Pathetic state of college basketball in Illinois

[Da Coach]

Again this year, the state of Division I basketball in Illinois is terrible. Loyola will be the only Illinois Division I school to play in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
Last year, Northwestern was the only one, and for the 3 years before that, there were no Illinois schools in the NCAA Tournament.

Here are all the Illinois D1 schools who have played in the tournament in the past decade.
Amazing- 6 out of the last 11 years, there have been no Illinois schools, and in the other 5 years, only one school made it to the NCAA Tournament each of those years-
2018- Loyola
2017- Northwestern
2016- none
2015- none
2014- none
2013- Illinois
2012- none
2011- Illinois
2010- none
2009- Illinois
2008- none

And here are the 13 Division I programs in Illinois and when they last played in the NCAA Tournament-
Bradley- 2006 (previous were 1996, 1988, 1986, 1980, 1955, 1954, 1950)
Chicago State- Never
DePaul- 2004 (previous were 2000, 1992)
Eastern Illinois- 2001 (previous was 1992)
Illinois- 2013 (previous were 2011, 2009, 2007)
Illinois State- 1998 (previous were 1997, 1991)
Loyola- 2018 (previous was 1985, 1968 )
Northern Illinois- 1996 (previous were 1991, 1982)
Northwestern- 2017 (none previously)
Southern Illinois- 2007 (previous were 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003, 2002)
UIC- 2004 (previous were 2002, 1998 )
WIU- never
SIUE- never

[tornado]

....
2017- Northwestern.....

wow, Northwestern sure did have a huge dropoff...They started the season RANKED inside the TOP 20 and were picked by many to battle for the TOP of the Big Ten.
I thought they were supposed to be BETTER since they lost practically nobody from their NCAA team?
Pretty much the only loss was a deep sub, Nate Taphorn who accounted for just 4-5% of their production !

"the Wildcats were expected not only to return to the NCAA Tournament but be one of the best teams in the country."

BUT - They are under .500 despite a soft schedule and the luxury of playing almost all their non-conference games at home...
They had a NON-conference Strength of Schedule of 305!
They are 6-12 in Big Ten play, 10th in the league despite the bottom of the Big Ten being cupcakes this year - weaker than the bottom of the MVC!

Last year Northwestern coach Chris Collins was hailed by some as a NATIONAL Coach of the Year candidate and a guy who could get a call to replace Mike Krzyzewski when he retires!!
...but, uh oh, now Collins is taking heat from fans and the media...and it could get worse as this year his losses to graduation are greater. They do have a good recruiting class coming in- including Larry Nance's other son!

https://dailynorthwestern.com/2018/03/04/sports/wilkinson-happened-behind-numbers-nus-mens-basketballs-disastrous-season/on

[tornado]

Moving on to DePaul....

here's one of the funniest remarks I have read....

DePaul has had 11 consecutive seasons of 19-losses or more, all under the watchful eye of their AD Jean Lenti Ponsetto

But this morning Ponsetto slams DePaul's fans, donors, and the city of Chicago because they aren't patient enough... (sound familiar?)

https://twitter.com/ChicagoSports/status/971558620478484481

[pfcmsh]

Who Is Paying?

Wow. 11 consecutive losing seasons of 19 losses! That is terrible.

With attendance missing the projected numbers, who is going to pay for the arena they just built beyond the 82.5 million that DePaul forked out?

[tornado]

Wow. 11 consecutive losing seasons of 19 losses! That is terrible.

With attendance missing the projected numbers, who is going to pay for the arena they just built beyond the 82.5 million that DePaul forked out?

only two were 19 losses, the rest were 20 and more

[Da Coach]

Northwestern sure did have a huge dropoff...
Last year Northwestern coach Chris Collins was hailed by some...

It is odd how many of Mike Krzyzewski's assistants who have taken high profile head coaching jobs have struggled and most have not been very successful.
Here are all 13 of the members of Coach Krzyzewski's coaching tree-

Johnny Dawkins was not successful enough at Stanford to avoid being fired after 8 seasons. He has been at Central Forida the last 2 seasons, and had winning records, but has been mediocre in the AAC and has not made the NCAA Tournament.

Jeff Capel was underwhelming in his 4 seasons at VCU, and was fired from Oklahoma after 5 seasons and after getting the school into an NCAA scandal.

Tommy Amaker lasted 4 years at Seton Hall with a losing Big East record, and never made the NCAA in his 6 seasons at Michigan, with a losing Big Ten record. But his 11 years at Harvard have been one of the few instances of success among the Coach K coaching tree.

Quin Snyder had several good years at Missouri, but then he got them into big trouble with the Ricky Clemons scandal. Missouri was slapped with 3 years probation, then the program went into a steep decline and he ended up resigning in disgrace in midseason 2006. He moved to the NBA and has not returned to college coaching.

Mike Brey has been the most successful of the Coach K coaching tree. He was successful at Delaware for 5 years, then at Notre Dame for the last 18 years. He has made the NCAA Tournament 12 of those 18 seasons, but has not had very good NCAA Tournament success. Notre Dame never advanced past the 3rd round with Brey as their coach.

Steve Wojciechowski- this is his 4th year at Marquette. He's had only one season with a winning Big East record (2017 he was 10-8 ), and that was his only NCAA year, and they lost their first game and were eliminated. Marquette fans are increasingly unhappy with his progress, and this year's senior dominated team took a step backward with a 6th place finish in the Big East.

