By far, the best college basketball team in the state of Illinois right now is a program where most of the people involved with the team want to fire the coach. Speaking of the Illini and Bruce Weber of course. That says a lot about the state of college hoops in the Land of Lincoln. The Illini look like the state’s only NCAA Tournament team this season; juxtapose that with Indiana in 2000, when the Crossroads of America got seven teams in the big dance.

These are lean times indeed. Especially in Chicago where UIC (7-16, 3-10 in conference), Loyola (5-18, 0-13), Chicago St. (2-20) and DePaul (11-12, 2-9) have combined to go 25-66, 5-32 in conference. This is beyond pathetic and laughable. For fans to say that college hoops is really down here is a tremendous insult to the direction of down. I didn’t even include CSU’s conference record in there, because I don’t even know what conference they’re in.

But at least I know that their program actually exists, and I know where it is; giving me superior local hoops knowledge than most fans.

“Chicago’s Big Ten Team,” Northwestern may have never been to a NCAA Tournament in their entire history, but this year’s group could play themselves back on the bubble with a winning streak. Even though they’re located in Evanston, you have to include them in the Chicago pool to help augment the city’s winning percentage. They have to be considered the second best team in the state. Universities in this city have been playing terrible ball for many years, but this year truly takes the cake. Then when you combine how ridiculously bad the teams in the rest of the state are, looking at their records becomes one big disgusting glob.

DePaul is in dead last in the Big East. Loyola is dead last in the Horizon League, UIC is only one spot better. And we’re not done yet. Downstate, Bradley, located in Peoria is 1-12 in conference, 6-19 overall is dead last in the Missouri Valley. One spot ahead of them is SIU at 5-8 in league play, 8-16 overall. The Salukis were a fixture in the big dance last decade and even made a couple sweet sixteens. Today Salukis coach Chris Lowery joins Weber in the extremely low job security situation. SIU, like DePaul has some history, so the fact that both have been down for awhile is killing basketball in the state.

The third best team in the state comes from the Mo Valley: Illinois St. who are 15-9, 7-6 in league play. Maybe they can win “Arch Madness,” the league tournament and give the state a second tourney team?

And for completeness of this article I should mention that Northern Illinois is 2-19, Eastern Illinois is 9-14, SIU-Edwardsville is 7-14. But hey Western Illinois is 13-9!

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

The Assembly Hall crowd in Champaign called for Bruce Weber’s head. Illini fans in B Section screamed “pack your bags” and “I can draw up a better offense.” This has gone on for years, except this time there was one major difference- No one in the orange and blue crowd stuck up for Bruce.

And this happened during one of this year’s signature wins, a victory over a top ten Michigan State team. Illini Nation seems to be totally fed up with Weber. He’s about as well liked as point guard Sam Maniscalco, who acts like a black hole in the offense. His field goal and three-point percentages are so low that on those rare occasions he hits a shot, it seems like a miracle has occurred.

Down at courtside on this night you could hear Weber screaming “MOVE MOVE MOVE!” Because there’s just no motion in his motion offense; a system that has produced only a .500 record in conference since the Champaign Campaign national runner-up year of 2005.  And Mansicalco is a big example of what’s wrong with Weber’s decision making: giving more playing time to grindy, hustle players instead of the talented ones.

And a lot of these players sit the bench because they come off as severe head cases. The senior trio that just graduated: Demetri McCamey, Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis resembled a group that genuinely feared success. The Mikes peaked their sophomore year and McCamey regressed massively in the middle of his senior year. Illini fans found these guys to be head cases, and some of what Weber would say in press conferences conformed to this script. The team itself fell way short of preseason expectations, and that killed Weber’s popularity.

The original knock on Weber was that he couldn’t recruit, but with time he got Jerrance Howard working for him on that front and Weber landed a few high profile prospects…who flamed out. Three top flight recruits: Alex Legion, Jereme Richmond, and Crandall Head, stayed for barely a season, if that. And their time on campus produced little to nothing. In Weber’s defense, Legion changed schools like 47 times during the wasted potential that was his joke of a college career.

Richmond, the only McDonald’s All-American recruited in Weber’s 8 years at Illinois turned out to be a psychopath/sociopath. And Head’s stats from his Illini career were so substandard, he made us forget that he was a top 100 national recruit/brother of Luther Head. These trends make you have to ask- why aren’t you recruiting better, more well-adjusted prospects with fewer mental and academic issues? Maybe the problem is with Weber? Maybe certain players with egos just can’t fit his system?

Illinois is among the top 15 all time in McDonald’s All-American recruits, and the state’s high schools are top ten all time in producing them.  Yet it looks certain that Weber will not land any more of them nor improve his poor record in recruiting the Chicago Public League’s top tier prospects. This is just unacceptable.

