One way to tell that the Illinois basketball team is back is what type of regular season tournaments they get invited to.
When the Illini were at their highest point in the early-to-mid 2000s, they were getting in big tournaments against big programs. I remember all of those games against teams like Duke and Arizona, who were both the cream of the crop back then.
Illinois took a bit of a break over the past decade or so when it comes to high-level invitations. That has all changed, though. The Illini are looked at as one of the top teams in the nation once again, and they are now getting invited to some of the most competitive regular season tournaments in the country.
NEWS: Baylor, UCLA, Virginia, and Illinois will headline the 2022 Roman Main Event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, according to multiple sources. https://t.co/eXWNrRXdEY
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) October 14, 2021
On Thursday, Jon Rothstein of College Hoops Today reported that the 2022 Roman Main Event will host Baylor, Virginia, UCLA, and Illinois. The event is in Las Vegas, so that is a pretty big stage. These are also four elite teams in college basketball.
What does this mean for the Illinois basketball program?
Well, besides the honor of being thought of as one of the top teams in college basketball, this will be a measuring stick tournament to see where the Illini are in a potential post-Kofi Cockburn era.
The 2022-23 schedule has yet to be released, but this year’s event is Friday, November 19 and the championship and consolation game is held on Sunday, November 21. So, that is when I expect the 2022 Roman Main Event to be played.
It will be good to play tough competition next season. That timeframe this year has the Illini playing in the Hall of Fame Classic in Kansas City. We take on Cincinnati in the first round followed by either Arkansas or Kansas State in the final round.
Overall, it is exciting to see Illinois back in the national spotlight. Having primetime games like the 2022 Roman Main Event will help with program prestige which, in turn, helps with recruiting. The future is bright.
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