Chris Collins has now been at Northwestern for 5 seasons. He finally gave Northwestern their first ever NCAA appearance last year in his 4th season, with a 24-12 record, the most wins ever for any Northwestern team in 113 years. However, they were eliminated in the 2nd round, and this year they have taken a big step backward with a 15-17, 6-12 record in Collins' 5th season, despite high expectations. His NCAA season has probably bought him enough goodwill that his job is not in jeopardy, but another losing season could change that.

David Henderson- he took over at Delaware when Mike Brey was hired by Notre Dame and had a forgettable 6 years with more losses than wins. He took over a team that had won 20+ games several years in a row under Brey, and quickly turned it into a perennial losing program. He was fired in 2006 after a 9-21 season, and has been out of coaching since then.

Mike Dement was one of the earliest Coach K assistants to get a head coaching gig. As the head coach at Cornell (5 years), UNC Greensboro (4 years), SMU (9 years), then back at UNC Greensboro (7 more years), he made only one NCAA trip in 25 years, had only 11 winning season out of 25, and has a career record of 329-368.

Neil Dougherty was a player under Coach K at Army, though he was never an assistant coach under him. But he is still considered part of the Coach K coaching tree. He spent most of his career as assistant coach at several schools. His only head coaching job was at TCU for 6 years from 2002-2008. He had only 1 winning season, and no NCAA appearances. His cumulative record at TCU was 75-106. He's been out of coaching since being fired by TCU in 2008.

Tim O'Toole was an assistant coach at Duke under Coach K from 1995-1997. He got the head coaching job at Fairfield from 1998-2006. He only had 2 winning seasons out of 8, never made it to the NCAA, and was fired after going 9-19 in his final season there.

Chuck Swenson was an assistant under Coach K at both Army and Duke. He was head coach at William & Mary from 1987-1994. His 8 years there were a disaster- cumulative record 62-134, and 27-71 in the CAA. He was fired and has never gotten another head coaching job.

Bob Bender played a couple years at Duke under Coach K, then was an assistant coach under him from 1983-1989 when Illinois State hired him away as their head coach. He was 60-57 in 4 seasons at ISU with 1 NCAA appearance in his first season, mostly with Bob Donewald's left-over players. Then he was head coach at Washington for 9 seasons where he did not have great success. His record there was 115-143. He made 2 NCAA Tournament appearances at Washington, including a Sweet 16 in 1998, which is the farthest into the NCAA Tournament that any Coach K protege' has ever coached.

[tornado]

Again this year, the state of Division I basketball in Illinois is terrible. Loyola will be the only Illinois Division I school to play in the 2018 NCAA Tournament....

probably just an oversight - but.....there is one other Illinois team STILL ALIVE
with a chance to win their conference tourney and go to the NCAA
..and they are a mere 24 point underdog in their game today

[Da Coach]

It was not an oversight. It is a given that Chicago State will not be in the NCAA Tournament. They have never made the NCAA, and this is arguably their worst year ever.

[patrick_o'brian]

It is odd how many of Mike Krzyzewski's assistants who have taken high profile head coaching jobs have struggled and most have not been very successful.
Here are all 13 of the members of...

Steve Wojciechowski- this is his 4th year at Marquette. He's had only one season with a winning Big East record (2017 he was 10-8 ), and that was his only NCAA year, and they lost their first game and were eliminated. Marquette fans are increasingly unhappy with his progress, and this year's senior dominated team took a step backward with a 6th place finish in the Big East.

It seems Wojo’s disappointment could come at our expense. If Coach Wardle keeps building on his successes at BU could his alma mater come calling? That would be our luck!!!

[Da Coach]

I have a Marquette grad and fan in my family, so I follow them and get to hear what the MU fans are thinking. They were really excited when they hired Wojciechowski, but that excitement has worn off and they expect better results next year. They have a lot of talent coming back next year, so it could be a make or break year for Wojo.

[MacabreMob]

It seems Wojo??™s disappointment could come at our expense. If Coach Wardle keeps building on his successes at BU could his alma mater come calling? That would be our luck!!!

As unfortunate as that scenario may seem... Wardle building Bradley success is one thing... then... leaving for another gig at his alma mater (instead of being fired cause we stink)... means the cupboard is full and therefore seems an attractive destination for an incoming coach to build upon.

[BUfan14]

???Mike Brey has been the most successful of the Coach K coaching tree. He was successful at Delaware for 5 years, then at Notre Dame for the last 18 years. He has made the NCAA Tournament 12 of those 18 seasons, but has not had very good NCAA Tournament success. Notre Dame never advanced past the 3rd round with Brey as their coach???

They made the elite eight in 15 and 16 I believe.

[tornado]

Moving on to DePaul....

here's one of the funniest remarks I have read....

DePaul has had 11 consecutive seasons of 19-losses or more, all under the watchful eye of their AD Jean Lenti Ponsetto

But this morning Ponsetto slams DePaul's fans, donors, and the city of Chicago because they aren't patient enough... (sound familiar?)
https://twitter.com/ChicagoSports/st...58620478484481

DePaul fans pony up the cash to buy a big FULL PAGE AD in the Chicago Sun Times
..demanding that DePaul Athletic Director Jean Lenti Ponsetto be fired

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/depaul-students-alumni-buy-ad-calling-for-the-firing-of-athletic-director/

[Da Coach]

At least Bradley is on the rise #The Movement-

https://twitter.com/bradleyumbb/status/973597493366796290

[pauly616]

Could it be that perhaps Illinois has too many D1 teams to share all the talent with(I'm not saying that is the case, just curious)?