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March Madness and the Fighting ILLINI!
27 Plays21 days ago
Don Glenn and guest Dave Wischnowsky talk the Big TEN Tournament, March Madness, Brad Underwood and the Fighting illini!
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Transcript
Introduction to Gateway Sports and the day's sports issues
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Speaker
This is Gateway Sports. The rumors are true.
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This is Talking Sports on the Bleachers with Don Glenn. A confident young man. A superb athlete. A look at the sports issues of the day. Holy cow!
00:00:36
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Grab a seat, pop a cold one. Gee, that sounds kind of interesting. And let's talk some sports.
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You've got to get it done!
Albert Pujols hits historic homers at Dodger Stadium
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Pujols with the widespread stance, arms out over the plate. Bickford from the stretch. The 1-1 pitch. A swing and there it goes! Left field, way back!
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That's home run number 700! Pujols hits a three-run homer and he hit 699 and 700 at Dodger Stadium on September 23rd, 2022. 8.23 PM Pacific Time.
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twenty twenty two
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three b m pacific
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Badgers have no timeouts. They can't stop it. McCourt for the win. In the air.
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Yes! Good! Let's go! Let's go, baby! Upset at Champaign. The Illini win it 24-23.
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Are you crying? There's no crying! There's no crying in baseball! Playoffs? Don't talk about playoffs?
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You kidding me? Playoffs? talk about playoffs you kidding me playoffs
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Hey, Dad? You wanna have a catch? I'd like that.
Meet Dave Wisnowski and Gateway Sports Network
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Speaker
Well, welcome folks here again and ready for another episode of Talking Sports on the Bleachers. I am your host Don Glenn. I just want to tell you that Talking Sports on the Bleachers is a proud part of Gateway Sports Network, formerly the Fuel Sports Network.
00:03:56
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We did a little remodeling, but you can still find a plethora of podcasts and articles about many of the sports you care about in and around the Midwest. Check out the new digs at gatewaysports.net. And Talking Sports Blue Beaches is also brought to you by Liquid IV. Upgrade your water. See what hydration multiplication can do for you.
00:04:16
Speaker
All right, it's the start of March Madness, and if you follow college basketball, you know what that means. It's the NCAA tournament time. Conference terms lining up, and I thought it'd be a great time to invite a former guest back on the show. He is Dave Wisnowski, former columnist for places like the Chicago Tribune, WBBM, CBS, and Chicago. And for those of you who listen to Illini Sports, you can find him hanging out with Corey Witt, who's also a former guest of this show, on the Orange Blue Through and Through podcast. Welcome back to the show, Dave.
00:04:44
Speaker
It's good to be home with you, Don. Happy to talk a lot tonight. Oh, yeah. We're going to get into that because I tell you what, they've what they pulled off in the last couple of weeks has been nothing but short of phenomenal.
00:04:55
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It is
Big Ten March Madness prospects and NCAA expansion debate
00:04:56
Speaker
a pleasure to have you back. yeah I know football season, the bowl season, is kind of big for a lot of people, but ah and it has a certain mystique to it. But if you ask me, the most exciting part of college sports is coming up. What do you think?
00:05:09
Speaker
I completely agree. I think March is the best time of the year for sports there's nothing like March Madness, the the tournament, every year. it's There's so many surprises, so many drama storylines that come and talk come about. it's It's just the best best sporting event. and i hope Personally, i hope they don't expand it any further, too. I think it's perfect the way it is, and I love it. It's fantastic time of year.
00:05:29
Speaker
Excited to be in March now. Yeah, I've heard that the thing with the talking about adding another four play-in games or something like that. I don't know. That's just too many to me. i think six I'd like to see you get rid of of the the four play-in games we got and just go back to 64. But, you know, I hope they and don't think that's going to happen. so So the NCAA tournament does start off next week. So this is the time when all the conferences now try to figure out who the big dog is in their own in their own backyard, so to speak.
00:06:00
Speaker
And so we're getting ready, especially here in the Big Ten, for the next five days of nothing but basketball.
00:06:08
Speaker
And so as as it sits, the Big Ten, it's kind of like what the SEC and the ACC have got. They've got two two different tiers of buy teams. um The Big Ten has three in the single buy, meaning the only they get to the second round automatically. And four get a double buy, putting them in the third round.
00:06:28
Speaker
Well, right now, the top four seeds, Michigan, UCLA, Maryland, and Michigan State, they're all getting the double buy, while Wisconsin, Illinois, and Purdue get the single buy. Are there any of those buy teams, as as you see it and you look at the the um brackets, are any of those buy teams in trouble, do you think? I don't know if I'd say in trouble. I mean, I think you look kind of at the big picture, and and if anyone's trending down right now, Michigan is, I guess. I mean, yeah, I guess you could say they they're in trouble. I won't be surprised if they're upset by who
00:07:07
Speaker
bigger unidable tournament too i got to thank michiganchkins are like about five or sixty that's a 12 or 11 that's really going to be licking their chops of paint in their bracket. So I would say of the teams that really have the double bye, Michigan's clearly the most vulnerable. I think the others, you know Michigan State and Maryland are both playing really good basketball right now, and UCLA has definitely picked up its game a lot over the past several weeks. as well too but michigan for whatever reason they're really on the downtrend right now.
00:07:34
Speaker
Yeah, they've really taken it on the chin the last few weeks. They've lost what? At one point, they lost five in a row, was it? I think so. I think they're like at five or six or something like that.
