College Basketball 2025-2026

[mul21]

Some great games last night.  Illinois winning with an off night from Boswell is a real positive in my eyes.

The comeback from BYU was great even though they tried to blow it with that weird delayed timeout before the buzzer beater and the UConn Florida game was just an absolute battle from start to finish.  

[Irrelevant Dude]

Another thing about the Illinois game, the refs took over and turned it into an absolute slog for the entire second half.  It didn't favor any one team in particular, but the number of fouls called was ridiculous and made for a really tough watch.

[gflore34]

17 hours ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Another thing about the Illinois game, the refs took over and turned it into an absolute slog for the entire second half.  It didn't favor any one team in particular, but the number of fouls called was ridiculous and made for a really tough watch.

Sometimes I believe Big Ten officials think fans are there to see them blow their whistles.

[mul21]

18 hours ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Another thing about the Illinois game, the refs took over and turned it into an absolute slog for the entire second half.  It didn't favor any one team in particular, but the number of fouls called was ridiculous and made for a really tough watch.

Yeah, it was pretty bad.  I'm pretty sure Thornton didn't get touched by a defender on one of his drives to the basket and got a foul called.  There were several other plays where there was almost no contact and they blew the whistle and then they'd allow a wrestling match down low the next time down the floor.  The UConn FL game was waaaaaay more physical with less calls.

[Hot Sauce]

Jalen Haynes of Southern Illinois made the #1 highlight on SC for his dunk last night.

I love seeing my school get national attention. 

[gflore34]

Illinois hosts Nebraska today, watching some of the previews seems as if the Illini shouldn't show up today.  Line is Illini -8.5, ESPN analytics has them at 77% to win and, wouldn't know it from the way these guys are talking about Nebraska.  You'd think it was the other way around. 

I believe Stojakovic is going to feast, Wisconsin does not have anyone his size who can get to hoop.  As a result, Nebraska was able to make the Badgers settle for 3's, don't think the Illini will.  They'll attack the basket.

[gflore34]

Illini lost, really can't come away saying Nebraska is that good, a whole host of clueless defense on the Illini' part.  Coupled with an early lack of aggression lead to this loss.  Think Nebraska is one of those early paper tigers that everyone overrates, as the season progresses, they'll regress.

[mul21]

On 12/13/2025 at 5:09 PM, gflore34 said:

Illini lost, really can't come away saying Nebraska is that good, a whole host of clueless defense on the Illini' part.  Coupled with an early lack of aggression lead to this loss.  Think Nebraska is one of those early paper tigers that everyone overrates, as the season progresses, they'll regress.

I have no idea why they sat in that weird zone defense for like 6-7 minutes in the second half while Nebraska got and easy look every time down the court when they were in it.  Baffling.

[gflore34]

1 hour ago, mul21 said:

I have no idea why they sat in that weird zone defense for like 6-7 minutes in the second half while Nebraska got and easy look every time down the court when they were in it.  Baffling.

Don't know if I'm going to waste anymore rooting interest on them.  Same story with Underwood' teams, talented, under performing, several losses to meddling teams, will probably make the tournament and win a game. Then, in the next round, get blown away by a higher seeded team. I know getting in every year increases your chances of the match up dominoes falling in your favor.  But, even in favorable match ups, I'm not certain Underwood can deliver.  He'll find some way to horsefeathers it up, a mysterious illness, some fluky injuries or letting some scrub off the bench torch them. Next year, rinse and repeat.

Edited December 15, 2025 by gflore34

[Tryptamine]

Good win for Illinois today against a good, not great, Iowa team that probably isn't a true top 25 team but they're solid enough that I'd give them odds on to make the tournament. I'm honestly surprised the rebounding was as close as it was, I thought Illinois was going to destroy Iowa on the boards.

 

They'll be heavy favorites in their next 3 against NU, Minnesota and Maryland before an away game against a very good Purdue team.

Edited January 11 by Tryptamine

[Irrelevant Dude]

That hook and hold call in the Illinois game was baffling, and almost gave the game to Iowa.  MAYBE there was a little bit of a hook by Wagler, but it looked like he was getting pushed down more than anything.  Iowa's coach "appealed", and after a 4 minute review the refs decided it was a hook and hold flagrant on Wagler.  Instead of Illinois getting 2 free throws, Iowa got 2 free throws instead and then got the ball back after.

No matter how many times I watch it, I still can't tell exactly what happened, but there is no possible way there was enough evidence there to make such a game-altering call.  The rule is stupid to begin with.  It was two guys battling for the ball.  If you think the foul was on Wagler, fine, then make it a common foul, but games shouldn't be getting decided by a referee's interpretation of a guy getting his arm grabbed slightly.  Let the players decide the game and stop with the nonsensical reviews and flagrant foul calls.

[mul21]

13 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

That hook and hold call in the Illinois game was baffling, and almost gave the game to Iowa.  MAYBE there was a little bit of a hook by Wagler, but it looked like he was getting pushed down more than anything.  Iowa's coach "appealed", and after a 4 minute review the refs decided it was a hook and hold flagrant on Wagler.  Instead of Illinois getting 2 free throws, Iowa got 2 free throws instead and then got the ball back after.

