Where is Illinois basketball in early March Madness bracketology?

The No. 15-ranked Illinois basketball team has its final test of the nonconference season Friday when it travels to Nashville for a ranked matchup with No. 13 Tennessee.

Ahead of the game, we take a way-too-early look at the bracketology for the Fighting Illini (6-2), according to some of the top college basketball sites around the Internet.

Here is where Illinois stands in early March Madness projections:

Illini basketball: Where Illinois landed in national ranking after UConn loss

Illinois March Madness predictions

• ESPN: 5 seed vs 12 seed Akron in East Region

• On3: 5 seed vs. 12 seed Liberty in West Region

• Clutch Points: 4 seed vs 13 High Point in the West Region

• CBS Sports: 1 seed vs. 16 seed Bethune-Cookman/Little Rock in Midwest Region

• Teamrankings.com: 5 seed vs. 12 seed Memphis

Will Illinois basketball make the NCAA Tournament?

There are a number of criteria the NCAA Tournament selection committee looks at in order to make its assessment in addition to subjective assessments like the “eyeball test.” Among them:

• Record: The team's overall record, conference record, and nonconference record.

• Strength of schedule: The strength of the teams the team played against.

• Head-to-head results: The results of games between the teams being compared.

• Conference championships: Whether a conference championship was won in the regular season, or tournament.

• Common opponents: The results of games against common opponents.

• Adjusted Net Efficiency (NET): The NCAA's preferred metric measuring a team's overall performance during the regular season.

• Team Value Index: A results-oriented component of the NET that ranks teams based on who they beat and where they played.

• Rating Percentage Index (RPI): A formula that ranks teams using a team's winning percentage, opponents' success and opponents' strength of schedule.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Illinois basketball bracketology: Illini seed, ranking March Madness