illini loss
A quad-4 loss would place much damage onto Illinois’ NCAA tournament resume, possibly putting them back into bubble conversation. The Cornhuskers have yet to win a home game this season, and the Illini have already lost three home games on the year. A loss would kill much momentum for Illinois as they compete for a Big Ten regular season championship. With a 9-7 conference record, the Illini would be in a third-place tie with Michigan.
The Illini would be 17-10 on the season.
In Conclusion
Illinois will have four games remaining on the season after tonight. If things go as expected, the Illini will have the chance to finish the conference with 14 wins. According to espn.com, they are currently favored in three of their final four match-ups.
The Illini would be in good position to solidify a tournament bid with a win tonight.