An excerpt from a must read column by Herb Gould of the Chicago Sun-Times

The clamor for change is apparent Downstate, where Illinois has had only one sellout, and in Chicago, where serious boosters and other alumni have been restless for quite a while. Mix in the Illini’s checkered record the last six seasons, and the case for change is apparent.

Weber got off to a marvelous start in Champaign, riding the Deron Williams-Dee Brown-James Augustine era to eight NCAA tournament victories, including a Final Four; two Big Ten championships; and an 89-16 record, including 39-9 in the Big Ten.

In the five-plus seasons since Brown and Augustine left, Illinois has won one NCAA tournament game, missed the tournament twice, finished higher than fourth in the Big Ten only once and compiled a 120-77 record, including 48-48 in the Big Ten.

For a school with the Illini’s proud basketball tradition, that’s not hitting the mark. That 48-48 conference record is especially telling in light of athletic director Mike Thomas’ reference to competing for Big Ten titles when he fired Zook.

It’s true, mediocrity is tolerated for college football in Champaign; because the only real tradition with the program is from the Red Grange era, and slightly before. There’s been quite a few lean decades in there. In college basketball, this type of behavior is not tolerated at UI. And the fact that when Weber does win, it’s in such an ugly fashion that he makes no friends with his results. The 42-41 win over Michigan State was the fewest points scored in an Illini win since 1946. Dude, that’s a long time ago!

The fact that I’ve written a column on how much this team has in common with the 1998-99 team, which set a school record for single season losses (since broken on Weber’s watch in 2008), is alarming. And now you can add the rare home loss to their usual subordinate Northwestern to the list of similarities between the two teams. And this hard-to-watch basketball has hurt attendance. The Illini are 4th in the league in this category, but they’ve only sold out one game all year. I’m sure the A.D. doesn’t like that stat.

But check out that first comment on that “play offense like it’s 1999″ piece. I can’t quote it directly because I’m not going to speculate on the position of the board of trustees unless it was on the record. But the commenter “U of I” accurately reflects the rumors and anti-Weber sentiment I keep hearing from numerous sources. His numbers are worth a look too. We can’t say for certain if/when Weber will be replaced, but we can safely assume this- money will not be any object if the board decides that’s the way it wants to go.

Paul M. Banks is CEO of The Sports Bank.net, an official Google News site generating millions of unique visitors. He’s also a regular contributor to Chicago Now, Walter Football.com, Yardbarker, and Fox Sports

A Fulbright scholar and MBA, Banks has appeared on live radio all over the world; and he’s a member of the Football Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and Society of Professional Journalists. The President of the United States follows him on Twitter (@Paul_M_BanksTSB) You should too.

I am well aware that the 2012 NBA Draft has not even occurred yet.  Still, we are looking ahead to the 2013 NBA Draft with insanely early projections on how it may unfold.  Team needs and outstanding trades have NOT been taken into consideration with this 2013 NBA mock draft.  Click on the players’ name for a complete, in-depth scouting report.

(By the way, The Sports Bank was graded as the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.)

CLICK HERE FOR THE SPORTS BANK’S 2012 NBA MOCK DRAFT

1. Charlotte- Shabazz Muhammed, G/F, Undecided, 6-6, HS Sr.
Considered by most as the top recruit in the 2012 class, Shabazz Muhammed has a complete, all-around game for a wing player.

2. Detroit- Nerlens Noel, PF/C, Undecided, 6-10, HS Sr.
An extremely athletic, lengthy big man who protects the rim like Anthony Davis, Nerlens Noel recently reclassified to the 2012 class which will make him draft eligible in 2013.

3. New Orleans- Quincy Miller, SF, Baylor, 6-9, Fr.
A gifted athlete with a smooth jump shot, Quincy Miller could benefit from another year in college to get stronger.

Go here for more on Quincy Miller

4. Washington- Steven Adams, C, Pitt, 7-0, HS Sr.
The New Zealand native has the ideal size to be a true NBA big man and the developing skill set to match.

5. Sacramento- Kyle Anderson, SF, UCLA, 6-7, HS Sr.
Kyle Anderson is a smooth, all-around talent who can play a point forward type roll.

6. Toronto- Cody Zeller, C, Indiana, 6-11, Fr.
The Hoosier is so talented for a young big man and has such a terrific feel for the game, but needs to get stronger before making the leap to the league.

Go here for more on Cody Zeller

7. New Jersey- James McAdoo, F, North Carolina, 6-9, Fr.
He comes off the bench at UNC but would likely blossom next season in a premiere role.

