It’s a big one.
Ohio State travels to Illinois and its chances at a Big Ten Conference regular-season championship hangs in the balance. Win, and the Buckeyes keep pace with the other teams at the top of the league with just a handful of games left to wind down the season. Lose, and the outside shot at a conference crown is most likely down the drain.
And it won’t be easy. The Illini have an imposing presence in the paint with true center and beefeater, Kofi Cockburn. He’ll be a handful on both ends of the court, but he’s also got plenty surrounding him to make life difficult on any team trying to wrestle a road victory away in Champaign.
There’s also the question of whether E.J. Liddell will be able to go? Recent reports have him questionable for the game because of flu-like symptoms, so add that to the intrigue of this game. It’s a donnybrook between ranked opponents in a deep, talented, and rough and tumble Big Ten — a result that will provide more clarity on the conference race.
Can Ohio State pull off the upset and shake up the top of the conference?