Editor’s note: Kansan sportswriter Kellis Robinett will examine the four regions in the NCAA Tournament before play starts Thursday. The following is a breakdown of the Chicago regional. Tomorrow, Robinett will dissect the first round games in the Albuquerque region.

No. 1 Illinois (32-1) vs.

No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson (20-12)

A No. 1 seed has never lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, and Illinois should have no problem keeping that streak alive. Fairleigh Dickinson won the Northeast Conference Tournament to get into the field, but its best nonconference victory was against New Orleans.

No. 8 Texas (20-10) vs.

No. 9 Nevada (24-6)

Both of these teams are capable of knocking off Illinois in the second round. Nevada has been the class of the Western Athletic Conference all season and advanced to the Sweet Sixteen last year. Texas has made tournament runs for the past three years and has the talent of a top seed. Sure, Texas underachieved all year, but any team that can sweep Oklahoma State is dangerous.

No. 5 Alabama (24-7) vs.

No. 12 Wisconsin-Milwaukee (24-5)

Alabama will try to duplicate the success it had in last year’s tournament when it upset Stanford in the second round.

Junior forward Kennedy Winston, who scores 18 points a game, will lead the Crimson Tide against Wisconsin-Milwaukee, who stormed through the Horizon League with a 14-2 record. The Panthers have two solid scorers — senior guard Ed McCants and junior forward Joah Tucker — who both average more than 15 points a game.

No. 4 Boston College (24-4) vs.

No. 13 Pennsylvania (20-8)

It’s hard to believe those four losses only earned Boston College a four seed, but that’s what the committee decided. The Eagles will try to prove they are underrated against the most rested team in the tournament.

Pennsylvania didn’t have to play in a postseason conference tournament because the Ivy League gives its automatic bid to its regular season champion.

No. 2 Oklahoma State (24-6) vs.

No. 15 Southeast Louisiana (24-8)

Southeastern Louisiana will be the first test for senior forward Joey Graham and senior guard John Lucas as they try to lead Oklahoma State to a second straight Final Four. The Cowboys seem to be peaking at the right time after winning the Big 12 Tournament, but the Lions will not be a pushover. Finishing with 24 wins, Southeast Louisiana had its best season in school history.

No. 7 Southern Illinois (26-7) vs.

No. 10 St. Mary’s (25-8)

Neither of these teams can be called sleepers. Southern Illinois is known for its runs in the tournament and has been ranked for parts of the season. St. Mary’s pushed Gonzaga for the West Coast Conference Title.

No. 3 Arizona (27-6) vs.

No. 14 Utah State (24-7)

Arizona flaunts one of the best inside-outside combinations in the country with senior guard Salim Stoudamire and senior center Channing Frye. The biggest challenge for the Wildcats, which have made 21 straight tournament appearances, will be to break their reputation for losing in the first round. Utah State will try to keep that trend going after sneaking into the field by defeating Pacific in the Big West Tournament.

No. 6 LSU (20-9) vs.

No. 11 Alabama-Birmingham (21-10)

UAB received the worst seed of any at-large team in the tournament and was possibly the last team to get in. The Blazers stunned Kentucky on the way to last year’s Sweet Sixteen and play a full court press that is difficult to adjust to for a single game. LSU should be up for the challenge though. The Tigers are one of the most underrated teams in the country, and were projected as a bubble team just a week ago. They defeated three ranked teams this year and finished second to Kentucky in the Southeastern Conference.

— Edited by Laura Francoviglia