March Madness - Final Four Picks
- Thread starter SweetWalter34
- Start date
I have not watched hoops like I have in the past but I have Kansas over Oklahoma and Sparty over NC and Sparty cutting down the nets. Disclaimer though I haven't watched that much.
How bad has college hoops gotten here in Illinois? Third straight year no representation. Sad. Illinois was a mess/injuries/off court issues. Northwestern seems to be getting closer but...DePaul is a mess. NIU had a pulse this year but....SIU was much improved but not sure if that can be maintained in 2017....ISU seems better. Loyola making small strides but still a ways off Bradley is also a mess. Yikes.
2013 was last time an Illinois school qualified for the tournament. That was Illinois.
Been a real long time for DePaul, SIU, ISU etc.
No one wants to play here.
Been a real long time for DePaul, SIU, ISU etc.
No one wants to play here.
DePaul will have a new arena to play in that's closer to but still not on campus. I don't expect them to be Kentucky but they could do much better. I think they have 1 tourney win since 88. Pathetic. Really need the Purnell hire and latest hire explained.
Loyola already has a park 1/2 mile North of campus which would make a great stadium. Parking would be hell, though.
It's problematic if long-time DePaul season ticket holders will travel to Cermak Road to see the team. The season ticket base has always been the north and northwest suburbs. Driving from there into the city on a weeknight is pure hell.
For the Final Four, I have Kansas beating Oklahoma and Michigan State beating North Carolina. Sparty wins it all 78 - 70.
For the Final Four, I have Kansas beating Oklahoma and Michigan State beating North Carolina. Sparty wins it all 78 - 70.
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There are more players from Illinois high schools (27) on the rosters of Big Ten schools than any other state in the states comprising the conference. Indiana follows with (25) and Ohio with (19). This isn't to mention the schools throughout the nation that have recruited many of the bigger name Illinois kids. It's not that the state isn't providing the culture and players, it's just that the universities are'nt getting it done. Which the same could be said for football except for ISU and NIU albeit that they are not in major conferences.
I have a hard time believing that Groce did not think that Ulis was good enough to play at Illinois. He was one of the top 25 recruits in the country. Its not like Kentucky went out on a limb recruiting him. He choose Kentucky over Michigan State and Iowa. ESPN had him as the #4 ranked point guard in the country.
Usually when Illinois is referenced as a basketball state rather than a football state it is in regards to the quality of players it is sending out to the colleges. Edgy is mostly known for his expertise on recruiting and that is usually the context in which college football is discussed here. Illinois is an outstanding basketball state despite the failures of its college teams.
Calipari didn't recruit him either. He named Kentucky as one of his final three choices despite that fact and three days later they offered. His size definitely would seem like a problem. Rarely does getting a guy that small work out. He has deceptively rare talent. It still looks like he'll have a problem but he always seems to overcome.