Illinois is two wins from breaking a 20-year March Madness rule that rarely fails
Coach Underwood and his Illini looking to buck a 20+ year stat.
Illinois is two wins from breaking a 20-year March Madness rule that rarely fails originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . There are certain trends in college basketball that feel less like trends and more like laws.
This is one of them. Since 2004, every national champion has been ranked inside the AP Poll’s Week 6 Top 12. Every single one.
Now the Fighting Illini of Illinois are sitting in the Final Four, two wins away from a national title, without checking that box. That is what makes this run feel so different. Illinois is not just chasing a championship.
It is chasing history that says teams like this usually do not finish the job. Since 2004, every National Champion has been ranked in the AP Poll’s Week 6 Top 12. Who’s cutting down the net in April?