Go here for more on James McAdoo

8. Golden State- Austin Rivers, SG, Duke, 6-4, Fr.
A pure scorer, Doc’s son is extremely dangerous off the bounce but can also stroke it from deep.

Go here for more on Austin Rivers

9. Phoenix- Isaiah Austin, C, Baylor, 7-0, HS Sr.
The future Bear is a rim protector with great length and athleticism but a lack of physicality is a concern.

10. New York- Myck Kabongo, PG, Texas, 6-1, Fr.
A pure distributor, the Canada-native would benefit from another year of playing the point at the college level before leaving for the NBA.

11. Cleveland- Mason Plumlee, PF, Duke, 6-10, Jr.
Athletically gifted, the middle Plumlee makes his biggest impact on the glass, but has a fairly limited offensive game.

Go here for more on the Plumlees

12. Minnesota- Dario Saric, SF, Croatia, 6-10, 1994
The prototypical, versatile European prospect, Dario Saric has great fundamentals for his size but must get stronger.

13. Memphis- Dion Waiters, G, Syracuse, 6-4, Soph.
The Orange sixth man is dangerous off the bounce and can also shoot it from deep.  I’d like to see him in a prominent, starter’s role before he makes the jump to the NBA.

14. Houston- Tim Hardaway Jr., SG, Michigan, 6-5, Soph.
The Wolverine sophomore can score the basketball in a variety of ways.s

Go here for more on Tim Hardaway Jr.

15. Milwaukee- LeBryan Nash, SF, Oklahoma State, 6-7, Fr.
LeBryan Nash has NBA-ready size and athleticism but needs to work on his outside shot.

Go here for more on Lebryan Nash

16. Boston- Trey Burke, PG, Michigan, 5-11, Fr.
A mature young floor general, Trey Burke is quick with the basketball when attacking the hoop but can also knock down shots from the perimeter.

17. L.A. Lakers- Fab Melo, C, Syracuse, 7-0, So.
If Fab Melo can make a step as a junior like he has done during his sophomore season, he will be a first round pick.

18. Portland- Adonis Thomas, G/F, Memphis, 6-6, Fr.
Already blessed with an NBA-ready build, Adonis Thomas is a tough match-up due to his strength, athleticism, and ability to shoot the ball.

Go here for more on Adonis Thomas

19. Orlando- Ryan Harrow, PG, Kentucky, 6-2, Soph.
The N.C. State transfer will greatly benefit from playing the point under John Calipari.

20. Utah- Rodney Hood, SF, Mississippi State, 6-8, Fr.
The athletic lefty has a smooth stroke from the perimeter.

21. San Antonio- Royce White, PF, Iowa State, 6-8, So.
The big fella can handle the ball like a guard but also knows how to throw his body around down low.

Go here for more on Royce White

22. Dallas- Allan Crabbe, SG, California, 6-6, Soph.
A talented shooter with ideal size for a two-guard, Allan Crabbe needs to improve his dribble-drive game.

23. Denver- C.J. Leslie, F, N.C. State, 6-9, Soph.
A ridiculous athlete who excels above the rim, C.J. Leslie will need to develop the other areas of his game to be a first round pick.

24. L.A. Clippers- Christian Watford, F, Indiana, 6-9, Jr.
Christian Watford is an athletic, skilled combo forward with good size.

Go here for more on Christian Watford

25. Indiana- Jarnell Stokes, PF, Tennessee, 6-8, Fr.
Jarnell Stokes enrolled in college a semester early, but is already a man down low due to his size, strength, and skill.

26. Atlanta- Fuquan Edwin, G/F, Seton Hall, 6-6, Soph.
Fuquan Edwin is an athletic wing who is a terrific perimeter defender.

27. Philadelphia- LaDontae Henton, SF, Providence, 6-6, Fr.
The lefty is an inside/outside threat who rebounds the ball very well and one of my early, early sleepers for the 2013 Draft.

28. Miami- Lucas Noguiera, C, Brazil, 7-0, 1992
A raw seven-footer, Lucas Noguiera has been on scout’s radars for a while due to his size and athleticism.

29. Oklahoma City- Deonte Burton, PG, Nevada, 6-1, Soph.
Deonte Burton can be a distributing play-maker but also knows how to score the rock.

30. Chicago- Khris Middleton, SF, Texas A&M, 6-7, Jr.
The Aggie junior has battled injury this season but has a nice inside/outside game.

SECOND ROUND
31. Charlotte- Alex Oriakhi, PF, UConn, 6-9, Jr.

