Mackey and Assembly Hall are done after Sunday. They are being used for play-in and first round only.
NCAA Tournament
sacraig
- The desert
Another tournament write up by SI. Some surprisingly on point comments about our tendencies.
“The Illini have all the pieces. In Ayo Dosunmu they have a multi-use star who tends to shine brightest in late-game situations. In 7-foot, 280-pound Kofi Cockburn they have a powerhouse in the paint who uses his core strength to devastating effect at both ends of the floor. In freshman point guard Andre Curbelo they have someone who can break down defenses to score or distribute. In Trent Frazier, Adam Miller, Giorgi Bezhanishvili and Da’Monte Williams, they have role players capable of contributing double figures against the best competition.
The concern is a tendency to float at times, taking a few possessions off defensively or throwing the ball away on offense. That’s what got Illinois into some tight situations against the dregs of the Big Ten, Nebraska and Northwestern. While nobody goes into a single-elimination tournament lacking motivation, sometimes the habits of a season can still come back to haunt a team. And with a tough draw in the second round (Georgia Tech or Loyola Chicago) and potentially the third (Oklahoma State), Illinois has to be on its game all the time.”
The 10 Teams Most Likely to Win the Men's National Title
Sixty-eight teams enter, but only one can cut down the nets on April 5.www.google.com
Right on the nose.
Sorry if this was already discussed but will final four tickets go on sale to the general public? Does anyone know when?
BlindLoyalty
- FartNoiseMotivation
Only opportunity the general public gets to purchase F4 tickets is the F4 lottery application. App had to be submitted in Aug 2020. B/C of covid, all lottery winners were issued refunds and didn’t get tickets for the 2021 F4. I would except there will be no sale of tickets to the general public. If IL makes the F4 I would expect tix on the secondary market to be several thousand dollars each.
“We have people with names on buildings (on campus) that we can’t help (get tickets)”
"March Madness," the term used to describe the excitement surrounding the Illinois state high school basketball tournaments, first appeared in print almost sixty years ago. It was coined by Henry V. Porter, who started his career as a teacher and coach at Athens High School in central Illinois.
When I used to be an on site game announcer for IHSA state basketball games (at any level), I had to remind people a thousand times during the games that "Illinois high school basketball was the home of the original March Madness". I now have that fact ingrained in my brain...
IlliniKat91
- Chicago, IL
I used to be the timer/scoreboard keeper at high school games. I got to the point where I'd recite it along with the announcer
Just saw this on Chaundee Brown's TikTok. Bubble sounds like a riot!
Oh no you have a dry streak of a month. The horror!
My Final Four (as much as it pains me):
Iowa-Texas-Ohio St-Illini
Would be huge if Kyle Young could rejoin the buckeyes at some point...makes me think they could knock off Baylor. As for the Iowa pick? Garza could legitimately go for 30/15 against that front line of Gonzaga. He represents their biggest weakness. If a couple hawkeye shooters get hot then who knows...I’ve seen much crazier things happen in march. You know what they say: when everybody Zags, you zig.
Iowa-Texas-Ohio St-Illini
Would be huge if Kyle Young could rejoin the buckeyes at some point...makes me think they could knock off Baylor. As for the Iowa pick? Garza could legitimately go for 30/15 against that front line of Gonzaga. He represents their biggest weakness. If a couple hawkeye shooters get hot then who knows...I’ve seen much crazier things happen in march. You know what they say: when everybody Zags, you zig.
I had Baylor beating Ohio State, but I also had Iowa, Texas, and Illini. Nice bracket. Haha.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
good preparation for marriage
What is your prediction in the East region?
I currently have the Bonnies taking down Michigan as an upset. Ultimately have Bama coming out of the region. I am still mulling the bracket over before it locks though. It's going to be a real productive day at my desk.
I currently have the Bonnies taking down Michigan as an upset. Ultimately have Bama coming out of the region. I am still mulling the bracket over before it locks though. It's going to be a real productive day at my desk.
LSU over Michigan. Alabama over Colorado in the Elite 8.
Yet another article about all the orange in the Midwest region; it dives into the history of bold colors in college sports (paywall): https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/19/sports/ncaabasketball/ncaa-tournament-orange-uniform-color.html
OurMottoisOskeeWowWow
- Illinois
Not that it really matters but former President Barack Obama picked Gonzaga in his bracket.
For those of you wanting to make Illini games in this tournament a bit more fun:
Jim Spanarkel not calling games this weekend due to covid protocols. As a result, the top team will just be Nantz and Raftery. Grant Hill will take Spanarkel's spot on the #2 team with Ian Eagle.
OurMottoisOskeeWowWow
- Illinois
I didn't do a bracket this year, because I didn't want to jinx Illinois and I couldn't pick against Illinois also.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
I've never been without a bracket either. But just couldn't be bothered this year. Only filled in one team. My bracket is perfect. Could I win the $1,000,000?
sacraig
- The desert
For those of you wanting to make Illini games in this tournament a bit more fun:
Why would I want to not remember what I can only assume is going to be a magical run to our first championship?
OurMottoisOskeeWowWow
- Illinois
I'm just superstitious.
Same with Bonnies and Bama