Chicago: Bigger is better, and better is bigger

WBB: After winning a play-in game against the Wisconsin Badgers on Tuesday, the U of I Fighting Illini lost 67–42 to the Northwestern Wildcats in the quarterfinals yesterday. Unfortunately for fans of the orange and blue, with no hopes of receiving an at-large bid to March Madness, the 5-18 Illini have unlaced their Jordans for the last time this season. Sad.

• But this means you can catch the No. 4-ranked Northwestern face No. 5-ranked Michigan in the semis today at 1:30 p.m. ET/12:30 p.m. CT. Time for these ’Cats to show some claw.

MBB: While the Northwestern women’s team cruised through their first conference tournament game, their male counterparts scrapped for every point in a tight 51–46 loss to the Minnesota Gophers. Sadly for the 9-15 Wildcats, there won’t be any madness (well, no more than the rest of us) in 2021.

Meanwhile, with the No. 2 seed, the Illini received a bye until tomorrow’s quarterfinals. Despite the disappointment of being seeded lower than the Michigan Wolverines, whom U of I recently beat by more than 20 points, fans are hype for their first potential conference tournament championship since 2005.