00:07:48
Speaker
They're really in a tailspin currently. It's it's just a whatever, you know, they a little bit, I think, they're
00:07:59
Speaker
eleven of those were by four points or fewer so Oh, wow. They may not have been as good as they've looked all season long. They've been more lucky than good. Sometimes maybe it is better to be lucky than good, but I don't know. it seems like their luck is starting to run out now, and they're they're starting to run into a gauntlet of teams that are just clearly better than currently.
00:08:16
Speaker
Oh, I get you there. I mean, it it it is kind of nice. to you know i mean, Illinois has beaten them the last five times they've played them. Has Underwood lost to Michigan yet?
00:08:27
Speaker
he still has i think it's actually eight or nine eight or nine now Yeah. think it's nine though we might be against them no he never had never watched it july two and over against the ah one i gets up may as well with the two so underwood clearly has a mission number no matter who the coach is yeah no doubt yeah they they they can't seem to figure out how to bem yet hopefully that continues mobile.
Analyzing Big Ten potential first-round matchups
00:08:50
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and Well, the the first eight games, well, the first three games in the first round, um and then one game in the second round that's already decided that's already set up.
00:09:02
Speaker
You got in the first round, Northwestern Minnesota, Iowa, Ohio State, uc USC, and Rutgers. The one Illinois is most worried about, obviously, is is the Ohio State-USC game. And I'm looking at that bracket.
00:09:15
Speaker
If we get one of those, or no, excuse me. Ohio State-Iowa. Yeah, Ohio State-Iowa. I'm sorry. i got my brackets to me I got my brackets mixed up there. Yeah, Iowa and Ohio State. yeah We've beaten both of those guys.
00:09:27
Speaker
you know Is there a danger with those? i mean, we're playing in neutral sites. so There's always a danger in neutral site. And then we've got Maryland. If we get by that, we've got Maryland looming the as the next game.
00:09:40
Speaker
And i don't know if you know him, but Lauren Tate down here, he was on the sports program the other day, and he was saying the one team that actually scares him is Maryland.
00:09:51
Speaker
I would agree with that assessment, meant i thought for sure. i think maryland is ah is a tough matchup but i think but oneor obviously can't afford to look ahead yeah they've got to take care of business wherever they face and with those with those two Iowa and Ohio State, I think it's on it'll be interesting how that how that plays out i think ohio states got more to play for right now than they're playing for trying to get a ber they still have a shop or up on the bubble there so I think they've got more reason to play Iowa little more of a spoiler opportunity I think it's highly unlikely that a team could come all the way from that uh that far up not from the bracket to win the entire tournament that would be a heck of a run so I think Ohio State's more dangerous than with Bruce Thornton and um Devin Royal had a really good game against the Illini so if if I think they're a scarier team overall uh and I think that's probably who the Illini will be facing in the in their first game
00:10:43
Speaker
that said a fill or comes to play they can take care of you of those opponents and to your point to Lauren's point about Maryland that's a tough matchup for the Illini Derek Queen and Reese Julian Reese are a load and they really gave the Illini fits last time that said it's huge having Perez Johnson back for the Illini because with him and Ivisich being hopefully fully healthy that I think that they more ability to to ta with those guys this time around should they the align i advance to meet the turk Yeah, and you know I'm looking at the Michigan State, and what and obviously with with the double bye, their first game is going to be against either Indiana or Oregon, and then they've got to take on the the probably it's good probably going to be UCLA, I think i don't think. I don't think any of the the options there that they're that they're going to be facing can take UCLA out of the action, but
00:11:42
Speaker
ah One thing, UCLA right now, excuse me, Michigan State right now is sitting on the two line in a lot of the bracketologies that I've seen. And if they, I mean, if they get knocked, I mean, they're so far deep in the term, they getting knocked out, would that knock them to the three line?
00:12:02
Speaker
um i I guess it depends where they get knocked to. I wouldn't think. so though either i feel like they the big 10 they won the big 10 by three games and i think the big 10 is a strong enough uh well while it's not as top heavy as it's been in past years right um it's a respect of that conference that we spread as the regular season champ ends up getting bumped down to the to the three lines i i feel like michigan state's a pretty solid two i think it would be also be tough for them to move up to a one spot just because the sec is so loaded this
00:12:34
Speaker
this year so feel i think michigan can stay i'd be surprised if there're anything but a two when the tournament that said you never know why i guess things could break in a certain way but feel like itll be interesting with them too because I think that their first game, Indiana-Oregon, Oregon's won seven games in a row, and Indiana's shown some life lately, too.
00:12:55
Speaker
They may play little inspired for, I mean, Woodson, this is his last run here, too, through March, so you never know what might happen there. And i as good as Michigan State's been, too, I still don't feel like they're an unbeatable team. um And I feel like that... if another team plays well they they could they could get them so it's gonna be interesting with them i don't think they have ah an easy first round matchup with either IU or the Ducks.
00:13:20
Speaker
Okay.
Exploring Big Ten teams' NCAA tournament seedings and challenges
00:13:21
Speaker
ah Now, as to where the Big Ten is going to be sitting in this, once we get to the NCAA, right now the bracketology, and and of course, it can all change, but I agree with you. I think the only, I don't see any of the the top four teams getting knocked down. I mean,
00:13:41
Speaker
yeah i just I just don't see it. I'm looking at it. I'm trying to find a way to kick Florida out, but it just ain't happening. and I just don't see it coming coming that way. But if you look at where some of the Big Ten teams have got put, um of course, being me being me, and I carry a grudge, I always want to get in in in Auburn's bracket or ah any bracket that Bruce Pearl is in.
