AUSTIN, Texas — Probably unknown to my many fans and admirers, when I was a naïve 18-year-old, Illinois and Miami were the final two schools on my college list. Obviously, I went with the school that gets 6 inches of snow in late March over the school that basks in perpetual sunshine, a decision I don’t regret in the slightest. It’s fitting, then, that the two should play in the third round of the NCAA tournament of my senior year.

Here’s how the matchups break down.

Backcourt

Illinois has one of the best backcourts in the Big Ten, and that’s nothing to scoff at. It’s a senior laden group that can knock down long distance shots (but also suffer through long droughts).

But Miami’s trio of Shane Larkin, Durand Scott and Trey McKinney-Jones is on the same level as the Big Ten’s best. Larkin might be the best point guard in the nation after Michigan’s Trey Burke, who eviscerated the Illini in the two teams’ last meeting in February. Scott was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, is the team’s second leading scorer and is on a tear of late offensively, knocking down 10 threes in Miami’s last two games. And, in case you haven’t heard, Larkin is the son of none other than the famed baseball player, Barry Larkin. So there’s that.

Advantage: Miami

Frontcourt

Let’s face it: Illinois won’t hold an advantage in the frontcourt for the rest of the tournament. Against Miami, though, they’re at as large a disadvantage as they have faced or will face all season. The Hurricanes bigs don’t score with the regularity or efficiency of a tandem like Indiana’s Tyler Zeller and Christian Watford, but the sheer size of Julian Gamble (6-foot-10, 250), Reggie Johnson (6-foot-10, 292) and Kenny Kadji (6-foot-11, 242, and an absolute athletic freak) presents previously unseen challenges. The Illini held their own against Colorado on the glass, but it will take a Herculean effort to do the same against Miami.

Big advantage: Miami

Bench

With two scorers in Tyler Griffey and Joseph Bertrand coming off the bench, Illinois should have an advantage in depth. But Bertrand’s gradual disappearance on offense over the second half of the season, most lately punctuated by his one-point outing against Colorado, has drastically reduced any advantage the Illini might have in that area. Miami’s head coach Jim Larranaga sticks to a seven-man rotation, but most of the damage is done by his starting five. The Hurricanes advantage off the bench stems from the wealth of big bodies available to wear at the opposition.

Slight advantage: Illinois

Swagger

Never pick against the U in swagger. Just don’t.

Advantage: Miami

Token white guys

After watching Miami’s Justin Heller and Steve Sorenson warm up for their second round game against Pacific, I can say with confidence that Mike Latulip and Kevin Berardini are significantly more valuable to Illinois.

Advantage: Illinois

Weather

What? How does weather factor into this game? Isn’t basketball played indoors? Sage insight, my friends, but consider this: Champaign is about to be buried under a blanket of snow. As stated earlier, Miami basks in perpetual sun. Illinois does not want to go home to that mess. The Canes could be sunning themselves on South Beach without a care in the world next week.

Advantage: Illinois

Coaching

Here’s where it gets interesting. It’s almost impossible to find an advantage for Illinois on paper. Miami is just too good, too well rounded of a team to have confidence in an Illini upset. I watched Miami destroy Pacific on Friday and Illinois nearly blow a 16-point halftime lead to Colorado a few hours later. Along with everyone else who watched those two games, I thought Miami would crush Illinois.

But then I watch John Groce speak, even though it’s only during his press conference with the media on Saturday. I watch him talk about his love for his players and for his job. His focus, energy and drive fill the room. I watch him and I think: “This is the one reason to believe in an Illinois upset, sitting at the podium in front of me.”

There is nothing bad to say about Larranaga, a longtime coaching veteran who led George Mason on their Cindarella run to the Final Four in 2006. He’s a fine coach and was named ACC Coach of the Year for the job he has done this season.

But if you’re looking for a glimmer of an upset come Sunday, look no further than the bald guy jumping around in front of the Illinois bench.

Advantage: Illinois

Verdict: It’s March, and crazier things have happened. But the fact of the matter is, the Illini will need a near perfect effort for 40 minutes to beat the Canes, and that’s something that even Groce has been unable to coax out of his team.

Daniel is a senior in Media. He can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @danielmillermc.