32. Detroit- Maalik Wayns, PG, Villanova, 6-2, Jr.

33. New Orleans- Trevor Mbakwe, PF, Minnesota, 6-8, Sr.

Go here for more on Trevor Mbakwe

34. Washington- Mouphtaou Yarou, PF/C, Villanova, 6-10, Jr.

35. Sacramento- Aaric Murray, C, West Virginia, 6-10, Jr.

36. Toronto- Isaiah Canaan, PG, Murray State, 6-1, Jr.

37. New Jersey- Aziz N’Diaye, C, Washington, 7-0, Jr.

38. Golden State- Brandon Paul, SG, Illinois, 6-4, Jr.

Go here for more on Brandon Paul

39. Phoenix- Tony Mitchell, SF, Alabama, 6-6, Jr.

40. New York- Jeff Withey, C, Kansas, 6-11, Jr.

41. Cleveland- Michael Snaer, SG, Florida State, 6-4, Jr.

42. Minnesota- Tim Frazier, PG, Penn State, 6-1, Jr.

Go here for more on Tim Frazier

43. Memphis- Matthew Dellavedova, PG, St. Mary’s, 6-4, Jr.

44. Houston- Erick Green, PG, Virginia Tech, 6-4, Jr.

45. Milwaukee- Zeke Marshall, C, Akron, 7-0, Jr.

46. Boston- Elias Harris, SF, Gonzaga, 6-7, Jr.

47. L.A. Lakers- Rodney Williams, SF, Minnesota, 6-7, Jr.

Go here for more on Rodney Williams

48. Portland- C.J. McCollum, SG, Lehigh, 6-3, Jr.

49. Orlando- Keith Clanton, PF, UCF, 6-8, Jr.

50. Utah- Elijah Johnson, G, Kansas, 6-4, Jr.

51. San Antonio- Wally Judge, PF, Rutgers, 6-9, Jr.

52. Dallas- Solomon Hill, SF, Arizona, 6-6, Jr.

53. Denver- Arsalan Kazemi, SF, Rice, 6-8, Jr.

54. L.A. Clippers- Raul Neto, PG, Brazil, 6-2, 1992

55. Indiana- Jared Cunningham, SG, Oregon State, 6-4, Jr.

56. Atlanta- Dexter Strickland, G, North Carolina, 6-3, Jr.

57. Philadelphia- Kenny Boynton, G, Florida, 6-2, Jr.

58. Miami- Rudy Gobert, PF/C, France, 6-10, 1992

59. Oklahoma City- J’Covan Brown, G, Texas, 6-1, Jr.

60. Chicago- Peyton Siva, PG, Louisville, 5-11, Jr.

David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank.  He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.  David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu.  He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.

You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.

It is kind of hard to believe that Selection Sunday for the NCAA Tournament is only five weeks away.  It is becoming time when college basketball teams are separating themselves as either tourney contenders or pretenders.  Here is The Sports Bank‘s latest Bracketology?  I have more than held my own the past couple of years against ESPN’s Joe Lunardi and with my extreme college hoops nerdom, plan to do so again this year.  Check back every week for an update.

UPDATED: 2/6/12

SOUTH REGIONAL-Atlanta

AT LOUISVILLE
1. Kentucky 23-1 (SEC)
16. UNC-Asheville 18-7 (Big South)/Mississippi Valley State 11-11 (SWAC)

8. Notre Dame 15-8 (BE)
9. Illinois 16-7 (B10)

AT PORTLAND
5. San Diego State 20-3 (MWC)
12. VCU 20-5 (CAA)/N.C. State 17-7 (ACC)

4. St. Mary’s 22-2 (WCC)
13. Nevada 19-4 (WAC)

AT  OMAHA
6. Mississippi State 18-5 (SEC)
11. California 18-6 (P12)

3. Kansas 18-5 (B12)
14. Oral Roberts 21-5 (Summit)

AT COLUMBUS
7.  Virginia 18-4 (ACC)
10. Kansas State 16-6 (B12)

2. Michigan State 18-5 (B10)
15. Akron 16-7 (MAC)

MIDWEST REGIONAL- St.Louis

AT LOUISVILLE
1. Ohio State 20-3 (B10)
16. Norfolk State 16-8 (MEAC)

8. Wichita State 20-4 (MVC)
9. New Mexico 19-4 (MWC)

AT COLUMBUS
5. Louisville 18-5 (BE)
12. Miami FL 14-7 (ACC)

4. Murray State 23-0 (OVC)
13. Middle Tennessee 21-4 (Sun Belt)

AT PITTSBURGH
6. Indiana 18-6 (B10)
11. BYU 20-6 (WCC)

3. Marquette 19-5 (BE)
14. George Mason 19-6 (CAA)

AT OMAHA
7. Vanderbilt 16-7 (SEC)
10. Memphis 16-7 (CUSA)