00:14:06
Speaker
Because I want that i want the illinois to Illinois to win and just stomp a mud hole in him. Or his team. There's obviously a lot of bad blood history with it with Pearl. And that said, i don't know, I think I'd like to avoid them as long as possible. that Well, this year, yeah.
00:14:23
Speaker
Yeah, even though they've had two, you know, the
00:14:28
Speaker
um what to do greg feel like are the two scariest teams in in the bracket overall but it would be a lot of fun if the Illini were to face Auburn and be able to knock off parole wouldn't yeah well according yeah I would I'd love it but according to what the bracketology that I'm looking at and right now Illinois is looking at a seven seed in the west um and the top seed in the west is Florida right And that puts them, if they they go up against West Virginia, and they would play Texas A&M if they win that.
00:15:02
Speaker
Purdue is also in the West ah playing high point. They're a number they're a four seed. um And let's see. Oh, a team of note from Illinois. Missouri is also in the West, too. That's going to be a fun bracket, I think, if it's all said and done.
00:15:18
Speaker
ah Let's see. The other Big Ten teams we've got, Oregon is in the South. They're a four seed in the South, and Michigan State's a two seed in the South.
00:15:32
Speaker
Maryland's a four seed in the East.
00:15:38
Speaker
And that's, well, we don't have one anybody else in the East. Michigan, UCLA's an eight seed in the Midwest. Michigan's a five seed in the Midwest. Wisconsin's a three seed in the Midwest.
00:15:49
Speaker
Indiana's a ten seed in the Midwest. Boy, they loaded that thing big, didn't they? Yeah, that's how it plays out It would be interesting to see how it all shakes out. You know, I look at Illinois at a 7 seed, and and they they may end up there. I think the key is, so I think they're pretty comfortably off the 8-9 line now, which is which is big Illinois. That said, I think Illinois has an opportunity to to move up in the seed line potentially this week with a run in the in the btt
00:16:22
Speaker
Illinois is 15th in the net. So, you know, and and I think that the committee is going to take in into some account of based all the illnesss and injuries that they Oh, you have to. Really for a two-month stretch, you know. And I wouldn't be surprised if if the bracketologists have Illinois seeded lower than how they're actually going end up playing out, if they do value the net as much. And I do think the committee puts a lot quite a lot of value into that traditionally. So it'll be interesting.
00:16:47
Speaker
i think Illinois, if they could get a little run here, a good shot again to a six, I'd say if they made it to Sunday, and I always think the Big Ten Championship really doesn't matter. with seeing i feel like they have brack right set out before that game end so it's almost it it doesn't make a difference who wins or loses. If they were to get to Sunday, i there's a shot they could they can get to a five seed, I think, because you'd be adding some more high quality winds and after already beating
00:17:19
Speaker
do as well. Illinois would finishing on a really strong run here. they've got a lot to play for. Well, and that that's the other thing, too. I mean, because two of the teams that they could end up facing in the Big Ten tournament, meaning Maryland and Michigan, are seeded on lines ahead of them.
00:17:35
Speaker
And, you know, if Illinois takes those guys down, then how can you rightly seed, especially they take Michigan down, how can you rightly seed a Michigan ahead of Illinois when they've just owned them all season or up for, what, the last five years?
00:17:49
Speaker
Right, right. I would agree. I mean, I don't see Maryland falling behind the Illini regardless of the bet. They two do match up and Illinois were to win that game. But Michigan, if Illinois was to face Michigan, have a tough time seeing them. That said, I think Michigan had a real tough time getting past Purdue. I think it's more likely that the Illini would face Purdue in the semis. And if they were to beat Purdue again, that's good time. Yeah, that would be something.
00:18:15
Speaker
another team that would be obviously be seat andt that'd be a heck of a matchup. Again, Purdue would be very formidable the Illini were going into them. and But Illinois also i would have Merez back to help play some defense on Trey Kaufman-Ren. So I think that would be a fun a fun rematch if that were to come to play as well, too. oh no doubt about that.
00:18:34
Speaker
ah One thing, we mentioned a couple of the other teams like Duke and Auburn. What was, I mean, you saw the Duke game. um i i was there. You were there. As I said, I know. you i saw your I saw your social media post. You were there.
00:18:48
Speaker
Yeah. What was, what was, what was it like watching Cooper flag? yeah mean keep we get know the first half honestly elmo kind of kept him a check i was mean i've been impressed with him with like the clips i've seen i haven't launched a ton of do games to start to finish this season but i know he's super talented and seeing highlights first half i thought illinois really kind of contained it second half he really started getting going but he's i mean he's a unicorn really with everything he's able to do on the court excellence and i was hoping coming into that game just the way illinois is playing and still dealing with so many ailments that they could keep it within 20 and then at one point they've gone 50 there and it was really kind of just comical towards the end it was like this is just you know this gotten so lot of hand
00:19:33
Speaker
5'5 guy or whatever hits a three-pointer there. Yeah. i think It was just, it was just, at some point I was like, you can't even be a bad, it's just, we're getting just curb-stopped by a really good team.
