Big Ten Tournament- Illinois eliminated

[Da Coach]

Illiois was just defeated in the opening round of the Big Ten Tournament tonight (Wed. 2/28 ). #13 seed Illinois lost to #12 seed Iowa 96-87.

http://www.espn.com/ncb/boxscore/_/gameId/401020030

Illinois actually played well on offense. They shot 49% overall, and 48% from three. But they were terrible on defense, allowing Iowa to shoot 56% overall, and 57% from three. Iowa owned the boards and outrebounded the Illini 40-20!
Illinois leading scorer was Tulane transfer Kipper Nichols with 31 points.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood really needs to recruit some Big Ten caliber big men, and some athletic wings who can defend and score. Unfortunately, they have only 1 senior leaving (Mark Alstork, who was scoreless tonight), and the only recruit signed for 2018 is another point guard to go along with the many point guards they already have (Da'Monte Williams, Mark Smith, Trent Frazier, Te'Jon Lucas, as well as walk-ons Drew Cayce, Tyler Underwood, and Clayton Jones).

So Illinois' 2017-18 season is over. Their final record is 14-18, and they were 4-14 in the Big Ten. Iowa advances to play #5 seed Michigan tomorrow afternoon.

[tornado]

wow, that's allowing 20 pts over Iowa's average.... and allowing 61 points in the 2nd half on 57% shooting!

[Da Coach]

One other thing that was noticeable on TV. The 2018 Big Ten Tournament is being held in New York City at Madison Square Garden.-

http://www.bigten.org/championships/big10-m-baskbl-tournament-1718.html

I don't know how many tickets they sold for the 5-day tournament, but the attendance at the 5:30 PM ET game between Illinois and Iowa was terrible.
There were no more than a handful of people in the arena. The next game between #11 seed Minnesota and #14 Rutgers will likely draw better, since Rutgers is only 40 miles away. But once Rutgets is gone, those fans probably aren't coming back.
In past years, the Big Ten has completely sold out venues like the United Center in Chicago and the Conseco/Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. But last year's tournament in the Verizon Center in Washington DC did not draw nearly as well, and this year in NY City looks like it could even draw much worse. Only Rutgers is within 200 miles of New York, and Rutgers, Penn State and Maryland are the only 3 Big Ten schools within 550 miles.

[Da Coach]

In the first game this afternoon, #9 seed Wisconsin beat #8 seed Maryland in a low-scoring game 59-54.

The second afternoon game has been a great game. Iowa, the #12 seed went to overtime against #5 seed Michigan.
Michigan won 77-71-

http://www.bigten.org/gametracker/launch/gt_mbaskbl.html?event=1592651&school=big10&sport=mbaskbl&camefrom=&startschool=&

Attendance looks a little better than last night's session, but still a lot of empty seats.

Tournament central

http://www.bigten.org/championships/big10-m-baskbl-tournament-1718.html

[Da Coach]

...
Illinois leading scorer was Tulane transfer Kipper Nichols with 31 points.
Illinois coach Brad Underwood really needs to recruit some Big Ten caliber big men, and some athletic wings who can defend and score. Unfortunately, they have only 1 senior leaving (Mark Alstork, who was scoreless tonight), and the only recruit signed for 2018 is another point guard to go along with the many point guards they already have (Da'Monte Williams, Mark Smith, Trent Frazier, Te'Jon Lucas, as well as walk-ons Drew Cayce, Tyler Underwood, and Clayton Jones).

The gem of Brad Underwood's 2017 recruiting class, 2017 Illinois Mr. Basketball Mark Smith, might have realized he won't get as much playing time as he hoped for with all the point guards on the Illinois roster. There are reports tonight that he is leaving University of Illinois and transferring.

He should get a lot of interest. He is from Edwardsville, and I suspect he might look at St. Louis U. or maybe Missouri. Cuonzo Martin has been trying real hard to land a point guard.

[tornado]

overhyped, aimed too high and everyone expected way too much of him as a freshman...but I think he will still be a very good player

[tornado]

there's rumors of 3 or more players leaving Illinois...
also rumors of ex-SIU Saluki Jordan Caroline (18pt/9reb) going to Illinois as a grad transfer..

