Illini Zip

My prediction is that the P5 cartel will continue to concentrate their financial power and control. Perhaps breaking off into their own super league making them essentially the new D1 and turning the rest of D1 into D2 and so on down the line. They will just assume that their business model of paying the best players in the country big money will maintain their elite status. But all it will take is for 1 really great team in the new D2 to refuse to play for them or with them to cast doubt on the whole project. At that point negotiations will take place or the NCAA will completely implode and we start again with who knows what.

Here’s an interesting Loyola Chicago Ramblers tidbit. They actually have a 1963 NCAA championship banner hanging in their gym. Now granted back then the NIT was the premier annual college tournament, but you can say it aged well to their benefit.

I’m not making a prediction, but with his skills and maturity this early and for that size I could see him going pro after his junior year. I mean legit first rounder. So yes, precedent would be something like play at Akron for 2 years, then go to Duke for a year and then go pro. It would be nice if the Mahaffey clan gave Akron a family discount and he finished his college career at Akron. He would be like Larry Bird putting Indiana State on the map. That said, I want to make sure Evan gets his due. I especially like his defense and calm presence on the floor. He’s going to get fouled a lot so he needs to pick up his free throw shooting, but he’s been great so far. Great leadership. 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

It is different. But I like it. It gives the top teams a rest day so they don’t have to play 3 games in 3 days. Something the MAC should avoid as well. Reward the top conference teams with a shorter road to the title.

I agree, just emphasizing the word “at”, because in my world our 18 point loss at Purdue equates to an 8 point loss on a neutral court. Much better than the 30 point drubbing Texas Tech just took.

Does Barre finally get playing time against Evansville? They are taller.

I’m surprised Oregon State is so non-athletic.

Yes…it…is.

The Evansville vs. Oregon State game about to start.

Bummer. No free tacos tonight.

@Blue & Gold, you watched Eric Mahaffey in high school. Did you see this coming? I mean, 20 pts tonight as a freshman?

He has looked slow tonight. Almost like he’s sick or something.

Eric going end to end for the dunk was sweet!!

Doesn’t our radio guys usually travel to these holiday tournaments?

Terrible close to the half. 11-0 run by the Gaels. Ugh!!

Don’t know the stats, but I imagine we need to improve our free throw shooting. Otherwise, we have found our flow.

A bit chaotic and undisciplined on offense, but again we are leading at the first media time out. How many times were we already down ten points a couple of years ago?

The 2023-2024 Indiana State Sycamores got snubbed by the tournament committee with a 32-7 record overall, 17-3 in the MVC. Here’s the part that will make your head spin. They had a NET ranking of 28.

Not thinking we are in the at-large bid range just yet, but winning will drive up our ranking thus hopefully a better seeding if we make the Tourney. Also winning games convincingly will do even more for us.

He sure was allusive though.

The NIU point guard I wanted us to try for went to Kansas and is now at Maryland? Good grief. How does Kansas not hang onto a guard capable of putting up 40 points? They must have guards who can put up 50.

Anybody surprised Arizona is ranked 4th in the nation? Not me.

One has to wonder how a 6-7 Harris and a 6-6 Eric Mahaffey might have helped us last year vs. Arizona in particular. But it just wasn’t meant to be.

I so badly want a marketing campaign to troll the big conferences. Something like… “Akron Basketball, good enough to play in the Big Ten, SEC, ACC, Big 12 and the Big East.”* * Based on Kenpom rankings on 11/18/2025. If they don’t like it they are welcome to send Rutgers, South Carolina, Utah, Boston College or DePaul amongst others to Akron to prove us wrong. Go Zips!!

I attended all 3 games in Fort Myers, Florida so you can blame me for that one.