2. Missouri 21-2 (B12)
15. Belmont 17-7 (A-Sun)

EAST REGIONAL-Boston        

AT PITTSBURGH
1. Syracuse 23-1 (BE)
16. Long Island 17-7 (NEC)/Stony Brook 15-7 (AEC)

8. Temple 17-5 (A10)
9. Harvard 20-2 (Ivy)

AT ALBUQUERQUE
5. Creighton 21-3 (MVC)
12. Minnesota 17-7 (B10)

4. Florida State 16-6 (ACC)
13. Long Beach State 17-6 (Big West)

AT NASHVILLE
6. Southern Miss 20-3 (CUSA)
11. Cincinnati 16-7 (BE)

3. Florida 19-4 (SEC)
14. Cleveland State 20-4 (Horizon)

AT GREENSBORO
7. UConn 15-7 (BE)
10. Iowa State 17-6 (B12)

2. Duke 19-4 (ACC)
15. Bucknell 18-6 (Patroit)

WEST REGIONAL-Phoenix

AT GREENSBORO
1. North Carolina 20-3 (ACC)
16. UT-Arlington 17-5 (Southland)

8. West Virginia 16-8 (BE)
9. Alabama 15-7 (SEC)

AT PORTLAND
5. Wisconsin 18-6 (B10)
12. Seton Hall 15-8 (BE)/Xavier 15-8 (A10)

4. UNLV 21-4 (MWC)
13. Iona 19-5 (MAAC)

AT NASHVILLE
6. Michigan 17-7 (B10)
11. Washington 16-7 (P12)

3. Georgetown 18-4 (BE)
14. Davidson 17-5 (Southern)

AT ALBUQUERQUE
7. Gonzaga 18-4 (WCC)
10. St. Louis 18-5 (A10)

2. Baylor 21-1 (B12)
15. Weber State 18-4 (Big Sky)

Wrong Side of the Bubble:
Purdue 15-8 (B10)
Oregon 16-7 (P12)
Colorado 16-7 (P12)
Central Florida 17-6 (CUSA)
Arkansas 16-7 (SEC)
UMass 17-6 (A10)
Arizona 16-8 (P12)
Ohio 19-4 (MAC)

Multiple Bid Conferences:
Big East (9)
Big Ten (7)
ACC (6)
Big 12 (5)
SEC (5)
A10 (3)
MWC (3)
WCC (3)
CAA (2)
CUSA (2)
MVC (2)
Pac-12 (2)

Click here for a list of RPI and SOS

David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank.  He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.  David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu.  He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.

You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.

WCC (3)
CAA (2)
CUSA (2)
MVC (2)
Pac-12 (2)

The #3 Ohio State Buckeyes keep control of their first-place standing in the Big Ten with a 58-52 win over the #20 Wisconsin Badgers. Preseason All-American Jared Sullinger was particularly strong with 24 points and 10 rebounds in the Buckeyes first win at the Kohl Center since 2000.

Wisconsin has become the poster-child for being outplayed, yet having the ability to somehow still be in the game. Today’s game was a perfect example while being out-rebounded (30-25), out-shot (43.1% to 40.0%) and out-hustled, but were still within a single point in the last couple of minutes.

What It Means: The Badgers are not the best team in the Big Ten; even with a different result today, it probably would have been unfair to use that statement anyways. But, what we do know is that the Buckeyes are the best team in the conference and that the Badgers showed they can play with anyone in the country. Earlier this season, they stayed within striking distance at North Carolina, another top-ten team. This bodes well for a team who should finish in the top-half of the Big Ten and get a respectable seed in the NCCA tourney.

Player of the Game: Ryan Evans (14 points and 5 rebounds)

Evans is in the midst of a breakout season and he really was UW’s best player this Saturday. With hindsight, the team probably should have fed the hot hand a little more, seeing how ugly the rest of the offense was. Despite the shooting woes, four Badgers did reach double-digit scoring; Taylor (12), Bruesewitz (11) and Berggren (10) joining Evans.

Stat of the Game: (18.5) The percentage of three-pointers made for the Badgers. UW was a dismal 5-of-27 from behind the arc. That wasn’t the only thing that went awry wrong for the Badgers as they also attempted their first free throw 33 minutes into the game. Considering all the things that didn’t go Bucky’s way, it was really shocking how close they were for most of the game.

What’s Next: After the loss to Ohio State, the path doesn’t get any easier for the Badgers who face a couple of tough road match-ups. First, they will bus up to the Twin Cities to take on an improving Minnesota club and then travel to East Lansing to take on Michigan State which should be a battle for the rights of being called the second-best team in the conference.