[tornado]

...Mark Smith, might have realized he won't get as much playing time as he hoped for... There are reports tonight that he is leaving University of Illinois and transferring....

it is being reported that he is leaving - just need to determine if any limits on his release as to where he can transfer to

https://twitter.com/joehoopsreport/status/970725606357897216

[tornado]

...Iowa, the #12 seed went to overtime against #5 seed Michigan.
Michigan won 77-71-....

Michigan proceeded to win the Big Ten Championship and the automatic bid for the 2nd straight year...
Everyone there at UM is ecstatic and jumping on the Beilein bandwagon

https://deadspin.com/john-beilein-is-pulling-all-the-right-strings-and-michi-1823513101

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2018/03/03/michigan-john-beilein-winning-extensions-himself/392624002/

but here's what's so bizarre about Michigan fans...
JUST a month or two ago some were calling for him to BE FIRED!!!

http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/fire-john-beilein

and there those who wanted him fired last year

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/university-michigan/wolverines/2016/02/22/maize-n-brew-michigan-wolverines-john-beilein/80723340/

Poor guy - all he does is win over higher rated teams - like he did in 2013 when he WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP -
AND in 2014 when he made a run to the Elite Eight - and last year when he made it to the SWEET SIXTEEN!

What does the guy have to do to shut up those ignorant Michigan fans who keep calling for firing him?

[Da Coach]

Illinois landed another 2018 recruit today- a 6'6" forward from California, Tevian Jones-

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/tevian-jones-illinois-basketball-recruiting-2018-commitments/

Illinois coach Brad Underwood has commitments from 5 recruits now-
Tevian Jones, 6-6 forward from Culver City, CA
Ayo Dosunmu, 6-3 guard from Chicago Morgan Park
Samba Kane, 6-foot-11 forward from Florida
Giorgi Bezhanishvili, 6-9 forward from New Jersey
Alan Griffin, 6-5 shooting guard from New York

[Chico]

Illinois landed another 2018 recruit today- a 6'6" forward from California, Tevian Jones-

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/tevian-jones-illinois-basketball-recruiting-2018-commitments/

Illinois coach Brad Underwood has commitments from 5 recruits now-
Tevian Jones, 6-6 forward from Culver City, CA
Ayo Dosunmu, 6-3 guard from Chicago Morgan Park
Samba Kane, 6-foot-11 forward from Florida
Giorgi Bezhanishvili, 6-9 forward from New Jersey
Alan Griffin, 6-5 shooting guard from New York

I hope they are talented enough to help Underwood turn the program around.

[Da Coach]

The gem of Brad Underwood's 2017 recruiting class, 2017 Illinois Mr. Basketball Mark Smith....is leaving University of Illinois and transferring.

He should get a lot of interest..... He is from Edwardsville, and I suspect he might look at St. Louis U. or maybe Missouri. Cuonzo Martin has been trying real hard to land a point guard.

Illinois guard Mark Smith is transferring to Missouri-

https://twitter.com/Mark_Smith_13/status/985354136576196608

[tornado]

Illinois coach Brad Underwood has commitments from ....
Samba Kane, 6-foot-11 forward from Florida...

as was reported in a different thread, the Illini ran off big man Greg Eboigbodin since the arrival of Samba Kane made him expendable...

but now an unexpected issue crops up....

Newcomer Samba Kane had already enrolled in summer courses, but has now abruptly withdrawn and left school....
the only answers being given are "transcript issues"...
(this is interesting because Wichita has been recruiting Kane since last spring & their thread on him kinda knew he did not have the academics to go anywhere for 2018 and that he was going to enroll at Sunrise Christian (Prep School in Wichita) and would be a 2019 recruit after spending time at multiple other high schools in Senegal, Colorado (two different schools in Denver & Florida.)


but it is hard to know for sure what that means -
Likely it means that his academic background as it has been reviewed in the Registrar's office at Illinois has found some serious problems and that Kane has been disqualified from enrolling at this time.

Of course Kane also has to qualify thru the NCAA and pass their Clearinghouse, but I wonder if that decision would have been made this early in the summer. Plus, the Illinois news release does mention that Kane is hopeful of re-enrolling in August for fall semester. That hints that he needs to do some summer school work to get his HIGH SCHOOL qualifications up to the Registrar's standards.

https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Article/Illinois-Fighting-Illini-freshman-Samba-Kane-wont-be-with-the-team-this-summer-119057959/