By Woodrow Carroll
There are 13 Division I men’s college basketball teams in Illinois.
Loyola University Chicago has the most victories and came into the week with 21.
Thanks to a 67-66 victory at Bradley Saturday, Loyola improved its overall record to 21-10. The Ramblers closed out Missouri Valley Conference play 13-5 for second place behind League champion Northern Iowa (UNI). Although many conferences will have another week of regular-season play, the MVC will conduct its tournament in St. Louis this week. By seedings, Loyola and UNI should play in the championship game Sunday.
Two years ago, Loyola was 32-6 overall and finished in first place in the Missouri Valley. Loyola reached the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament before a loss to Michigan ended the dream. It’s hard to visualize a repeat of 2018, yet, the Ramblers’ run in 2018 holds out the promise of another strong tournament run.
By week’s end, Illinois, 20-9 and 12-6 in the Big Ten Conference, could collect 22 victories. The host Fighting Illini edged Indiana, 67-66, Sunday and have two Big Ten games on tap this week to finish regular-season play, a road game at Ohio State Thursday and a match at home with Iowa Sunday.
It has been a solid, if not spectacular, season for Northern Illinois. Of the 16 Mid-American Conference games the Huskies have played, 14 have been settled by seven points or less.
Tuesday of last week, Northern Illinois recovered from a 22-5 deficit for a 73-71 victory at Eastern Michigan. Saturday at Western Michigan the fates were less kind. A Western Michigan three-pointer in the waning seconds gave the Broncos a 72-69 victory.
Northern Illinois, 17-12 and 10-6 in Conference, will finish the regular season schedule with home games against Toledo Tuesday and Ball State Friday. The Mid-American Conference Tournament will get under way Monday, March 9.
No team since Indiana in 1976 has been undefeated on the way winning the national championship. No team remains unbeaten this season. In fact only two teams have avoided conference defeats.
Say “hello” to the Dayton Flyers of the Atlantic 10 which started the week 16-0 in Conference and New Mexico State Aggies of the Western Athletic Conference 14-0. Few regard Dayton or New Mexico State as serious challengers to win the national tournament championship. Still, the ability to navigate on the road is positive for both programs.
One reason for New Mexico State’s success in Conference might be, in part, the presence of the Chicago State Cougars. Chicago State, 4-25 and 0-14, is arguably the weakest of the 13 Illinois schools in Division I.
Those in the know will tell you that only 15-20 thoroughbreds have real shots at winning the national championship. Still, we often take the underdog to heart, a situation Loyola embraced with zeal two years ago.