What did you think of the Badgers and Buckeyes match-up at the Kohl Center? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

In what essentially turned into a three-point shooting contest, Northwestern was able to beat Nebraska in the battle from beyond the arc, taking down the Huskers 84-74.

The Wildcats shot 45.2 percent from three (14-31) and 12 of their first 13 shots came from beyond the arc. The Huskers relied on the three as well, hitting on 11 of 26 shots for 42.3 percent on the night.

Because both teams relied heavily on low-percentage shots, Thursday’s game was full of runs. Every time Northwestern grabbed a lead, Nebraska would fight back, but the Wildcats were able to hold on at the end.

“Basketball is always a game of runs,” Northwestern forward Drew Crawford said. “Teams are going to make their runs when they’re down. They made a great run, they were knocking down shots, but we were able to stay composed and run our offense and that got us back into things.”

Crawford finished with 21 points, including four three-pointers, while fellow forward John Shurna finished with 28. The duo combined for over half of its team’s points, as only four other players received playing time for the Wildcats.

Northwestern was able to get to the free throw line 29 times against the Huskers and the Wildcats made 24 of those shots, which ended up being the difference in such a high-scoring game.

“You’re not going to go on the road and give up 84 points and beat anybody; I mean, Nebraska’s not,” Nebraska coach Doc Sadler said. “Give them credit for making shots. They made 24 free throws. That just tells you we’re fouling too much and defensively we weren’t doing the things we needed to do.”

To Northwestern coach Bill Carmody, how his team won didn’t matter, but getting that win was important for the Wildcats’ NCAA Tournament hopes, following a three-game losing streak. His team faces a much tougher test Sunday, as it heads to Champaign to take on Illinois.

“I’m happy to get a win, but now we have to move on,” he said. “When you in, you move on and when you lose, you move on.”

(Guest post by Kevin Trahan of bigtenorbust.com, purplewildcats.com and the Daily Northwestern.)

When Christian Watford committed to Indiana University at the beginning of his senior year of high school in 2008, he dubbed himself Christian “LeagueBound” Watford on Facebook.

The Birmingham, Ala. native just might have been on to something.

Now a junior forward at Indiana, Watford has displayed tremendous progress from as recently as last season, enough so that fellow TSB contributor David Kay pegged him as the 21st pick in a 2013 NBA mock draft, the actual event occurring the summer after Watford’s graduation.

Is Watford really league-bound? And a first-round pick, at that? 

At first glance, “C-Wat” certainly has the look of a NBA prospect. His size, 6-foot-9 and 225 pounds, is prototypical of a small forward at the pro level.

Watford also can score — a must for just about any swingman in the NBA. He shouldered a considerable portion of the scoring load his freshman season in 2009-10, especially after fellow frosh Maurice Creek — who at the time was scoring as well as any freshman in the nation — suffered the first of several crushing injuries. Watford averaged approximately 12 points per game in his initial campaign and then led the Hoosiers in scoring as a sophomore, netting 16 points per game.

While his average has taken a small dip this season (12.5 points per game) as a result of freshman Cody Zeller’s presence (Dave has Zeller going eighth in his 2013 mock), Watford’s efficiency has continued to improve this season. His field-goal percentage is up to 43.6 percent from 42.2 percent last year. 

Watford is as solid an option as any on Indiana’s squad to take an open pull-up jumper, but he also has become much more comfortable doing the little things for the Hoosiers. His one-on-one defense has improved tremendously; he often appeared too slow as an on-ball defender during his first two seasons in Bloomington and struggled with his defensive positioning within the context of a zone. The strides he has made this year are quite impressive — he helped reduce Kentucky’s Terrence Jones to nonfactor status in the Hoosiers’ still-epic home upset of the Wildcats (speaking of which, ESPN still replays Watford’s game-winning 3-pointer whenever it broadcasts an IU game).

I also find Watford’s increased willingness to attack the rim and draw the and-1 a plus for his pro aspirations. In some ways that willingness just generally comes with age — we find ourselves talking about how so-and-so should go to the rim all the time — but maybe with Watford it’s something bigger. He has done all the little things this year. He’s gone to the rim. He’s fought hard for defensive rebounds (leads the Hoosiers with 97). He’s gotten in the middle of opponents’ passes in transition and intercepted them, setting up his own team’s transition offense, one of the best in the nation. Watford has become comfortable in his role, and he has become quite a mature, game-changing player as a result. 

While Watford’s footwork can improve, his lack of natural speed could hurt him in the NBA, or at least relegate him to bench status. Small forwards arguably are the most athletic and versatile players in the league, and C-Wat just seems to lack that extra step you see in guys like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony and the like. For this reason, it’s unlikely that even with another year of college ball Watford could become a lottery pick. However, Dave’s prediction of 21st in the 2013 draft is perfectly reasonable — especially if Watford has a big senior season amidst the influx of talent the Hoosiers will undergo next year.

