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Here are some brief thoughts on the college basketball postseason that is now underway.

• Illinois looked sloppy but was clearly the more talented team in their opening-round game against Stony Brook last week. To me, it looked like the Illini were playing casually, almost pick-up ball, while Stony Brook was playing a more serious game. We will need to play better to beat Kent State and continue to progress in the NIT.
• The Big Ten has been doing exceedingly well in the NCAA tournament. According to CBS Sports, there are eleven conferences represented in the Sweet 16. The Big Ten has three of their five teams playing on the second weekend. The Big East is two for eight, the Big 12 is two for five, and the SEC is two for four.
• This last weekend was one of the most fun for a general fan-of-the-game. Lots of great finishes, close games, and already more overtime games than the entire tournament last year. This is the best time of year by far! (NCAA—please don’t ruin it with expansion!)

Alright, I’m off to Champaign with Zipp for Illinois’ NIT game against Kent State. Let’s go Illini!

Well, things didn’t quite go as planned. We now know that Ohio State turned out to be unstoppable down the stretch, Illinois didn’t win another regular season game (let alone three), and Minnesota ended up with the Big Ten’s fifth NCAA tournament bid. Illinois is the number one overall seed in the NIT! That hurts—but I’m not sure it’s wrong.

The Illini finished the regular season 18–13, and after the Big Ten tournament, 19–14. Our RPI was in the 70s, and we lost to Utah, Bradley, and Georgia. (Not to mention Northwestern and Minnesota.) Now, we did beat Wisconsin (in Madison and Indy), Michigan State, Vanderbilt, and Clemson (at their place), but if you were to ask me if I thought a 19–14 team with an RPI in the 70s should get in, I’d almost certainly tell you no. (Notice I don’t talk about the poor finish. Our last eight games were absolutely brutal, and I’m not sure any other team in the country played a stretch like that to close the season. The bubble teams that did get in would have fared no better than we did.)

It’s only because the field was historically weak this season that Illinois was even on the bubble. We can argue over whether Utah State or Florida or whoever had a stronger resume than the Illini, and that’s all fine, but it doesn’t matter. NCAA tournament teams beat Utah. NCAA tournament teams beat Bradley, beat Georgia, beat Northwestern and Minnesota. NCAA tournament teams don’t let teams go on 20 point runs. NCAA tournament teams don’t go down 20, even if they do eventually battle back to force OT. We had our chances, and while I’m as disappointed as the next Illinois fan, our team has to do better.

Illinois is (admittedly only technically… this is all very unlikely) still in the Big Ten Men’s Basketball title hunt. Here’s how it could play out:

Illinois wins out, finishing 13–5 in conference and 21–10 overall. Along the way, they beat Ohio State, who also otherwise win out, beating Penn State and Michigan to finish 13–5 and 23–8. Michigan State wins at Purdue but is beat by either Penn State or Michigan to finish 13–5 and 24–7. In addition to losing to Michigan State, Purdue also loses to Indiana or Penn State, finishing 13–5 and 25–5 overall.

A friend forwarded the following email to me earlier this week… if only we could have invaded this, too!

Ah, Iowa…

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Iowa Athletics <newsletters@cbs.com>
Date: Mon, Feb 8, 2010 at 3:26 PM
Subject: Embarrassed by the Orange Krush? Free 
         Pizza & Coca Cola tonight!
To: <redacted>

Dear Hawkeyes Fan,

Were you embarrassed by the invasion of Carver-Hawkeye 
Arena by the University of Illinois student section, 
The Orange Krush, last Wednesday night?

If you were in the Arena, were you impressed with their 
chants and unity?

Do you wish the University of Iowa had something like 
that?

If so, what are you doing about it? The Hawks Nest is 
working on solutions. Join us!

Come to the *Hawks Nest Insider Meeting* and help us 
continue grow so that we can soon have the unity and 
prowess that many other student sections in the Big Ten 
Conrference [sic] currently have!

There is no reason that we shouldn't have an 
intimidating, powerful student section at Carver-
Hawkeyes because, clearly, it can have a game-changing 
impact on the outcome of a game. However, in order to 
get to that level, it takes planning, initiative, 
passion, and most importantly...participation.

Please make it a priority to attend the Insider Meeting 
and spread the word as much as possible so that we can 
continue to take the necessary steps to get Carver 
rocking!

See you tonight!

*WHAT: * Hawks Nest Insider Meeting
*WHEN: * 8:00-9:00 p.m., Tonight, Monday, February 8
*WHERE: * 2 Van Allen Hall
*MORE:* Free Pizza & Coca Cola
*AGENDA:* Iowa Basketball, $500 Hawks Nest Half-Court 
          Shot, Leadership Applications


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Tom and I met in Champaign Saturday to watch Illinois upset #5 Michigan State. This was one of the most anticipated games of the year for the Illini Nation (even if most people thought we’d be doing a little better at this point in the season…). We were tied for second in the Big Ten going into the game, with eight games left (six of which were against ranked opponents) and work to do lest we miss the NCAA tournament. Beating Michigan State was a statement that certainly bodes well for the future of this team.

Months of planning paid off in an Illini (fan) victory yesterday, as the Orange Krush (plus Kelby, Dan, and I) invaded Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Illinois beat Iowa 57—49 as the Krush chanted “This is our house” as time expired. Iowa fans are understandably bitter…

(There’s more coverage online from Hawkeye Insider and the Cedar Rapids Gazette; also, check out this YouTube playlist and the rest of the pictures in the gallery.)

Having taken a few days to cool off, I’m finally ready to talk about the Illinois–Mizzou Braggin’ Rights game. In a few days somewhat reminiscent to the football game between the schools, I had a great time in St. Louis, with the exception of the few hours watching the event that was our reason for coming into town.

Friday night Josh and I went to Wharton Field House to watch Moline High School take on Rock Island High School. Normally, I don’t attend a lot of high school games, but Rock Island features potential future Illini Chasson Randle, and I wanted to see him play. Due to the weather (and the AlWood Elementary Christmas party) Dad couldn’t make it, but Josh and I braved the freezing rain.

Since Moline–Rocky is a fairly big high school rivalry, and this year’s edition featured a future Division I player, I thought the field house might be a little more packed than it was. I’d say it was probably about 60–70% full, and we were able to find decent seats at mid-court in the upper deck. We arrived with about 5 minutes left in the JV game, so we watched the younger kids play as we settled in.

Both teams brought good-sized student sections that were having a good time. Rock Island had a bunch of guys with body paint spelling out ROCK TOWN USA. Moline had Santa Claus, some elves, and his security crew. Both teams’ cheerleaders got their student sections loud and rowdy.

Disappointingly, Moline’s aggressive zone defense effectively took Randle out of the game. Rock Island was pretty passive in attacking the zone, passing around the outside, occasionally throwing up a three-pointer. Their man defense was much more truculent, though, and they prevented Moline’s offense from doing much damage. At halftime, Randle had no points.

Dad and I drove down to Champaign Sunday morning to take in the Illinois / Western Michigan basketball game, which Illinois won 88–53. We picked up Katie at her place, stopped at Jimmy John’s for lunch, and headed to the stadium.

Can you believe that? What an incredible game! Clemson can take solace in the fact that at least a team that wears orange won the game…