"The floor for them is 'Don't suck!'": Analyst drops verdict on Illinois' March Madness chances following monumental victory vs Michigan

Illinois is 20-11 this season after shocking No. 15 Michigan in a twenty-point win on Sunday. With only one regular season game remaining, the Fighting Illini is predicted to be an eight seed in the NCAA Tournament according to ESPN Bracketology.

So now, the question is, what is the floor for this Illinois team? NCAA analyst Kevin Sweeney gave his insight on an episode of The Field of 68.

"Illinois is 16-2 this season when they shoot above 27% from three. They don't even need to be an elite shooting team. The floor for them is 'Don't suck!' and they definitely didn't against Michigan," Sweeney said.

Illinois' win over Michigan & the impact of shooting beyond the arch

Illinois shot 37.8% from beyond the arch in the double-digit defeat of Michigan. The Fighting Illini are now on a two-game win streak, having defeated Iowa on Tuesday. Like the win over the Wolverines, this win came at a 20-point margin. In the Big Ten win over the Hawkeyes, Illinois shot 33.3% from three. This recent success from beyond the arch proves Sweeney's point.

NCAA Basketball: Iowa at Illinois - Source: Imagn

The Fighting Illini's win over Iowa snapped a three-game losing streak. In these losses against No. 8 Michigan State, then No. 11, No. 11 Wisconsin, and No. 2 Duke, then No. 3, Illinois shot 21.2%, 33.3%, and 7.7% from beyond the arch, respectively. Although the Wisconsin game serves as an outlier, it's clear how significant three-point shooting is to the success of the Fighting Illini.

NCAA Basketball: Illinois at Michigan - Source: Imagn

Illinois didn't automatically pull ahead in Sunday's Big Ten matchup. The Wolverines got on the scoreboard first, but the Fighting Illini kept things close and snuck ahead to lead 20-15 halfway through the first half. Illinois entered halftime up by a singular point.

Michigan didn't let the game become out of its control quickly. The ranked team fought hard and with 13:00 remaining in the conference contest, the Wolverines trailed by only six. However, Illinois continued to dominate and as the clock ticked down, hope for a Michigan comeback was lost.

NCAA Basketball: Illinois at Michigan - Source: Imagn

Illinois struggled with making shots, shooting 34-73 from the field, but was aided significantly by second-chance points. 19 offensive rebounds allowed the team to put up 30 second-chance points.

Junior guard Tre White led scoring for the Fighting Illini with 19 points and made it a double-double with 11 rebounds. Guards Kylan Boswell and Kasparas Jakucionis each added 17 points to aid in the big win.

NCAA Basketball: Illinois at Michigan - Source: Imagn

Illinois has now beaten Michigan in nine consecutive matchups. This double-digit conference win and the Fighting Illini's success from beyond the arch offer hope for a promising postseason.