Bruce Weber has his 2011-12 Fighting Illini in real good shape to make the NCAA Tournament, with his third big, signature win coming just the other night over Michigan State. Yet he’s on both the hot seat and the bad side of Illini Nation. (Much more on this in a quickly upcoming post) Why?

Style points. Illini basketball is “sexy” alright, sexy as Camryn Manheim or Kathy Bates.

Their 42-41 win over MSU was the fewest points the program has scored in a win since 1946! Even though this teams look destined to hit Black Jack (21 wins) when the regular season ends, they still have an alarming amount of similarities to the 1998-99 team coached by Lon Kruger that set the school record for losses by going 14-18.

Weber’s 2008 team broke that dubious record by finishing 16-19 (yet another reason the Orange Nation is gathering pitchforks and torches right now).

Similarly wretched offense

This is what’s most noticeable and obvious in comparing the two teams. The current Illini are 9th in the league in scoring, 8th in field goal percentage, and dead last in three-point shooting. In fact, other than Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson, who would even bother guarding behind the arc? Seriously, who? Point guard A. Tracy Abrams has 5 3-pt field goals made on the season, POint guard B. Sam Maniscalco is shotting 25% FG, 13% 3-pt in conference play.

I said in my game recap story from the season opener that this team will really struggle with perimeter scoring this season. It’s been even worse than I thought.

Most games are very close, with plenty of scores in the 20s at halftime.

So much for helping the national reputation of Big Ten basketball with scores in conference play looking like this: 57-56, 59-54, 52-54, 42-41, And we’re only halfway through the conference season. Expect a few more 24-22 type halftime scores this year, just like the ones produced by that lovely team from my junior year at school in Champaign.

Like many seasons before, the Wisconsin Badgers do not have a top ranked recruiting class. In fact, Rivals.com has the Badgers at 48th and Scout.com at 53rd.

It’s been a tumultuous off-season for the Badgers who have lost six assistant coaches to other jobs and now have signed one of the smallest recruiting classes ever under Head Coach Bret Bielema.

Even with the disclaimers, I wouldn’t bet against the Badgers who often exceed their expectations. Here are the notable signees (four-star recruits) who hope they can play a part in the Badgers returning to the Rose Bowl for a third year in a row.

Vince Biegel (pictured above)

- 6’3, 225, LB

- Wisconsin Rapids, Wis. (Lincoln HS)

High School: Four-star recruit by ESPN, Rivals and Scout … No. 73 player nationally by Rivals … ranked as the No. 3 outside linebacker by Rivals, No. 15 by ESPN and No. 23 by Scout … top-ranked player in Wisconsin by ESPN and Rivals … finished his career with 425 tackles, 27 sacks, 10 interceptions, 10 forced fumbles, five fumble recoveries and four defensive touchdowns … in senior season, named U.S. Army, USA Today and Parade All-American … also the Gatorade Wisconsin Player of the Year and Conference Player of the Year … 2011 National Underclassman Midwest Ultimate Top 60 … winner of the John Anderson Award (outstanding linebacker) and finalist for the Dick Butkus Award

Bart Houston

- 6’4, 215, QB

- Dublin, Calif. (De La Salle HS)

High School: Four-star recruit by ESPN and Scout, three-star recruit by Rivals … ranked by Scout as the No. 7 quarterback in the country, by Rivals as the No. 12 QB and by ESPN as the No. 15 QB … holds school records for career passing yards and completions, surpassing Matt Gutierrez who played three seasons in the NFL … invited to ESPN Elite 11 QB camp and played in Semper-Fidelis All-American Bowl

Vonte Jackson

- 6’0, 190, RB

- Kenosha, Wis. (Bradford HS)

High School: Four-star recruit by Rivals and Scout and three-star recruit by ESPN … ranked as the No. 21 running back in the nation by Rivals, No. 22 by ESPN and No. 28 by Scout … No. 2 player in the state by ESPN and Rivals … missed almost all of senior season after tearing his ACL with 16 seconds left in second quarter of first game, still managed to rush for 160 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries and catch one pass for 38 yards before injury … carried 68 times for 956 yards and 13 touchdowns and caught 14 passes for 266 yards and four touchdowns in his junior year.

