While the Illinois volleyball team played its last home match of the regular season on Saturday, the Illini aren’t done in Huff Hall.

Illinois (24-7, 16-4 Big Ten) is the No. 9 overall seed in the NCAA tournament and will host the first two rounds at Huff Hall. The Illini will face Murray State on Friday.

If the Illini are able to advance, they will face the winner of the Iowa State vs. Western Kentucky matchup on Saturday. The team learned the path it would have to take in the tournament at a selection show viewing party at head coach Kevin Hambly’s house in Champaign on Sunday.

“Teams are afraid to come in and play in front of our crowd. It’s intimidating,” setter Alexis Viliunas said. “I think that’s an advantage for us for sure.”

In the Illini’s quadrant of the bracket, the Sweet 16 and Elite 8 will be in Ames, Iowa. If Illinois is able to get to the round of 16, a potential matchup with No. 8 Florida looms. The Gators finished 25-3 and won 20 consecutive matches to close out the season.

Headlining the bracket is the No. 1 overall seed, Stanford, whom the Illini lost to in five sets on Sept. 7.

“I thought we’d be a nine or 10,” head coach Kevin Hambly said of the seeding. “There’s some land mines for all of us, but we’re focused on Murray State.”

Six Big Ten teams made the field of 64, although none are in the Illini’s quadrant of the bracket. Hambly said the familiarity of playing a conference opponent could have made things easier for the Illini.

“The thing about Big Ten teams is you know who they are and have good information. For Murray State, we have nothing right now,” Hambly said. “It’s not always bad to play in your conference.”

Stephen can be reached at [email protected] and on Twitter @steve_bourbon.