Would a 76-Team Bracket Have Rewritten Illinois Basketball History?

For Illinois basketball fans, Selection Sunday once carried real weight. Just rewind to 2020. After years of surviving the frustrating John Groce “on the bubble” era, seeing Illinois comfortably back in the field felt like proof the program had finally turned a corner.

That’s why the NCAA’s expected move to expand the tournament to 76 teams (with formal approval likely coming in May) creates such an interesting Illinois what-if. The proposed format would slot 52 teams directly into the main bracket, with 24 more fighting through 12 play-in games on Tuesday and Wednesday.

If 76 teams had been the standard during John Groce’s tenure, Illinois basketball probably would have sneaked into the field at least a couple more times. And that changes the conversation.

Maybe those appearances create momentum. Perhaps they boost recruiting, shift perception, and make those years feel far less disappointing. Maybe fan favorite Malcolm Hill finally gets his long-overdue tournament moment.

“The John Groce Era ‘What-If’.”

Those extra bids could have masked deeper issues, bought Groce more time, and delayed the reset Illinois eventually needed under Brad Underwood.

And let’s be honest — this expansion doesn’t look like it’s helping the little guy. If it guaranteed more mid-majors a shot, it’d be easier to get behind. Instead, it feels like more Power 4 teams sneaking in at 17–16. This year’s Auburn squad would have made it.

It will definitely water down the accomplishment of making the Big Dance. And just how small will the font need to be to squeeze every name onto the bracket? 

Still, it’s March. Even if Tuesday and Wednesday turn into a showcase of bad basketball, it beats no basketball at all.

And if you’re an Illinois fan, you can’t help but wonder — would one small change have rewritten an entire era?

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