00:19:45
Speaker
But Cooper is, to me, I'll have to see how the brackets shake out, but I feel like that Duke very well might be the team I'm picking to win
Top NCAA tournament teams: Duke and Auburn in focus
00:19:53
Speaker
in all. just I was impressed with their team overall. Yeah. In that game, i would they were better and more physical and faster than I even thought they were. And the flag, I think it's,
00:20:02
Speaker
Don best player in the country. he He really is a special talent. Oh, yeah, no doubt about that. And, you know, I'm and i'm looking at it, and and i'm and I think I'm going to agree with you in that respect. I think it's it if it and if it's not Duke, if somehow they get knocked out, you know, I hate to say it, but you almost have to say Auburn's probably the second the next best around.
00:20:23
Speaker
Then after that, it gets kind of murky, and i think I think. Because, you know, as good as Houston and Florida are, I think there are some teams – out there that that can take them down a you know yeah i i don't think there's a ton of difference between them and alabama and and you know uh it i think the thing with question with duke is that the acc is so weak this year they haven't been challenged right early right i still think they're really really good ten a oh any of of theccc teams have fund through a continent
00:20:57
Speaker
over complaints. They're going to be battle-tested coming in. But I would agree. I feel like Duke and Auburn are a little notch above in terms of the favorites. But as we know, favorites don't always win. They often don't. Last year, UConn certainly was, and they came through all the way to to pull it off. well But it is it is kind of there's It's going to be a really interesting tournament because i think there's a good amount of parity once you get off those first couple lines. And even as good as Auburn is, they lost two games last week. So that's true.
00:21:28
Speaker
Yeah, that's true, too. um you and and that's You brought up the SEC, and that's one thing I think. my The other show I do with Russ Robinson, the NCAA Report, we we were talking about earlier this year in football how ah
Changing dynamics in college sports: SEC and Big Ten dominance
00:21:44
Speaker
it was the Big Ten that was the talk of the town, if you will, in football. It wasn't the SEC as much.
00:21:53
Speaker
And, you know, in basketball, it's kind of flipped. You know, the SEC's gotten all the big big press, and except for, you know, Duke and and a couple other teams. but And the Big Ten's kind of taken a backseat in basketball. the The roles have kind of flipped.
00:22:10
Speaker
and know Our theory is that a lot of it is due to teams getting used to, and different sports getting used to, the transfer portal and the NIL.
Impact of NIL and transfer portal on college sports
00:22:20
Speaker
Do you think that's having a big effect on on on how this this the parity has played out? Yeah, I think it i think it for sure is. are yeah in ah In both sports, I think it's an element. The SEC's been so dominant in football for a long time, and we've seen them kind of take a step back. There a lot of arrogance and among nancy c and upset in alabama in particular that they didn't make the playoff They didn't earn a playoff to see this this time around. and
00:22:46
Speaker
And Alabama, you know, there were some schools out there that for sure were paying players before. it was legal to pay players and now that everyone is able to and think you're seeing mocar and that's hit hit the fcc and brought them back down to i think to the field with football. And then basketball-wise, it's had a little different role probably and it's lifted the SEC up more. i like I think, for example, like Kansas, you look at them, other ah schools are able to compete because they're able to go and recruit the high-priced players.
00:23:17
Speaker
So it's had an interesting dynamic, but I think that is a good observation. I think it's kind of had a reverse. to the field of football and then it will help lift them up higher in and basketball. And they just, they have a really strong batch of teams and stuff it's it's funny watching alabama augor be a big basketball rivalry.
00:23:42
Speaker
It's a huge rivalry, as big as any in sports, but always in football. This season, you've seen these huge matchups between Bama and Auburn in basketball. It's just funny to see. I don't know. I've wondered when those are on, are the fan bases as into it for basketball as they are for football? I mean, it
00:24:03
Speaker
as much or does it just mean does it because It's Auburn, Alabama. But it's it's funny We're definitely seeing some different dynamics in in both sports these days. and and this is the strongest i think we've seen naes from top to bottom if basketball probably ever Oh, yeah. i mean I mean, Alabama has been on the rise the last few years, and and Auburn's had their days here and there. But, you know, usually it's just been Tennessee, Kentucky, you know, what they consider what what people consider the blue bloods in basketball.
00:24:29
Speaker
And, you know, like I said, you're seeing now, you're seeing Auburn and and Florida, and, and you know, it's it's it's really, like I said, I think we were we were talking, Russ and I, and it's just like, you know The only thing we could figure out is that, and and Russ made the point, he said that the SEC commissioner, after the last couple years, said he wanted the teams or the schools to start concentrating on basketball because...
00:24:58
Speaker
He said, I guess his words were they were getting their butt kicked in basketball and they needed some needed some some rearrangement to get it done. So I i guess that's you know they've accomplished that. But in the meantime, and the other schools have taken advantage of of them in football. so Yeah, it's interesting because I think a lot of it has to do with there's not as much depth with those powerhouse teams now. You know you could stop. transfer instantly and then get paid and and it's kind of spread the talent out elsewhere where
00:25:32
Speaker
yeah a before you just had <unk> t team they have you know basically future all americans ride the bench and they do pro i'm sure to still and football or like ah it sure to some extent but now though they're able to spread that out and then basketball as you don't need as many players obviously having ah you know make an impact one one guy can make a ah much bigger impact on the basketball court than he can on the football field.
00:25:54
Speaker
So like if they're able to bring in a star player here or there, that can really change the dynamic with ah with the conference powers and all of that. Yeah, for sure. Well, you what, we're going to a little quick break here and then we're going to come back and we're gonna start talking some Illini sports. so If you're not Illini fan, you can tune out now, but I really wish you'd stick around and listen to us.
