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  "path": "/college-sports/2026/03/18/how-far-will-illinois-go-in-the-ncaa-tournament-heres-how-you-voted",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-18T23:30:34.600Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "tags": [
    "@jobin_theman",
    "@RonaldVoigt4",
    "@suntimes_sports"
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  "textContent": "<p>In an <a class=\"Link\" href=\"https://chicago.suntimes.com/college-sports\" target=\"_blank\" >NCAA Tournament</a> edition of “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on the social platform X, we asked how deep No. 3 seed Illinois will go.</p><p>“Completely depends on their commitment to urgency,” @jobin_theman commented. “They have the talent and skill to hang with other elite teams and crush lower teams, but they get complacent. Just need to let the dawgs out.”</p><p>Next, we asked which local program will get back to the Big Dance first: DePaul, Loyola, Northwestern or UIC?</p><p>Last, which postseason is better, college basketball’s or college football’s?</p><p>“The basketball tournament rocks,” @RonaldVoigt4 wrote, “and Vegas during the first two days is electric.”</p><p>On to the polls:</p><p><b>Poll No. 1: How far will Illinois’ men’s basketball team go in the NCAA Tournament?</b></p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center><div class=\"Enhancement-item\"> <div class=\"ExternalContent-wrapper\" > <div class=\"TweetUrl\"> <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">It’s time for a March Madness edition of “Polling Place.” Let us hear from you! Selected comments will appear in Thursday's paper.<br><br>Poll No. 1: How far will Illinois’ men’s basketball team go in the NCAA Tournament?</p>— Sun-Times Sports (@suntimes_sports) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/suntimes_sports/status/2033675131617267740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script> </div> </div> </div></div><p><b>Upshot: </b>If the Illini get to Houston for the Sweet 16, they’ll run up against second-seeded Houston. That’s some tough trip.</p><p><b>Poll No. 2: Which men’s program will get back to the Big Dance first?</b></p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center><div class=\"Enhancement-item\"> <div class=\"ExternalContent-wrapper\" > <div class=\"TweetUrl\"> <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Poll No. 2: Which men’s program will get back to the Big Dance first?</p>— Sun-Times Sports (@suntimes_sports) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/suntimes_sports/status/2033675135429853225?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script> </div> </div> </div></div><p><b>Upshot: </b>Do we like what DePaul’s Chris Holtmann is cooking or is this vote more about what the others don’t have on the ol’ stove?</p><p><b>Poll No. 3: Which postseason is better?</b></p><div class=\"Enhancement\" data-align-center><div class=\"Enhancement-item\"> <div class=\"ExternalContent-wrapper\" > <div class=\"TweetUrl\"> <blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Poll No. 3: Which postseason is better?</p>— Sun-Times Sports (@suntimes_sports) <a href=\"https://twitter.com/suntimes_sports/status/2033675139561226277?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 16, 2026</a></blockquote> <script async src=\"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"></script> </div> </div> </div></div><p><b>Upshot: </b>The Big Dance rules, people, but you knew that already.</p>",
  "title": "How far will Illinois go in the NCAA Tournament? Here's how you voted",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-18T23:30:34.600Z"
}