No matter how many times I watch it, I still can't tell exactly what happened, but there is no possible way there was enough evidence there to make such a game-altering call.  The rule is stupid to begin with.  It was two guys battling for the ball.  If you think the foul was on Wagler, fine, then make it a common foul, but games shouldn't be getting decided by a referee's interpretation of a guy getting his arm grabbed slightly.  Let the players decide the game and stop with the nonsensical reviews and flagrant foul calls.

There in lies the problem.  I'm pretty sure the way the rule is written, the only option is to call the flagrant on Wagler or leave it as is.  There isn't a way to just change the call to a common foul on Wagler to make the most common sense ruling.  They really need to look at the way that's administered because as you said, that was nearly a massive game changing moment and it shouldn't have been.

[mul21]

So I watched the last 5ish minutes and both OTs of the Tennessee Texas A&M game last night because I was working out and had TN on the money line (am I a degenerate? maybe).  The number of dumb things done and bad shots taken by both of those teams was criminal.  Neither one of them wanted to win it and I will be betting heavily against both going forward. 😂

[Tryptamine]

Keaton Wagler is gone after this year, I don't see anyway he sticks around.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

10 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Keaton Wagler is gone after this year, I don't see anyway he sticks around.

No brainer. The Athletic had him at #11 on their big board yesterday. Without knowing much about this draft class, that feels high, but there’s no reason for him to stay in Champaign if he’s getting even late first round grades.

[Irrelevant Dude]

55 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

Without knowing much about this draft class, that feels high

It doesn't to me.  He is easily better than the pair of Illinois freshmen who went 20 and 21 last year.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

4 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

It doesn't to me.  He is easily better than the pair of Illinois freshmen who went 20 and 21 last year.

I’ve seen him comped to both Christie brothers over the past few weeks, so I’ve been using them as a frame of reference. Both were drafted in the 2nd round. He certainly has a more polished game then Riley or KJ did last year.

[gflore34]

Honestly shocked the Illini won last night, it had all the makings of a Brad Underwood special - not playing well, Mirkovic sick, a little guy off the NU bench going nuts keeping an inferior team in the game. With the result being a completely avoidable loss to a meddling team.

[Tryptamine]

2 hours ago, gflore34 said:

Honestly shocked the Illini won last night, it had all the makings of a Brad Underwood special - not playing well, Mirkovic sick, a little guy off the NU bench going nuts keeping an inferior team in the game. With the result being a completely avoidable loss to a meddling team.

They were garbage in the 1st half but showed up in the 2nd, especially Wagler. Now take care of the next two games, in matchups where they will be heavy favorites, and then on to a huge showdown in Lafayette

[Tryptamine]

Another game Illinois sleep walked through. Purdue is going to put it on them if they don't pick it up.

[bukie]

5 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

Another game Illinois sleep walked through. Purdue is going to put it on them if they don't pick it up.

Illinois has been the #1 team in the country in adjusted efficiency since the Nebraska game.

[Tryptamine]

5 minutes ago, bukie said:

Illinois has been the #1 team in the country in adjusted efficiency since the Nebraska game.

I'm talking specifically about yesterday's game and the first half of the Northwestern game.

[bukie]

4 minutes ago, Tryptamine said:

I'm talking specifically about yesterday's game and the first half of the Northwestern game.

Yes, the time frame includes those games. 

The Northwestern game was a solid effort overall after a sluggish first half adjusting to a late Mirkovic illness scratch.

Minnesota has been a solid team for a month now and the zone in the first half flustered the offense. Petrovic turned out to be the key to break it at the end of the first half, and the offense got it figured out in the second half for a double digit win.

[gflore34]

Boswell broke his right hand in practice.  WTF is it with Brad Underwood teams?  I understand a broken hand is freak occurrence and could happen to anyone however, why does something like this keep happening to his teams?  Nearly every horsefeathers season - Ayo getting punched, sickness, concussions, TSJ wrongful conviction, etc.  - I knew things were lately going too well.

[scarey]

10 hours ago, gflore34 said:

Boswell broke his right hand in practice.  WTF is it with Brad Underwood teams?  I understand a broken hand is freak occurrence and could happen to anyone however, why does something like this keep happening to his teams?  Nearly every horsefeathers season - Ayo getting punched, sickness, concussions, TSJ wrongful conviction, etc.  - I knew things were lately going too well.

If it's any consolation, they are going to be getting a Purdue team that looked like dog horsefeathers today. Braden Smith hurt his knee on Saturday, and he did not look confident at all tonight. Loyer forgot how to shoot from behind the arc and is all thumbs when he gets the ball and it's not a catch and shoot.

 

The Big Ten is a grind every damn year, but it REALLY feels like all the top flight teams are struggling more than most years.

After Illinois, Purdue will have a couple of get-right games against IU and Maryland... but they're both on the road, and even if they win, I feel like they'll get nothing easy. IU especially will be looking for an opportunity to rush the court on this Purdue team.

Michigan has to deal with Ohio State and Nebraska before playing Michigan State at the Breslin Center. Illinois gets to deal with Purdue who, although they are struggling, it will be at Mackey. Then Nebraska next weekend.

Nebraska gets the unenviable pleasure of playing against Michigan and Illinois back-to-back, but I feel like they are hunting right now. They're playing their best basketball and looking to cut down some top ten teams.

As a Big Ten basketball fan, this is likely to be a fun couple of weeks. As a fan of any of these individual teams, it really sucks (outside of Nebraska arguably).