00:26:13
Speaker
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www.LiquidIV.com talking sports on the bleachers and get twenty percent off anything you buy thats twenty percent off anything you buy check out hydration multiplication try liquid ive go to liquid i v dot com using the promo code gcs at checkout Okay, and we are back with Dave Wischnowski, a man of many talents in many places. so I know, but hey, you know, I got to smooze you up a little bit. It's been almost two years since I had on your show, so I need to get you know get you on more often.
00:29:48
Speaker
Anyway, um so Dave, we were talking about the the tournament everything, so let's let's focus to Illinois. It's a team you and I both love. and uh route four and boy i'll tell you what this last couple years underwood has to be considered a magician because you look at what he lost when kofi and he had to replace all those guys those guys graduate and you have another group that just decided to leave for whatever reason they may be. I mean, Hansberry, he left because I'm pretty sure because Frazier went to, you know, he Frazier went to a different job. So Hansberry followed him.
00:30:27
Speaker
And that happens. You see that happen a lot with players following coaches when they leave. He had to replace nine players this year. nine new players on this team. And look at where they're at. Another 20 win season right in the middle of the tournament brackets, right?
00:30:44
Speaker
ah they've beaten some really good teams and come close to a... And they've lost a couple stinkers, too. But, you know, hey, what happens is what happens. Is Brad Underwood unappreciated for what he's done?
00:30:57
Speaker
ah to ah but To a large extent, yeah, I think i think he is. I think one of one of Brad's greatest skills is his ability to adapt from season and season. You know, he... And i I think part of that has to... You know, his history, he was... Before he...
00:31:13
Speaker
became an assistant coach at Western Illinois way back in the day. He was a junior college coach, which that was kind of the way college basketball is now is kind of the nature of JUCO, that you have to bring in a new team basically every year. you know, guys are not there more than more than two years, period, right junior college level. So I think he's been well-equipped with that, and Illinois has been able to manipulate and and and dominate, in a lot of ways, the portal more than most other schools out there and on I think Brad's, what he's done with that has been underappreciated.
00:31:46
Speaker
That said, there's there may be a little bit of leaning too far in one direction. you know if Before last season, his mantra was, you get might get old, stay old. Then I think he saw UConn up close and saw what kind talent level it really takes to win a national championship. Then I think he went out and got a higher caliber of talent and NBA level. The team has extremely talented roster line to have this year, maybe a little bit young and has taken them a while to round into form.
00:32:16
Speaker
Beyond all that though, it you know it's what they've overcome with and dealt with with the illnesses and injuries, which has just been the craziest stretch really. you know right after they got back from that west that west coast trip in early january they had one thing after another with with you know tendonitis and early risk for for KJ and then you've had flu and norovirus and mono and sprained ankles and broken wrists and everything else just the one thing after another what they dealt with I think we haven't I think you'll know it'd be even better if they hadn't dealt with everything with that you know they they still got their 21 season I think people need to appreciate that with everything they have overcome and Brad's done a great job of
00:32:57
Speaker
not just remaking the roster the year but reloading it with talent and it seems like it's starting to get healthy and aroundl truly run in form now, which is when you wanted to also head into March, hopefully be pinking at that time.
00:33:10
Speaker
Well, yeah, for sure. And I think one other thing, too, that a lot of people had high expectations, I think, for this team, given the talent that that Bruce brought in.
00:33:21
Speaker
But, you know, I think, as I said, he brought in nine new players. So there's going to be a huge... huge learning curve on that type of thing. I mean, when you only have one starter, basically, or one, not even a starter, one player returning from last year, because with Ty opting to redshirt, all you've got is Dre Gibbs-Lawhorn to get these guys, kind I mean, Trey's there, obviously, but to get these guys indoctrinated in how the game how to work with Underwood,
00:33:55
Speaker
you know I'm sure he was probably the most popular man on campus at one point from the basketball concept. but But yeah, I mean... What I've seen, like said, the the year a couple years ago when Kofie left and then he lost all of his assistant coaches, had to re basically rebuild his entire team from that point on.
00:34:15
Speaker
you know Again, he lost an assistant coach. How big was it that he lured Antigua back into the fold as an assistant coach? That was huge. I mean, I think Antigua was as good of a...
00:34:25
Speaker
assistant coach at least so from a recruiting standpoint and yeah player relationship standpoint is Massive that was just huge taking advantage of that opportunity when you know Calipari left Kentucky and just I think I think Antigua I think he really liked his time when he was at Illinois and he felt some loyalty to Cal to go back there and try and help like the ship at Kentucky which obviously didn't happen and I I think it was I don't think he was gonna follow Cal anywhere but it was his his of kentucky and then his respect for California, but i think he had big respect for for brad and when that opportunity came back up, it was huge for Underwood bringing him back in, and just a great, hes as you pointed out he's done a great job of
00:35:10
Speaker
just reloading his roster when needed but also is his coaching staff and and bringing in new guys that really have not skipped a beat in a lot of ways in terms of of it keeping the talent pipeline coming through. Yeah, for sure.
00:35:21
Speaker
So let's get into the players a little bit weve We, you know, everybody, well, Illinois fans, most Illinois fans know when we talk, when we say KJ, there we're talking about Kaspers, we're talking about Tommy, it's Ivisich.
00:35:32
Speaker
ah And they've done a great job. I mean, fighting through the the illnesses and the injuries that those two have gone through. ah Will Riley having his, oh, i want you want to call it the mid-sophomore slump or mid-freshman slump, I mean, excuse me.
