Illinois might lose by 30 today.

I am guessing it was a long drive home.

The snow has already mostly passed.

Hill and Nunn have been incredible today and this is the best we have looked on offense against a good defensive team since Groce's first year. Good defensive gameplan too (overmatched inside so Purdue has scored a bit but the rare game this year where I like the plan and we have executed on D).

Hill and Nunn have been incredible today and this is the best we have looked on offense against a good defensive team since Groce's first year. Good defensive gameplan too (overmatched inside so Purdue has scored a bit but the rare game this year where I like the plan and we have executed on D).

 

This is the best a Groce team has looked in his time here, IMO. The '13 team won against better teams, but there was actually movement and passing on offense tonight, which is refreshing.

 

 

So much talent for a team with this record.

So much talent for a team with this record.

 

I agree. Played extremely well tonight. DJW played some pretty good defense considering he hasn't gotten big minutes all year.

 

Having a PG who can actually shoot next year in Abrams and Lucas will help quite a bit as well.

 

I think Black should just RS this year. Any chance we can get Thorne to come back next season as well? Medical RS?

I agree. Played extremely well tonight. DJW played some pretty good defense considering he hasn't gotten big minutes all year.

 

Having a PG who can actually shoot next year in Abrams and Lucas will help quite a bit as well.

 

I think Black should just RS this year. Any chance we can get Thorne to come back next season as well? Medical RS?

 

Abrams is really more of a stopgap than a PG who can shoot. His main virtue is really just that he's going to keep Tate off the floor.

 

Thorne would most likely get a medical RS if he were to stay out the rest of the season. But, I think the staff knows it needs to put up something of a competitive season if they want to stick around, and getting Thorne back is the best hope they have of doing that. So as soon as he's able to go, he'll be on the court.

 

 

Purdue definitely has its weakness with guard play and perimeter shooting.

 

Illinois beating Purdue at home handily today, Iowa State slipping back a bit now (compared to a month ago)...and then Iowa beating MSU at home without Valentine, it's really hard to know exactly what's going on from the Hawkeye perspective.

 

How good are Indiana, Michigan and OSU actually? How bad is Wisconsin? How good is Purdue, for that matter?

 

Iowa should lose at MSU Thursday, then MICH at home, at Rutgers, Purdue at home, at Maryland (seemingly a sure loss although they beat MD last year) and NW and PSU at home.

 

Optimistically, 8-2 Big 10 mark but writing 7-3/6-4 in pencil just to be conservative/cautious. At this point, just happy they look to be a pretty sure NCAA pick after losing to a Division II team in preseason/exhibition.

 

 

I am guessing it was a long drive home.

Hangover was bad. Expected a loss so it wasn't bad on that front. Great time.

Hangover was bad. Expected a loss so it wasn't bad on that front. Great time.

Front half of our conference schedule is the easy part, so we have to pick up as many wins as possible now.

Andrew Smith, former Butler C of 4-5 years ago, passed away today of cancer at age 25. Sad

Andrew Smith, former Butler C of 4-5 years ago, passed away today of cancer at age 25. Sad

Absolutely devastating news. Props to Brad Stevens for being there for Smith's family and props to the Boston Celtics for letting Stevens miss the game he was scheduled to coach.

Back to Abnormal, Deadbirds.

Not sure I have ever seen a worse coach than Pitino Jr

Not sure I have ever seen a worse coach than Pitino Jr

Watch more DePaul ;-)

Watch more DePaul ;-)

 

Pretty sure DePaul wouldn't be trailing 80-42 to Nebraska

Absolutely devastating news. Props to Brad Stevens for being there for Smith's family and props to the Boston Celtics for letting Stevens miss the game he was scheduled to coach.

His wife was a good (or bad) follow on twitter throughout. About a week ago she said to keep praying and that's when it hit me. Today she tweeted that he passed away in her arms this morning. Poor guy. Poor her. Ugh

Absolutely devastating news. Props to Brad Stevens for being there for Smith's family and props to the Boston Celtics for letting Stevens miss the game he was scheduled to coach.

 

Very class move by the C's.

Mizzou is vacating their 2013-2014 season and not playing in the SEC tournament this season.

Sweet mercy I don't have to watch 1 more garbage game from that team.

 

I wonder if Gant will even win 23 games in his career at Mizzou that he just cost them.

Sweet mercy I don't have to watch 1 more garbage game from that team.

 

I wonder if Gant will even win 23 games in his career at Mizzou that he just cost them.

As if vacating wins means anything at all.

As if vacating wins means anything at all.

 

My two favorite violations:

 

"One assistant coach even had the audacity to help a player find some rental housing:

A former associate head men’s basketball coach assisted in the relocation of a prospective student-athlete by providing the phone number of the prospect’s mother to a donor (Representative #2) to arrange for rental housing. The family paid a market rate for the rental. However, the actions of the former associate head coach are in violation of NCAA bylaws."

 

And the absolute best:

 

 

"A Missouri men’s basketball student-manager also provided transportation for multiple student-athletes to the hotel from the Missouri campus, all in violation of NCAA bylaws."

My two favorite violations:

 

"One assistant coach even had the audacity to help a player find some rental housing:

A former associate head men’s basketball coach assisted in the relocation of a prospective student-athlete by providing the phone number of the prospect’s mother to a donor (Representative #2) to arrange for rental housing. The family paid a market rate for the rental. However, the actions of the former associate head coach are in violation of NCAA bylaws."

 

And the absolute best:

 

 

"A Missouri men’s basketball student-manager also provided transportation for multiple student-athletes to the hotel from the Missouri campus, all in violation of NCAA bylaws."

 

Further proof that the NCAA is a complete joke.

Further proof that the NCAA is a complete joke.

 

The problem with the NCAA is that sitting around a board room table coming up with rules in a vacuum, they make sense. You don't want coaches directing athletes to random donors for housing. That just invites problems. However, in reality, when you can prove that it was literally "hey go talk to this guy" and there's proof they paid the same rate as everyone else, there should be an exception in the rule to be excused.

 

I don't understand why the NCAA can't look at a situation and evaluate on a case by case basis whether a benefit was provided. I guess the fear is that they can then be bought or swayed and won't apply the rules consistently. OH WAIT.

Edited January 14, 201610 yr by Jenksismybitch

That student manager thing is hilarious.