First matchup: Northwestern 73, Illinois 60

For the first time since December 2020, Northwestern will be playing a game as a ranked team. What better opponent is there for this special occasion than all-time rival Illinois?

The No. 21 Wildcats (20-7, 11-5 Big Ten) will be making the trip down I-57 with hopes of completing the first season sweep of the Illini since the 1965-66 season, when Lyndon B. Johnson was president, gas was 32 cents a gallon and Star Trek debuted on television.

Tip-off for what might be one of the best games in the rivalry's history is set for 8 p.m. CT (BTN).

This Northwestern team has already cemented itself as one of the best in program history, and sweeping Illinois would only add to its resume. Northwestern has only beaten Illinois twice in a row eight times over the 185-game series, so the record books are stacked against the Cats.

But this season has been all about breaking records, and this team won't let the historical disadvantage bog them down. The Wildcats have already beaten four ranked teams in a season for the first time in history, and a win over Illinois would give them a program-record 12 conference wins.

Northwestern's 73-60 win over Illinois on Jan. 4 was one of the first signs that this team was different. It was the first game of 2023 with a student section back in the building, and Northwestern gave the Wildside student section a show just three days after a disappointing 16-point home loss to Ohio State.

Chase Audige went for 21 points (4-of-9 from deep), while Boo Buie and Ty Berry dropped 15 and 13, respectively. The first installment of this season's rivalry matchup also saw four Illini foul out, resulting in 40 free-throw attempts for a Cats, who aggressively attacked the rim. In comparison, Illinois only made its way to the charity stripe 10 times.

A disparity this extreme should not be expected again on Thursday night, especially not in the State Farm Center. Coach Brad Underwood's squad is currently in a six-way tie for fourth place in the Big Ten at 9-7 and hold an impressive 13-2 mark at home.

Their two-headed monster of Matthew Mayer and Terrance Shannon Jr. can give opposing defenses trouble, and 6-foot-10 Coleman Hawkins cleans up in the front court. Mayer averages 12.6 points and 5.3 rebounds as a combo guard while shooting 36.8% from three. The super-senior has also dropped 20+ points in three of his last five games. The status of Shannon Jr. will prove decisive. He has been dealing with a concussion that has sidelined him for the past two games, and it is still unclear if he will play or not.

If he does, Northwestern's defense will have even more to handle; but even if he doesn't, it won't be smooth sailing. Illinois has other scoring threats, including Hawkins (9.9 ppg, 6.5 rpg), Dain Dainja (10.3, 5.9) and Jayden Epps (10.3 ppg).

On the other hand, the Cats are hotter than ever. They sit in sole possession of second place in the Big Ten at 11-5 and are riding a five-game winning streak that saw victories over then-No. 1 Purdue and then-No. 14 Indiana.

The Wildcat defense has been steadfast as of late, holding three of the best offenses in the conference (Purdue, Indiana, Iowa) to an average of 60 points.

Additionally, the offense came alive on Sunday against Iowa. Six players had more than seven points, and the team connected on 49.1% of its field goals, including 50% of its threes. If that level of offensive production can be maintained, this Northwestern team will be a difficult team to beat going forward.

All expectations for this year have been exceeded, but the Cats aren't ready to coast into March. With an NCAA Tournament invitation all but secured, now their eyes are set on a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament, improving their NCAA Tournament seed and a run for a conference crown they haven't claimed in 90 years.

A road win against Illinois will do wonders for making that dream a reality.