Illinois has been a tough team to quantify this year. None of the Illini's four conference wins has been dominant, and they lost in the second conference game of the year to Purdue, a middle-of-the-pack team. They also seem to give their fans a heart attack on every night, no matter the opponent. Five days ago I probably would have told you they've simply been lucky and that will balance out soon enough. But on Tuesday, they added to the charmed wins with a signature win -- a 79-74 victory over Ohio State. Maybe they have been lucky – but that's not a terrible thing to be. Wins – however they come – breed confidence, and confidence is one of the biggest and most elusive catalysts in being a good team and keeping streaks alive. Illinois isn't really out-talenting anyone (with the exception of Brandon Paul's 43-point explosion against Ohio State – he doesn't usually do that). The Illini are simply stringing together the right plays and making the right shots at the right moments – usually with the game on the line. The first few weeks after the Gophers lost Trevor Mbakwe for the season, it was possible to imagine – for a little while – how they might have a charmed season. They weren't dominant in any regards, and just like Illinois is now, they showed real flaws. But they were finding ways to win. Of course, with the exception of Thursday at Indiana, they haven't found the same formula as Illinois in conference play. Who knows what would have happened to the fortunes of both teams if the Gophers had found a way to win in the double-overtime game in Champaign.
