Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
As I said, Groce is an elite mid major coach. Knows how to win the games that matters. Really a perfect coach for Akron, and happy to see him having success there.
Week of 3/9 Games Thread
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Akron wins it. Likely a 13 seed. A pretty good one at that.
Does he want that?
I think he stays there. Perfect coach for the Zips.
I have a feeling if we are a 3, Akron could be a 14.. it will be a AKRON VS ILLINI = Old Coach vs New Coach.. Storylines.. The NCAA would love an upset here
How about a 14 seed? Versus 3 seed Illinois.
Oh, kinda want to have that happen just so see how the “fire Brad” contingent around here reacts with either game result.
Just said the same thing to my wife when that game ended. Be just like the committee to set that up.
It'll be buried if illinois wins, the board will break if illinois loses.
All the the sean miller cheerleaders disappeared after we beat down Xavier last year. It was like they never recommended it.
Sean Miller cheerleaders turned to Chris Beard cheerleaders, but he’d need to actually make the tournament first I guess
Akron is currently projected as a 12. I imagine that's gonna stick come tomorrow.
Man, talk about two totally different styles. Akron has one really solid forward at 6’9” then everyone else is ~6’6” or under including probably the best guard in the conference in Tavari Johnson listed at a generous 6’..Surely Boswell could stymy him a bit. I actually wouldn’t mind the matchup at all, all things considered.
Groce never could land top talent at Illinois. If he had assistant coaches like Brad has had since 2018 maybe he could have made it here. He should have thought outside the box. Maybe given Brunson's dad a job as an assistant coach? With Jalen Brunson in the fold other top players maybe follow Brunson to Illinois.
NCAA Tournament bids clinched yesterday:
-ACC: Duke defeated Virginia 74-70.
-Big XII: Arizona defeated Houston 79-74.
-Big East: St. John's defeated UConn 72-52.
-America East: UMBC defeated Vermont 74-59. It is the Retrievers' third tournament appearance, their first since 2018.
-MEAC: Howard defeated North Carolina Central 70-63. It is the Bison 5th tournament appearance, their first since 2024.
-Mountain West: Utah State defeated San Diego State 73-62.
-SWAC: Prairie View A&M defeated Southern 72-66. It is the Panthers' 3rd tournament appearance, their first since 2019.
-MAC: Akron defeated Toledo 79-76. It is the Zips' 8th tournament appearance and third consecutive.
-CUSA: Kennesaw State defeated Louisiana Tech 71-60. It is the Owls' 2nd tournament appearance with their previous appearance coming in 2023.
-Big West: Hawai'i defeated UC Irvine 71-64. It is the Rainbow Warriors' 6th tournament appearance, their first since 2016.
-WAC: California Baptist defeated Utah Valley 63-61. It is the Lancers' first tournament appearance as they have only been D-I since 2018.
-ACC: Duke defeated Virginia 74-70.
-Big XII: Arizona defeated Houston 79-74.
-Big East: St. John's defeated UConn 72-52.
-America East: UMBC defeated Vermont 74-59. It is the Retrievers' third tournament appearance, their first since 2018.
-MEAC: Howard defeated North Carolina Central 70-63. It is the Bison 5th tournament appearance, their first since 2024.
-Mountain West: Utah State defeated San Diego State 73-62.
-SWAC: Prairie View A&M defeated Southern 72-66. It is the Panthers' 3rd tournament appearance, their first since 2019.
-MAC: Akron defeated Toledo 79-76. It is the Zips' 8th tournament appearance and third consecutive.
-CUSA: Kennesaw State defeated Louisiana Tech 71-60. It is the Owls' 2nd tournament appearance with their previous appearance coming in 2023.
-Big West: Hawai'i defeated UC Irvine 71-64. It is the Rainbow Warriors' 6th tournament appearance, their first since 2016.
-WAC: California Baptist defeated Utah Valley 63-61. It is the Lancers' first tournament appearance as they have only been D-I since 2018.
I’m curious about the results in the alternative universe where Tracy Abrahms doesn’t get hurt and then Groce gets the point guard that ended up going to OkSt.
Couple of stories to follow ahead of Selection Sunday later this afternoon:
-Dayton as a potential bid stealer if they defeat VCU in the A10 final.
-If, as expected, Houston gets a 2 seed in the South region and makes it to the second weekend of the tournament, they would be playing in a South regional held at the Toyota Center, roughly 3 miles from their campus. They opted out of being the host school for the South regional in July 2025 with Rice University replacing them as the host.
-Dayton as a potential bid stealer if they defeat VCU in the A10 final.
-If, as expected, Houston gets a 2 seed in the South region and makes it to the second weekend of the tournament, they would be playing in a South regional held at the Toyota Center, roughly 3 miles from their campus. They opted out of being the host school for the South regional in July 2025 with Rice University replacing them as the host.
hahah always SSDD around here
Dan
Admin
Today's games (all conference tournament title games):
Ivy League Championship- Yale vs Penn, 11:00am CT, ESPN2
SEC Championship- Arkansas vs Vanderbilt, 12:00pm CT, ESPN
A10 Championship- VCU vs Dayton, 12:00pm CT, CBS
American Championship- Wichita St vs USF, 2:15pm CT, ESPN
Big Ten Championship- Michigan vs Purdue, 2:30pm CT, CBS
Ivy League Championship- Yale vs Penn, 11:00am CT, ESPN2
SEC Championship- Arkansas vs Vanderbilt, 12:00pm CT, ESPN
A10 Championship- VCU vs Dayton, 12:00pm CT, CBS
American Championship- Wichita St vs USF, 2:15pm CT, ESPN
Big Ten Championship- Michigan vs Purdue, 2:30pm CT, CBS
Unfortunately, Purdue has probably jumped us in several pundits’ eyes. It is VERY close. Problem is, even if Michigan beats Purdue fairly comfortably the game ends literally 15 minutes before the selection show. So it seems likely they stay ahead of us regardless of what they do today.
chrisRunner7
- San Diego
I've wondered about an alternative universe where Groce would have had NIL to finally just buy his point guard instead of coming up second so many times.
Bummer Purdue got 2 relatively easy W2 wins over a slumping Nebraska team an (barely) over a UCLA team down 2 starters. Always seems like they get a bit of luck catching teams at the right time which inflates their seeding which is why they’ve been to so many S16s.
If we can regain our mojo shouldn’t matter at all if we are a 2 or 3. Big if though.
If we can regain our mojo shouldn’t matter at all if we are a 2 or 3. Big if though.
Biggest disappointment in watching the games this week... so many teams have dudes that play with fire in their bellies, just straight dogs... We don't have that.
Fighting Frans headed to OT vs Yale
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