Northwestern, Illinois both in the Big Dance? You can bet on it

This week’s Bucket List — 10 observations on the college basketball season:

1. With which to start, Northwestern or Illinois? One team won at the buzzer Wednesday to remove any doubt that it officially will end a history of futility. The other dug deep for a fourth consecutive victory, breathing life back into its season and, perhaps, solidifying its coach’s standing with his boss.

So how about we start with both? As in, both the Wildcats and Illini are going to play in the NCAA tournament in two weeks. That was my first clearheaded thought when I arose Thursday. At least, I think it was clearheaded.

The Wildcats are in. If it wasn’t a done deal before Nathan Taphorn’s Hail Mary heave to Dererk Pardon to beat Michigan, it’s irrevocable now. For the first time in school history, NU shall go to the Big Dance.

The Illini? Well, they still have those 12 losses — that’s a big number — yet they’ve fought their way back to an 8-9 mark in the Big Ten and have put themselves in a great position. All they have to do now is win at Rutgers in the regular-season finale and . . . it might be enough. Even if they have to win a game or two in the Big Ten tournament, I’m not betting against them.

Two weeks ago, John Groce and his team were dead in the water. Except that they weren’t. Who knew? The Illini’s gritty victory against Michigan State was their finest hour in years.

2. Bracketology update: Illinois is in fine shape, except for where it isn’t. CBS expert Jerry Palm’s brand-new bracket has the Illini as a

No. 11 seed in a play-in game in Dayton. Yahoo’s Brad Edwards has them in his field, too, largely on the strength of their five victories against teams ranked in the RPI top 50.

According to ESPN’s Joe Lunardi, though, Illinois is sixth in line among teams on the outside looking in. Quite a different read on things.

3. I didn’t think I’d see a better video the rest of the season than Northwestern’s players piling around Pardon — Vic Law actually jumped onto the big fella’s back and took him to the floor — after the winning layup at Welsh-Ryan Arena. What a scene.

About two hours later, though, Illinois senior Malcolm Hill cried his eyes out in an on-court, postgame interview with Jon Crispin of the Big Ten Network. It’s truly a must-watch for anyone who hasn’t seen it.

4. If Notre Dame wins its regular-season finale Saturday afternoon at Louisville, the Irish should have just enough time to get home to South Bend and watch the huge rivalry game between North Carolina and Duke that evening.

Oh, but it’s so much more than that. If the Irish win, they’ll root like crazy for Duke to do likewise. That would pull the Irish into a first-place tie with UNC atop the Atlantic Coast Conference. Co-champs of that league? To even have a shot at it at this point is enormously impressive.

5. There seems to be a surge of opinion out there that Purdue’s Caleb Swanigan has dominated his way to the top of the national player-of-the-year race. I’m still in the camp of Kansas’ Frank Mason. Swanigan has surpassed everyone else, though.

6. This won’t be anyone’s All-America team, but give me these five guys: Mason, Villanova’s Josh Hart, North Carolina’s Justin Jackson, Baylor’s Johnathan Motley and Notre Dame’s Bonzie Colson. Coincidence that they’re all upperclassmen? Probably not.

7. Did you catch wind of Cincinnati coach Mick Cronin’s unflattering words about how teams are tabbed for the NCAA tournament? In short, he said where teams are seeded and sent to play is all about the money.

‘‘I’m a firm believer in that the [selection] committee and everything else is so financially driven that, no matter what is said on Selection Sunday, they’re trying to sell tickets,’’ he told reporters.

Strong stuff. And probably true.

8. Oklahoma is 10-19. Remember when the Sooners were in the Final Four 11 whole months ago?

9. Texas is 10-20. Remember when it was a big deal that Northwestern beat the then-No. 22 Longhorns in November? Now Wildcats fans are embarrassed to mention it at parties.

10. Parting question: Who stays in his current job longer, the (possibly) off-the-hot-seat Groce or Chris Collins, the toast of Evanston?

Follow me on Twitter @SLGreenberg.

Email: sgreenberg@suntimes.com