00:35:47
Speaker
But I'm going to talk about a couple of the other guys. How big has Trey White's resurgence been in these last, those say, half-dozen games? Yeah, that's huge. I mean, i think he's Trey is one of the X-Factors for the team. well I don't know Illinois' record when he scores, say, in double figures or fifteen points pluss or shoots over fifty percent but i bet it's pretty darn good i but they haven't lost too many games when they do that having him come on is big really big You know, he's he's looked great lately, and they're going to need him to play at a high caliber. I thought Trey had a really slow start to the season. I didn't see much from him early on. Then he really seemed to kind of hit his stride for a while and then then slip back and, you know, not showing much again. But having him come back on again now has been huge.
00:36:33
Speaker
Yeah, no doubt. Another guy, I mean, he he didn't have a ah real slow start. ah but he kind of faltered in the middle, I guess, if you want to say it, is Kylan Boswell.
00:36:46
Speaker
um I mean, yeah everybody thought he's coming in as the point guard, and but he's not leading the team in assists. I think it's Jack Osones who's leading the team in assists.
00:36:57
Speaker
So, I mean, but you if you watch how he plays... he's more the the traffic cop out there and just taking his scoring opportunities when he can get them.
00:37:10
Speaker
I mean, is that how you see it, or do you see it maybe differently? No, yeah. I mean, I think i think Kylan has really found his role here in the latter part of the season. He's playing some really good basketball, too. You know, he's been doing a lot of the little things as well, too. is He's played sports.
00:37:28
Speaker
five but his rebounding has been fantastic lately and I like seeing him drive to the basket he's a powerful kid and seeing him go to the hole more I think there's been times where he's been too willing to call his own number settle for a three-point attempt when it probably wasn't the best shot for the team at that time we've seen less of that lately and more of him being aggressive going to the basket and it's it's really ah it's been a huge aspect of Illinois starting to play well again too is is him taking his his game up on Yeah, after the after the and Michigan State game when Terrence Shannon Jr. was down, obviously Illinois lost that game, but Kylan mentioned something in an interview that Terrence told him that his mentality when he was out there was he didn't really think about offense, he just thought about stopping his player from scoring, and then the rest the rest came to flow for Terrence on the ah offensive end, and Kylan said he's been kind of taking that mentality since talking to tsj
00:38:23
Speaker
and i think maybe we've seen some of that too that hes He's just defend and your game will come to you on the offensive end. Whatever's been happening with Collin, he's really leveled his game up a good amount. And to your point about what his role has been, he isn't really the point guard of the team, truly. He's more secondary, even even tertiary, third with with well well at at times point some points um but collin seems to found is his notch and and really ah has been been excellingly they need him to keep doing that obviously Yeah, no doubt.
00:38:55
Speaker
ah You mentioned Merez coming back. I mean, and that is something I think, I don't know how under how either understated or overstated, which way you're looking at it, that can be. you know Because Illinois doesn't have, outside of Tommy, they don't have anything in the middle. I mean, yeah, you've got Kerry Booth at 6'10", you've got Trey at 6'9", but they're really slim guys.
00:39:23
Speaker
yeah they're you know They're not the 250, 260, whatever Merez is. you know That, I think, in itself, hey had he not broken that hand um when he did, and it was and I know it was only a couple weeks ago, but...
00:39:40
Speaker
um Do you think ah people would actually know more about him now? I mean, because right now he's an unknown. I mean, I don't think a lot of teams, i mean, they know about him, but they don't have that much film on because he's he didn't do a lot in the first part of the season.
00:39:57
Speaker
Yeah, you were he was starting to come on there when they put him into the starting lineup with Tom. it's been so hard to judge anything because then even since you know wears all his illnesses and he sprains his ankle and he's not at 100%.
00:40:09
Speaker
hundred percent they weren't able to practice the whole team together with a lot of things. Merez is a huge element. And to your point that they they don't really have any other physical postp presence besides beside the research and that's been and achis heel for this team and when then when Tommy was hampered as well too you're really you're really thin dumbble I mean you look at the Purdue game just just last Friday night they didn't really have anyone that could defend Kaufman Wren and I think Merez would have had that assignment had you been out there and healthy you had Hummer Coss trying to do what he did and it worked late in the game I thought I thought I'd go under with and the staff really did a nice job actually sending a second player to double team and get the ball out of TKR's hands and that was that was big hummercos obviously isn some the physical person's down there he's got he's got some height as well too but
00:40:57
Speaker
can't stop a guy in the post. So having Merez back when you run into a team, say like Maryland or some other teams, just having that physicality is a must for the the team because they're very thin when it comes down to the post and getting Merez back it's huge and yeah he is something of an unknown to it be especially coming to tournament time i think the big tenth probably is pretty familiar with morez but once you get into that silly tournament. They might not know everything he's capable of doing, and we were really kind of seeing him bust out before he had that unfortunate injury against Michigan State, and that came on a play to show how you know athletic and and talented he was, too. That block was incredible. Oh, my God. you know so
00:41:38
Speaker
He's really starting to come on, and he's he's a ah big reason why Illinois has been one of the best rebounding teams in the nation. Having him back is is just a massive thing, because i after he got hurt, i thought he was done for the season you know i didn't i didn't think he was goingnna re back im thrill and he is so so quickly and hopefully fingers cross he He's close to 100%.
00:41:57
Speaker
Yeah, no doubt about that. So let's talk about the the the three last couple minutes, about the three main cogs we got, and with that being Riley, i Tommy, and KJ. um Now, KJ had yeah he had that forearm injury or tendonitis or whatever it was.
