IlliniGuys Staff
January 16, 2022
Hard to believe it's ALREADY that time of year!
We at IlliniGuys really dislike polls and bracket projections before the new year because it is...all...pure...speculation! Did you really beat the #5 in the nation? What makes YOU the 7th best team in the land? What have you done to earn that 3-seed over the next team?
Once you get to mid-January, there are still lots of question marks but you begin to see the top teams get tested by some better squads as we witnessed in the past few days. #1 Baylor enters Big 12 play and loses back to back home games. 10th ranked Michigan State gets stunned at home by Northwestern. And so it goes.
So, we submit our first of many Bracketology projections for 2022. We take teams and their resumes as they stand today; we don't attempt to project future results.
We think Auburn, Gonzaga, Arizona, and Baylor are the clear-cut top seeds as of tonight. We think Illinois deserves no worse than a 3-seed with their undefeated, first place standing in the Big Ten and their #10 rank in the NET suggests that they should be considered among the top dozen teams in the nation.
We won't visit this on a weekly basis just yet, but they will be more frequent the closer we get to March.
Illini Guys Bracketology 1.16.22
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ListenWhitman's Illini State of the Nation & the NBA Draft - 6.27.25 - S4Ep46
ListenZach Hamer Illini Asst BB Coach Talks KJ, Will & the NBA Draft - #486
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ListenIllini BB International Players & Cearah Parchment the newest IlliniGal - 6.20.25 - S4Ep45
ListenIllini FB Recruiting Blitz & House Settlement Implications - 6.13.25 - S4Ep44
ListenIllini Update Featuring 3-Star Illini WR Commit Kenyon Alston - #484
ListenIllini Hoops & Football Schedules, Illini HOF Voting & More - 6.6.25 - S4Ep43
ListenFB Portal Thoughts, Expectations, BB Update & for the 1st Time in My Life...#483
ListenMay 30 - Hr2 - S4Ep42 - Illini Recruiting, NBA Draft, Caitlin Clark & More
ListenMay 30 - Hr1 - S4Ep42 - FB & BB Contracts, FB & Golf Update & Brian Barnhart
ListenMay 23 - Hr2 - S4Ep41 - French Open, Indiana Pro Hoops & Softball
ListenMay 23 - Hr1 - S4Ep41 - Illini FB Recruiting, Golf and Track
ListenHigh School Recruiting Takes the Spotlight - #482
ListenMay 16 - Hr2 - S4Ep40 - Chicago Sky, ACC Issues & Northwestern Stadium
Listen