#7 Illinois Fighting Illini (21-10, 13-7)
Big Ten (4th)
Off- 72.2 ppg / Def- 65.3 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 30 (Last: 2013)
Top Scorers:
Ayo Dosunmu 16.6 ppg
Kofi Cockburn 13.3 ppg
Andres Feliz 11.0 ppg
Trent Frazier 9.1 ppg
Alan Griffin 8.9 ppg
#10 Arizona State Sun Devils (20-11, 11-7)
Pac-12 (t3rd)
Off- 73.8 ppg / Def- 70.5 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 15 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Remy Martin 19.1 ppg
Alonzo Verge Jr. 14.6 ppg
Rob Edwards 11.6 ppg
Romello White 10.2 ppg
Kimani Lawrence 4.9 ppg
One of the more surprising turnaround stories of the 2019-20 season, the Fighting Illini rose up and were poised to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013. This was also their first winning season since 2016-17. Led by a young and talented group, Brad Underwood's squad navigated a fairly challenging schedule into a 4th place finish in the Big Ten. First-Team All-Big Ten selection Ayo Dosunmu (16.6 ppg) and Big Ten Freshmen of the Year Kofi Cockburn (13.3 ppg) comprised a tandem that could've helped Illinois get their first NCAA Tournament win in 7 years. Instead, they'll have to settle for the Bracket of Doom.
A theme with a number of Pac-12 teams, Arizona State broke onto the Bubble scene late in the year. After 3 of 4 losses to ranked Pac-12 foes that saw them sitting at 10-7 on the year, ASU would win 9 of their next 10 and put themselves into at-large tourney consideration. Despite a 1-3 mark to close the season, most prognosticators felt the Sun Devils had done enough to deserve a bid. Though their defense was suspect throughout the season (dead last in the conference), they certainly have a core group of scorers that could've given them a chance come tournament play, led by one of the top scorers in the Pac-12, Remy Martin.
Big Ten (4th)
Off- 72.2 ppg / Def- 65.3 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 30 (Last: 2013)
Top Scorers:
Ayo Dosunmu 16.6 ppg
Kofi Cockburn 13.3 ppg
Andres Feliz 11.0 ppg
Trent Frazier 9.1 ppg
Alan Griffin 8.9 ppg
#10 Arizona State Sun Devils (20-11, 11-7)
Pac-12 (t3rd)
Off- 73.8 ppg / Def- 70.5 ppg
NCAA Appearances- 15 (Last: 2019)
Top Scorers:
Remy Martin 19.1 ppg
Alonzo Verge Jr. 14.6 ppg
Rob Edwards 11.6 ppg
Romello White 10.2 ppg
Kimani Lawrence 4.9 ppg
One of the more surprising turnaround stories of the 2019-20 season, the Fighting Illini rose up and were poised to make their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013. This was also their first winning season since 2016-17. Led by a young and talented group, Brad Underwood's squad navigated a fairly challenging schedule into a 4th place finish in the Big Ten. First-Team All-Big Ten selection Ayo Dosunmu (16.6 ppg) and Big Ten Freshmen of the Year Kofi Cockburn (13.3 ppg) comprised a tandem that could've helped Illinois get their first NCAA Tournament win in 7 years. Instead, they'll have to settle for the Bracket of Doom.
A theme with a number of Pac-12 teams, Arizona State broke onto the Bubble scene late in the year. After 3 of 4 losses to ranked Pac-12 foes that saw them sitting at 10-7 on the year, ASU would win 9 of their next 10 and put themselves into at-large tourney consideration. Despite a 1-3 mark to close the season, most prognosticators felt the Sun Devils had done enough to deserve a bid. Though their defense was suspect throughout the season (dead last in the conference), they certainly have a core group of scorers that could've given them a chance come tournament play, led by one of the top scorers in the Pac-12, Remy Martin.
