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Matchup set: Illinois will take on Loyola-Chicago with Sweet 16 bid on the line
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A fun in-state matchup is set for the Round of 32.
With top-seeded Illinois taking care of Drexel and Loyola-Chicago defeating Georgia Tech, the Fighting Illini and Ramblers will meet on Sunday with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. It should be a matchup that gets plenty of attention, as Illinois is a favorite to win the tournament while the Ramblers have become a fan favorite.
Illinois had no trouble in its opening round matchup against Drexel, cruising to a 78-49 win on Friday. Ayo Dosunmu recorded his sixth double-double of the season with 17 points and 11 rebounds while Kofi Cockburn was the game’s leading scorer with 18 points on 8-of-11 shooting.
Friday’s victory was the 15th in the last 16 games for the Fighting Illini.
Loyola-Chicago was caught in a tough fight with Georgia Tech but was eventually able to pull away late in the contest, winning 71-60. Four Ramblers reached double figures, led by Lucas Williamson with 21 points. Braden Norris added 16 points, Keith Clemsons chipped in 12 and Cameron Krutwig scored 10.
A tip-off time is not yet set for the Sunday showdown.
Dustin grew up in the heart of Big Ten country and has been in sports media since 2010. He has been covering Big Ten football since 2014. You can follow him on Twitter: @SchutteCFB