NFL

Illinois*** (19-14) WHY TO LOVE: Illinois recently has been a team with an inept offense and an inability to win on the road. That’s not the case this year; the Fighting Illini averaged more than 70 points per game and went 6-4 in its away contests with victories at Clemson and Wisconsin. This team has…

Baylor (25-7) WHY TO LOVE: Baylor has a great balance of terrific guard play and size. The Bears are led by junior guard LaceDarius Dunn (19.2 ppg, 4.7 rpg) and senior point guard Tweety Carter (15.8 ppg, 6.3 apg). The interior presence comes from Ekpe Udoh (13.4, 9.8), a 6-10 junior. The Bears shoot the…

Richmond (26-8) WHY TO LOVE: Great guard play. Junior Kevin Anderson (17.8 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 2.7 apg) and senior David Gonzalvez (14.3 ppg, 4.2 rpg) are both terrific. Along with Anderson and Gonzalvez, Richmond’s five leading scorers are upperclassmen. The Spiders take care of the ball well and play good defense; they average only 11.4…

Clemson (21-10) WHY TO LOVE: Senior forward Trevor Booker is a very good player (15.3 ppg, 8.3 rpg). He’s joined by junior guard Demontez Stitt (11.2 ppg, 3.3 apg, 36.4 3PT). The Tigers as a whole don’t shoot well from three-point range (33.5%), but they have three very solid shooters: Stitt (36.4), Andre Young (37.2)…