This choppy college basketball season gets real for both Illinois and Missouri Wednesday night.
Barring last-second COVID-19 complications, the No. 5 Illini will challenge No. 2 Baylor in Indianapolis in the Jimmy V Classic on ESPN. Missouri will test No. 21 Nike University, er, Oregon in Omaha over on FS1.
We’ll learn much more about these teams as they face tougher competition.
The Illini met their lofty expectations during their first week. First they pulverized North Carolina A&T 122-60. Then they shellacked sad sack Chicago State 97-38.
Then they avoided a costly loss to Ohio University, edging the Bobcats 77-75 during the frantic final seconds.