College basketball rankings: Illinois drops after blowout, but metrics maintain Illini still Big Ten’s best

News FetcherJanuary 24, 2025

0 16 1 minute read

College basketball rankings: Illinois drops after blowout, but metrics maintain Illini still Big Ten’s best

CBS Sports graphic

Michigan State is 16-2 overall, 7-0 in the Big Ten, and at this point, is expected to win what will be Tom Izzo’s 11th regular-season conference championship.

But the best team in the Big Ten?

That’s Illinois, according to NET, KenPom.com and BartTorvik.com — even after Thursday’s 91-70 loss at home to Maryland that dropped the Illini to 13-6 overall, and 5-4 in the league. That’s why, even if the Illini don’t secure a top-four finish in the 2025 NCAA Tournament — Jerry Palm has them projected as a 5 seed right now – Brad Underwood’s team will likely be a popular choice to go deep in the bracket.

But Thursday was a mess.

Illinois was without Tomislav Ivecic, a 7-foot-1 center who has been sidelined with strep throat. He is second on the team in scoring with 13.0 points per game and first on the team in rebounding with 8.5 boards per contest. His absence left a big hole up the middle that Maryland exploited well with Julian Reese and Derrick Quinn.

Reese, a 6-foot-9 senior, finished with 27 points, 17 rebounds and three blocks. Quinn, a 6-foot-10 freshman, added 25 points, six rebounds and three steals.

“Brad had to go young [without Ivisic]”And you can’t be small against us,” Maryland coach Kevin Willard said.

Illinois fell to No. 19 in the CBS Sports Top 25 and No. 1 updated Friday morning college basketball rankings, as Auburn remains No. 1 for the 17th straight day. The Illini will return to the field on Sunday, when they host Northwestern inside the State Farm Center.