00:42:12
Speaker
Yeah. it seemed to take It seemed for him to take a long time to get his rhythm back, but now that he's got it, I mean, ah he looks like as good as he did the first part of the year.
00:42:24
Speaker
Yeah, I mean, he's obviously... They'll go in a lot of ways as KJ goes. you know he In the tournament, Illinois is going to go a long ways. so He's going to have to play a well. and he He's showing what he can do. I do feel like he's been taking care of the ball a little bit better on the past few games. and Obviously, that shot he hit against Purdue was just massive um you know when the game was tied there under a minute. right and Really, those three, the three i think all three of those guys kj Riley and Tommy are all future first-round pick talents, and Riley and Kaspers very well may be this year already. I think Tommy has that potential for the future. And they're going to be the three guys that Illinois needs up to lead them. I'm very happy that Riley's in the starting lineup now, and think he needs to stay there even with Merez back. I think Merez needs to be coming off the bench, and he'll play a very important role. But you need Riley, and just his his overall talent skill level has to be in that starting lineup because he
00:43:23
Speaker
attach basketball right now too Oh, yeah, no doubt. And, you know, did Tommy, I think Tommy gets good accolades for his rebounding, his scoring. The one thing that I really like about Tommy is the way he passes the ball.
00:43:38
Speaker
He's like a guard out there sometimes. Yeah, I was saying to my friend I was at the game with, the Purdue game, was it you know, we were talking about how
00:43:51
Speaker
an elite passer one thing i'd love to see illinois take advantage of that mo marrezs back and do a little bit of hold um with with you know tommy's ability to feed the post um and i that would be great to utilize the two big guys at times as well too but yeah even such ah spectacular patch as good as he is and a lot of things. so It's his passing and I think it's really a level of bunker guy his size.
00:44:16
Speaker
yeah Now you mentioned Will Riley being a possible first rounder. the only thing and The only knock I can see against Will going from this year to the and NBA is he's so undersized in terms of weight and bulk at his height.
00:44:35
Speaker
I just don't see him being that effective. he's He may have to spend a couple, three years in the G League. It's impossible, but he might.
00:44:50
Speaker
likely that he goes to the draft in the nba they you know they draft off potential and oh yeah the guys oh they're gonna look like two three four years from now and and riley obviously have the skill set i i think will i mean will needs to put on a lot of muscle and size for the long run that's it he's been a more physical player overall not like just complete pushover that i that i kind of thought he might be he's got to keep in mind still just be in high school here i know he's like a little older for his his age is class wise but still he'd just be a senior in high school this year
00:45:22
Speaker
um so i don't feel like he's ah he's a soft player but he's not a strong physically physical player And another, you know, an offseason in the weight room and just bulk it up would be massive. I think he could be phenomenal if he's at Illinois next year and have an unbelievable sophomore year.
00:45:39
Speaker
But, hey, if Illinois plays well enough, Riley, and it's is's a key cog and they get deep in the tournament and then he goes poor i'll i'll live a bed as both too All right. Well, that sounds like, yeah, I mean, you hate to see it, but, you know, the the good players. And like you said, this is the time when this is the time we're in now where the good players are either going to transfer out where they think they can get better NIL or better exposure or they're going to the d NBA.
00:46:04
Speaker
um You know, we saw that the years ago with Myers Leonard. We've seen it with Kofi. um You know, some of the other guys that have left early and stuff. And, you know and good for them if they can make it. If they can make make work make it work, good for them. You know, more power to them. But it just, like you said, it kind of leaves you wondering, what if we had? my God. Yeah, it be.
00:46:34
Speaker
you know you look at can you imagine if everyone was back next year how good oh and a job reality it it's not the world we live um yeah no wouldn't that be something if if the team was intact make sure i mean it would be it would be awesome it would be awesome you send these guys to the pros early you get other guys interested in coming in oh yeah of the players too so it's it you know and it's just it's always been a transient sport guys are always there for only a certain amount of time just a shorter amount of time i guess than we've been accustomed to and and i do miss seeing it guys develop
00:47:06
Speaker
course few years but if illinois can at least keep bringing in towels an underwood and the staff seem to have an act for that'll i'll adjust probably but these guys Let's see what this group can do. We got them all together for right now. So, and I think, their ceiling is is high and and they're starting to like good basketball at the right time. So we'll see. It's going to be an exciting another three, four, five weeks, whatever we can get out of it. So, hey, Dave, I do want to thank you for coming on again. And yeah I'm not going to make it as long next time. I'm going to have you back on, but today i ain't going wait two years the next time. so That sounds good, Doug. It pleasure and looking forward to the tournament. Good talking to you. Good talking to you. Okay, so that was Dave Wischnowski, former columnist and
00:47:54
Speaker
co-host of the Orange and Blue Through and Through with Corey Witt, again, another former guest of this show. I just wanted to bring Dave on because I thought he had some really good insight onto the Illini.
00:48:06
Speaker
ah He's covered them for a number of years. He goes back to the Illini about as far as I do. or you know so um and And I'll tell you what, the one thing that that really makes me excited about this upcoming tournament, as we were talking about it, is if you look at it, and I'm just going by what the bracketology says, and obviously as Dave and I talk, you know that that seeding and bracketology is going to change. I mean, there's there's no two ways about it You're going have some upsets and these tournaments.
