CHAMPIONS — Illinois finished the first half of the Big Ten on the right side of .500 and advanced in the top half of the expanded conference.
The Illini (14-6, 6-4 Big Ten) resume on the right side of the NCAA Tournament bubble with one month left in the regular season.
But now the real challenge begins. The second half of Big Ten play will raise the level of challenge for the University of Illinois in an already difficult conference, starting with a rematch with Northwestern (4-14, 2-8) on Friday at 7 p.m. in Evanston. .
The Illini’s final 10 games of the regular season include five against teams ranked in the AVCA Top 25, including a showdown with No. 7 Wisconsin (15-4, 9-0) on Sunday at 1 p.m. (1 win, 1 loss) is also part of this. There is a sixth game against the UCLA team currently receiving votes in that poll.
Ten challenging games that will determine whether the University of Illinois actually makes the NCAA Tournament or ends up on the outside for the fourth time in five seasons.
“To finish 6-4 at the half in the top half of the Big Ten is no joke this year,” Illinois coach Chris Tamas said. “I feel good about where we are right now. … I think we did a good job in the pre-conference and we did a good job in the first half of Big Ten play. But the hardest part is… This is coming, so we have to take it one game at a time and prepare for the next opponent.”
Because failure is impossible in November.
Friday’s game at Northwestern is certified as a “must-win.” The same goes for games against Ohio State, Rutgers and a rematch with Indiana. Illinois can’t afford to lose to a team in the bottom half of the Big Ten, and will probably have to drop one of the top-ranked teams still looming on the schedule to secure NCAA Tournament status.
“I would say every team is dangerous at this time of year,” Tamas said. “If a team is in the top third (of the Big Ten), they’re competing for seeding. If a team is in the middle third, they’re competing for a spot in the tournament. The third team has nothing to lose. This allows us to respect all our opponents and continue to attack every game as we have been doing.”
The University of Illinois enters this weekend ranked 25th in RPI. This is a much better situation than the Illini have faced at this point in the calendar the past two seasons. And Tamas shared a national position with the team.
The NCAA Tournament isn’t always talked about. While the Illini’s focus extends beyond the day at hand, including practice and Big Ten games, there is still a focus on the coming December. Getting back to the NCAA Tournament is paramount to the program.
“I think all the pieces are in place,” Illinois veteran outside hitter Rayna Terry said. “I can’t say the same thing for the last few years. We’ve always tried our best, but it always felt like something was missing. I think all the pieces came together this year.
“I think it’s just a passion. A really strong desire to win. I think more people are saying that and I think it shows. We have a real desire to win. There are just people who care and will do whatever it takes to win.”
The University of Illinois’ advance to the NCAA Tournament comes at a point in the season that has been filled with tough battles over the past two months. That’s why the volleyball Illini borrow ideas from the soccer Illini. Going “1-0” every day continued down Fourth Avenue from the Smith Center to Huff Hall.
“It gets harder as the season goes on,” Terry said. “Your legs are tired. Your mind is tired. You just have to keep trying and get through it.”
It’s not just the 1-0 results against Northwestern on Friday and 1-0 at home against Wisconsin on Sunday. Tamas would like to see that approach in action. To make every day a wonderful day.
“That’s the hardest thing to do during this time of year when there’s so much travel,” the Illinois coach said. “Your body seems tired. Times change. Midterms are starting. The important thing is to rest, recover, and make sure you’re ready for the next one. … Do business as much as possible. It’s about trying to process it.”
