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The Fighting Illini had to set that disappointment aside and regroup for their NCAA Tournament challenge. Their most important games are at hand.

The Illini were on a four-game winning streak before falling flat against the Terrapins, so they had something to draw from.

“We’re good. Just move on. That’s the right mentality for us right now,� Illini guard Kylan Boswell said. “It’s just one game at a time. That’s the biggest focus. I can’t worry about this last loss, and that’s pretty much it.

“After the Duke game, we came here, we forgot about the game to try to move on. So right now, it’s just one game at a time.�

Boswell and Tre White are the veteran leaders on a team driving by talented freshmen Kasparas Jakucionis, Will Riley and Tomislav Ivisic.

Their message to the younger teammates after the Maryland game?

“Definitely flush it,� White said. “It’s over with. ... It is a restart for us right now, a fresh start. So just trying to build from there.�

First up for the Illini is No. 11 seed Xavier, which got past Southeastern Conference also-ran Texas 86-80 in their First Four game Wednesday night in Dayton.

Illinois coach Brad Underwood has had time to reflect on what went wrong against Maryland. The Illini had plenty o’ fun the night before that game while running past Iowa 106-94, but that might have been too much fun.

“The Maryland game was, they punched us and kept punching and just caught us in a flat game,� Underwood said. “We were 9 of 22 on layups. We haven’t missed that many layups since the first practice of the year. We miss a dunk. We missed 3s. The ball didn’t bounce our way, but they were much more aggressive, and I think that’s more the lesson to learn.

“We were bouncing off the walls before the Iowa game. We weren’t that energetic (before Maryland). That’s my fault.�

Xavier enjoyed a home-court atmosphere while defeating Texas, as Dayton is just 47 miles from the Xavier campus. The Musketeers won’t enjoy that edge when they face the Illini in Milwaukee.

“We’ve got to be a mature ballclub and understand that just because the fans get loud and rowdy, we can’t let that affect our confidence,� Xavier guard Marcus Foster said. “We saw today the power of having fans, so we’ve really got to understand what we’re going into and know it’s going to be harder and harder.�

Here is what folks have been writing about March Madness:

• Myron Medcalf, : “The SEC has been the most dominant force of the season, and it's fair to wonder whether this is the strongest conference in college basketball history. The SEC's mantra of ‘it just means more’ has meant more bids — its 14 berths shattered the NCAA tournament record set by the Big East's 11 in 2011. Only two teams (South Carolina and LSU) missed the tournament from a conference that otherwise seems to have it all: championship contenders and possible Cinderellas. ...

"With dominance comes pressure, though. When the Big East set the record in 2011, it took home the national title with Kemba Walker and UConn cutting down the nets. A record-setting season will become a major disappointment if the SEC's drought — the conference hasn't won a national championship since Kentucky in 2012 — continues this season.�

• Eddie Timanus, USA Today: “The (Drake) Bulldogs, winners of 30 games and repeat champs of the Missouri Valley despite a coaching change and roster makeover, will be another popular upset choice. Drake’s top dog is Bennett Stirtz, a do-it-all floor leader like CSU’s Clifford who is ready for his moment on the big stage. Another pesky bunch of Bulldogs, this one from the Ivy League, will look to take down an SEC squad (Texas A&M) in the round of 64 for a second consecutive year. This season’s Yale team does not have big man Danny Wolf, who is now at Michigan, but it does have sharpshooter John Poulakidas and numerous other guys capable of getting hot from the arc. The Bulldogs won't be overawed after beating Auburn last season.â€�
• Joe Rexrode, The Athletic: “South Region No. 11 seed UNC 95, No. 11 seed San Diego State 68 on Tuesday in Dayton, Ohio, was an eyebrow raiser. It was a good example of what 14 3-pointers — the most ever by UNC in the NCAAs — can do for a team. But it actually proves little, settles nothing and probably won’t serve as much of a silencer. North Carolina losing would have reprised screams of corruption, which have come largely from people who have no clue about the process of selecting teams for the field of 68 and must have better things to do with their time.

"West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey heads both categories. North Carolina winning provides a blowback opportunity for those brave souls on the other side of this year’s primary — and especially contentious — selection committee debate. But again, we’re talking No. 11 seed San Diego State. Add that to the Tar Heels’ meager collection of wins against the rest of the field — two of them at the expense of American University and UCLA.�

• Cameron Salerno, : “The Rodney Terry era at Texas should be over. There were rumors that Texas could part ways with Terry if the Longhorns didn't reach the NCAA Tournament, and this loss — and the way UT lost — is indefensible and inexcusable. The Longhorns were in complete control, up 13, before squandering away their lead down the stretch in an 86-80 defeat. This loss more than likely ends the college career of Tre Johnson, one of the best freshmen in the sport this season. Johnson should've been playing deep into the NCAA Tournament, and it will be a major ‘what if’ when the star freshman goes on to have an excellent NBA career.”
• Jerry Brewer, The Washington Post: “At this point, we know almost everything about Rick Pitino, including the stuff we wish we didn’t. He’s 72 now, and in nearly a half century as a head coach, his fame has revealed all: genius, obsession, ambition, ego, tragedy, glory, failure, scandal, shame, exile, vindication. Debate, if you must, whether he’s the greatest college basketball coach ever, but his story arc stands alone in history. His life offers a complex character study. On Thursday, he will lead St. John’s into the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, a record sixth team on his dance card. On the surface, it’s a cute, full-circle moment for a native New Yorker who returned home at the end of his career to resurrect the city’s dormant program.

"But the tale is much more gripping and raw. Eight years ago, after Louisville fired Pitino amid an FBI probe into corruption in the sport, Pitino thought he had been blackballed. Just two years ago, he was at Iona, winning as usual but fighting the perception that he had too much baggage for any bigger, image-conscious schools. Despite all he had accomplished — two national titles, seven Final Fours, a reputation as the most distinguished fixer the sport has known — his mistakes spoke louder than his successes.�

Megaphone

“We know we deserved to be here. We're not looking to send a message to anybody else. We're just looking to compete as a team and be the team that we know we're capable of being.�

North Carolina guard Seth Trimble, after the Tar Heels handled San Diego State in their First Four game.