Who reaches Elite Eight of March Madness? Here are our picks
The Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball team is in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
Can the Illini hang with Iowa State? Can anyone beat defending champion UConn? What about other No. 1 seeds Purdue, North Carolina and Houston?
As we prep for the March Madness Sweet 16, here are Journal Star predictions for the next round of the NCAA Tournament from editor Wes Huett and reporters Dave Eminian and Adam Duvall.
Sweet 16 games (all times CT):
EAST
Thursday, March 28 at TD Garden in Boston
(1) UConn (33-3) vs. (5) San Diego State (26-10) | 6:39 p.m. | TBS/truTV
● Wes Huett: UConn
● Dave Eminian: UConn
● Adam Duvall: UConn
(2) Iowa State (29-7) vs. (3) Illinois (28-8) | 9:09 p.m. | TBS/truTV
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Wes Huett: Illinois
Dave Eminian: Iowa State Adam Duvall: Illinois
WEST
Thursday, March 28 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.
(2) Arizona (27-8) vs. (6) Clemson (23-11) | 6:09 p.m. | CBS
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(1) North Carolina (29-7) vs. (4) Alabama (23-11) | 8:39 p.m. | CBS
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Wes Huett: Arizona Dave Eminian: Arizona Adam Duvall: Arizona
Wes Huett: North Carolina Dave Eminian: North Carolina
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SOUTH
Friday, March 29 at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
(2) Marquette (27-9) vs. (11) NC State (24-14) | 6:09 p.m. | CBS
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Adam Duvall: North Carolina
Wes Huett: Marquette Dave Eminian: Marquette Adam Duvall: Marquette
(1) Houston (32-4) vs. (4) Duke (26-8) | 8:39 p.m. | CBS
● Wes Huett: Duke
● Dave Eminian: Houston
● Adam Duvall: Duke
MIDWEST
Friday, March 29 at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit.
(1) Purdue (31-4) vs. (5) Gonzaga (27-7) | 6:39 p.m. | TBS/truTV (2) Tennessee (26-8) vs. (3) Creighton (25-9) | 9:09 p.m. | TBS/truTV
Wes Huett: Tennessee
● Dave Eminian: Creighton
● Adam Duvall: Creighton
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