There's obviously Duke, UNC, UCLA, Kansas, Kentucky and Indiana as the so called "blue bloods" of college basketball. But then there are schools like Michigan State, Syracuse, UConn, Louisville, Georgetown, Arizona, Florida that I would rank on a tier ahead of Illinois.

 

I'd agree with that as well. Because of the post-Knight problems at IU, I didn't include them in the top schools but all indications are that they are headed back to that point.

Also, there are Illini fans clamoring for Jerrance Howard to be HC. God no. Keep him on as assistant, but just no to him taking over control.

 

I can't imagine any scenario in which Howard is still with the program next year. If he doesn't get a shot at the head job (which he shouldn't), then he's going to want to try and land any head coaching job he possibly can. As I've seen others say elsewhere, if you land a coach that can actually recruit, then Howard wouldn't be as important as he is now.

Epic week of college ball starting tomorrow. This week we got:

 

Kentucky-Florida

UNC-Duke

'Cuse-Gtown

Kansas-Baylor

SMC-Zaga

Kentucky-Vandy

MSU-OSU

UNC-UVA

X-Temple

SDSU-UNLV

Creighton-Wichita State

Baylor-Missouri

 

Awesomeness.

 

Iowa State just misses the new AP Top 25 poll. Harvard is at 25, Notre Dame at 26, Iowa State at 27. ISU plays @ OSU, then vs A&M this week. If they can win both, someone above them will probably falter, and we may see the Cyclones ranked for the first time in, what... 6 years or so?

 

I'd agree with that as well. Because of the post-Knight problems at IU, I didn't include them in the top schools but all indications are that they are headed back to that point.

 

I'd put Illinois somewhere in the 10-20 range, which is still a "top school."

 

Here's a better argument, what are the top big ten schools ?

 

I'd go:

 

MSU

OSU (based a lot on recent success, but no reason they can't continue unless there's another scandal/NCAA violation)

IU

ILL

WIS

__________

 

PUR

MICH

MINN

IOWA

__________

 

NW

PENN ST

NEB

PENN ST

________

 

NEB

________

 

NW

 

Fixed. Give Penn St. more credit than that, not only have they made the NCAA tourney (Northwestern), but they also have won a couple games (Nebraska)

I'd put Illinois somewhere in the 10-20 range, which is still a "top school."

 

Here's a better argument, what are the top big ten schools ?

 

I'd go:

 

MSU

OSU (based a lot on recent success, but no reason they can't continue unless there's another scandal/NCAA violation)

IU

ILL

WIS

__________

 

PUR

MICH

MINN

IOWA

__________

 

NW

PENN ST

NEB

 

I can't put Illinois in the same category as a UNC.

 

Last year was a little awkward though. You recruit a coach at the Final 4. Kind of hard to recruit the man coaching his team in it. And I think it's a little less awkward for Shaka to leave VCU when he did not just bring them their best season ever by far.

 

those jobs finished hiring post-final four. He had every opportunity.

I can't put Illinois in the same category as a UNC.

 

UNC would be in the top 5, so Illinois wouldn't be in the same category.

Epic week of college ball starting tomorrow. This week we got:

Baylor-Missouri

 

Awesomeness.

 

I get to see two awesome games in a row. This makes me happy.

Illinois should go after that guy at Creighton.

Illinois should go after that guy at Creighton.

Haha. Somebody called into Boers and Bernstein last week clamoring for McDermott, I laughed. Guess they didn't really know his history too well.

IIRC, Shaka Smart said "no thanks" to both Mizzou and NC State last year before signing his long term deal, so I have a hard time believing that he'd see Illinois as that much better of a job. I'd be all for it if he could be convinced.

I think NC State made a big push for him, but I don't know if Mizzou did any more than a feeler. They made a big push for Matt Painter.

 

Shaka may just not have been ready to leave yet. Separate him from the Final Four in time and he'll probably be more likely to leave. Hard to leave all those good vibes so quickly.

Wow, nutso finish at OU. Anywho, nobody will remember this one but solid W for MU, this was the ultimate trap game...

Wow, nutso finish at OU. Anywho, nobody will remember this one but solid W for MU, this was the ultimate trap game...

 

 

You couldn't have drawn it up any better after the second free throw for OU.

Ozzie's dumbass just ended up with the ball at the Depaul game...

Ozzie's dumbass just ended up with the ball at the Depaul game...

 

Yeah, I saw that. DePaul with an impressive collapse here. They were up 41-29, now they're down 60-51.

Wow, nutso finish at OU. Anywho, nobody will remember this one but solid W for MU, this was the ultimate trap game...

I really hate fouling up 3. I'd rather take my chances with a team chucking a prayer to be honest.

 

Last year's Missouri team has taught me to be very excited with any conference road win. This team has 4 of them in 6 tries.

I really hate fouling up 3. I'd rather take my chances with a team chucking a prayer to be honest.

 

Last year's Missouri team has taught me to be very excited with any conference win. This team has 4 of them in 6 tries.

 

The schedule is brutal, but especially so b/c the away games that were real cupcakes were nebraska and colorado. When your easiest road games are oklahoma, texas a&m and osu that tells you somethin. I honestly don't care how much we win by on the road as long as we win.

Is that Dickie V on the Florida-Kentucky game? Wow he sounds weird with a cold.

Gotta survive in Stillwater for twenty more minutes. 8-3 to start out in the Big 12 would be really nice, and would equal a tie for third with Baylor or Kansas.

 

But we haven't won there since 1988. Just gotta survive.

UF has missed a couple open shots but UK's defense is scary good.

I have a sickening feeling in the put of my stomach that Calipari is winning it this year.

Down goes Creighton!

How is Ohio State winning? Feels like Purdue is massively out playing them.