Illinois vs Penn: Roberts' Absence Shifts NCAA Matchup

0:00On March 18th, number three, Seed Illinois faces number 14 Seed, Penn in the first round of the NCAA tournament and the Lini hold a clear edge. Now that Penn's top score looks sideline, Ethan Roberts, a 6-foot-5 senior guard averaging nearly 17 points per game, has sat out the Quakers' last two games with a concussion. Coach Fran McCaffrey shared an update on Tuesday, saying Roberts might try some lightwork, but likely won't suit up for Thursday's match-up. It starts at 10am, so they'll know more soon, but it points to him missing another one. Without Roberts, Penn loses the key shooter who hits over 40 percent from three-point range, hurting their national top 15 mark from deep. That shifts more pressure onto forward TJ power. Their other 16 point per game score, who takes the most shots. Penn did win their Ivy League tournament games without Roberts, grinding out overtime victories and showing grit. Still, Illinois can't get complacent in the big dance, or this could turn tighter than

1:01expected. The game tips off at 8.25pm Central Time in Greenville, South Carolina, setting up the Alini for a likely trip to the round-of. 32 against North Carolina or VCU, if they handle business-ass-favored.