Illinois vs Penn: Friendly Rivalry Turns Heated

0:00On March 18th, Illinois takes on Penn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament South Region. The number 3 seed, fighting Eleni with a 24 and 8 record, faced the number 14 seed Quakers, who stand at 18 and 11. The game tips off Thursday around 8.25 pm. Central time at Bond Sea Corps, Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina, and you can catch. It on TNT. This matchup brings extra drama because Penn's coach Fran McAfry is a close friend of Illinois coach Brad Underwood, but they've clashed before. McAfry just left Iowa for his alma mater Penn after leading the Quakers to an Ivy League title, churning around their offense in a big way. Fans are buzzing about the backstory, including Illinois's perfect 6 and 0 record against Penn, though they haven't played since the 78. To 71, went back in 2001. Last year, McAfry got ejected in a tournament lost to Illinois when he was still with the Hawkeyes, adding fuel to this redemption storyline.

1:03Illinois has revamped its roster with big skill players from the Balkans and a sharp shooter from Kansas, keeping their offense near the top of the nation most of the year. Penn has firepower, led by former 5 star TJ Power, but lacks the size and athleticism to match up fully against the Eleni, who have stumbled A and, bit lately a 4 and 5 in their last 9 games, expect Illinois to pull away in this one, though March Man is always keeps us guessing tune, and to see if the Quakers can spark an upset.