00:48:36
Speaker
Conference tournaments are going to cause ah a little bit of turmoil. um But if you look at and I'm going to go down to, you know, ah the the back half of the bracket and you look at ga yeah at the nine seed, you've got Gonzaga, Georgia, Utah State, New Mexico. I mean, you know, there was a time Gonzaga's a nine seed was a pipe dream.
00:48:58
Speaker
I mean, they were always the, you know, maybe they get in as a 16 or 15 or a 12, you know, and then they took off. And now they're kind of going back down again a little bit. um You look at Indiana. They've got Indiana as a 10 seed.
00:49:13
Speaker
And ah Ohio State is a bubble team. course, so is Indiana at this point. Oklahoma is a bubble team.
00:49:23
Speaker
ah North Carolina. Now, how when was the last time we heard North Carolina was a bubble team? in NCAA basketball, okay? you know And there's some teams, if you're looking at Illinois, there's some teams in here that we've played. and We've played Arkansas, Indiana. We've played Ohio State.
00:49:38
Speaker
ah And some of the other teams that have shown up, I mean, again, you're looking at the back half of the bracket. you've got They've got Baylor's 11 seed. They've got Oklahoma's an 11 seed.
00:49:51
Speaker
ah You've got Drake, who's usually a tough matchup for most people, is 12 seed. twelve I mean, that could be a 12-5 matchup. Let's see who they're playing. I got to check that out. Drake at the 12-5 C. Let's see here. Where's the 12-5?
00:50:06
Speaker
ah yeah They're playing Ole Miss. And now there's a game. If that bracket holds true, and I'm not saying it's going to. But, you know, Drake's a team that could give other teams like an Ole Miss, like a ah ah Michigan trouble. and And I agree. I don't think Michigan's going to stay on that five line. I think this this bracketology is a little too much gifted to Michigan and a couple other teams.
00:50:32
Speaker
I think Purdue is definitely a solid four. I think Missouri, I would have Missouri a little higher. I'd have at least at a five, maybe a four. egg That still could happen. And I'll tell you what, if they come on, and I don't think they can, but if they go on and win in the SEC, or at least get to the final weekend, you know then I definitely see them off that sixth line. And I do agree, i don't think any of the four that they've got projected are going to lose their their one line. i mean uh because i'm sure florida and i have to look at it look that up the sec um let's see where is the tournaments yeah the sec uh oh i can't find it now dadgummit anyway uh but i think they um i don't know they they could lose that first round their first round game which i think it's a double buy so they're in that second weekend or or third weekend already
00:51:25
Speaker
So if they lose that first round game, I don't think it's going to hurt them. Their first game, they won't hurt them that much. ah Same with Auburn. Same with Duke. Because the ACC, SEC have the same type of a double-by situation to Big Ten, Scott.
00:51:38
Speaker
So you see you're going to see that happen where those teams aren't going to lose early. You know, they don't have those. And that's something maybe I would like to see is if you got if you can arrange it. I mean, the Big Ten puts 16 teams in. What's the matter? What's wrong with going sixteen to one and everybody plays the first weekend or first couple weeks, couple days?
00:51:59
Speaker
you know But the powers that be are the powers that be. And you know they're going to try and make sure they put their best foot forward. And I think that's why you see a lot of these double buys and single buys in the same tournament. It's just the way it goes. So anyway, tune in next week on the NCAA report. Russ and I are going to come up what come up with our picks for the NCAA tournament.
00:52:26
Speaker
Uh, uh, so you'll want to tune into that. And, you know, if you, if you've got, if you've got a, uh, here's the, here's the question. Here's the thing. If you have got a, um, tournament bracket that you're going to fill out, if you can get that to us, you can, e you can send it to, uh, get on the Facebook page, talking sports on the bleachers podcast.
00:52:48
Speaker
You can send it to me via X at TSU T S O T B dot, or excuse me, T S O T B GCS, or you can email it to me at T S O T B dot GCS at gmail.com. Any one of those three, uh, ways to get, get your picks or who you think is going to win the tournament.
00:53:11
Speaker
And, uh, You know, after we make our selections and I'm going try, I said, we're going to probably record that on Tuesday. So I'm going to try and have that out as soon as I can. So hopefully Wednesday that'll be out and this will be out. This will air on Wednesday as well.
00:53:27
Speaker
ah This coming tomorrow, I should say. So hopefully ahead of the games. I know ah in the ACC, they've already had some games played today.
00:53:39
Speaker
Right now, let's see. Notre Dame defeated Pitt 55-54. Cal defeated Virginia Tech 82-73. calde defeated virginia tech eighty two to seventy three And right now it's Syracuse and Florida State.
00:53:55
Speaker
And let's see if I can get a score for you on that game. so we've got So we've got today, or no, it's ACC. Yeah, so right now at the half,
00:54:12
Speaker
Syracuse is leading Florida State 30 to 26. So there's that game for you. So anyway, I gave you all the information. I had to get in touch with these. So if you want to check out our new digs, it's gateway sports.net.
00:54:30
Speaker
And right there, you can find a lot of different podcasts. You can find the team of rivals with Pete, Ron and Elliot at the park with Ron Duddle and Chris Hamilton. The Derrick King Sports Show with the man himself, Derrick King.
00:54:45
Speaker
You can find my other show, The NCAA Report, with my partner Russ Robinson. And Arena Frontier with Will the Inside Freeman. Check it all out at gatewaycity.net.
00:54:59
Speaker
Until next time, i want you guys to have fun. I want you to stay safe. And we'll see you again when we are talking sports on the bleachers.
00:55:11
Speaker
Good night, everybody.