DJ Singleton

- 6’2, 195, S

- Union, N.J. (St. Peter’s Prep)

High School: Four-star recruit by ESPN and Scout and three-star recruit by Rivals … No. 14 safety in the country according to Scout, No. 18 by ESPN and No. 27 by Rivals … as a senior, selected for the US Marine All-American All-Star Game and the USA Today International Bowl … also chosen all-state, all-metro and all-county after posting 53 tackles, four sacks, three forced fumbles and 12 tackles for loss … named all-county and U.S. Army All-American Combine second-team after making 40 tackles with three sacks and three forced fumbles as a junior.

Dan Voltz

6’4, 295, OL

Barrington, Ill. (Barrington HS)

High School: Four-star recruit by Rivals, Scout and ESPN … seventh-ranked guard in the nation by Scout and No. 8 by Rivals, No. 19 offensive tackle in the nation by ESPN … third-ranked player in Illinois by ESPN and fourth-ranked in Illinois by Rivals … named all-state as a senior by Illinois High School Football Coaches Association, Illinois News-Gazette and Chicago Tribune, also named Mid-Suburban All-Conference and Daily Herald All-Area … IHSA All-State Academic Team member … team captain as a senior

The full list of new Badgers with videos can be found on the school’s website by clicking here.

What do you think of the Badgers 2012 signing class? Let me know by commenting below!

Nick Grays is a senior writer at the Sports Bank where he covers the Wisconsin Badgers, Green Bay Packers, and Milwaukee Brewers. He also enjoys to share Fantasy Advice from time-to-time. Follow him on Twitter by clicking here or visit his blog Nick Knows Best.

The 2012 NBA Draft figures to consist of a deeper, more talented group of prospects that the 2011 class.  Team needs HAVE been taken into consideration with this 2012 NBA mock draft and the order is based on the current NBA standings.  Click on the players’ name for a complete, in-depth scouting report.

(By the way, The Sports Bank was graded as the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.)

UPDATED: 2/2/12

31. Charlotte- Draymond Green, F, Michigan State, 6-6, Sr.
A young team like the Bobcats would benefit having somebody with Draymond Green’s versatility and basketball IQ on their roster.

Go here for more on Draymond Green

32. Detroit- Alex Young, G/F, IUPUI, 6-6, Sr.
Pistons could use some depth and scoring on the wing.

33. Cleveland (from NO)- Darius Miller, G/F, Kentucky, 6-8, Sr.
The Cavs really need an up-grade of talent on the wing and Darius Miller could be a useful role player off the bench.

34. Washington- Darius Johnson-Odom, SG, Marquette, 6-3, Sr.
Depth at the two would make sense since Nick Young becomes a free agent after this season.

35. Sacramento- Kevin Jones, F, West Virginia, 6-8, Sr.
Jones is having a monster senior season for the Mountaineers and would be a solid value pick at this point of the draft.

36. Toronto- Hollis Thompson, SF, Georgetown, 6-8, Jr.
Hollis Thompson is a terrific shooter with good size who could provide a scoring punch off the Raps’ bench.

37. Golden State (from NJ)- Damien Lillard, PG, Weber State, Jr.
The Warriors signed Nate Robinson as a short term, back-up point guard.  Damien Lillard could be the long-term answer behind Stephen Curry.

38. Denver (from GS)- Scott Machado, PG, Iona, 6-1, Sr.
Scott Machado is one of the best pure distributors in college basketball and provides insurance at the point in case Andre Miller leaves via free agency.

39. Atlanta (from PHX)- Andrew Nicholson, PF, St. Bonaventure, 6-9, Sr.
Again, with only six players under contract for next season, Hawks need depth everywhere and go best available player.n

Go here for more on Andrew Nicholson

40. New York- Tyshawn Taylor, PG, Kansas, 6-3, Sr.
Knicks need depth all across the board but are still searching for an answer at the point.

41. Cleveland- Robert Sacre, C, Gonzaga, 7-0, Sr.
The Cavs would be wise to use one of their picks in this draft in finding a true center.

42. Houston (from MIN)- Augusto Cesar Lima, PF, Brazil, 6-10, 1991
With four picks in this draft, the Rockets will take at least two foreign players who they can hope will develop overseas and contribute down the line.

43. Memphis- JaMychal Green, PF, Alabama, 6-8, Sr.
The Tide senior is a solid value at this point and would add some depth inside for the Griz.

44. Detroit (from HOU)- Furkan Aldemir, PF, Turkey, 6-9, 1991
With their third pick of the draft, Pistons go the foreign route.  (This pick stays with Houston if is between #31-#40.)

45. Milwaukee- Henry Sims, C, Georgetown, 6-10, Sr.
The Bucks don’t have a true back-up big man for Andrew Bogut; a role that Sims could maybe fill.

46. Boston- Orlando Johnson, SG, UC-Santa Barbara, 6-5, Sr.
C’s should look to add depth at the two in case free agent-to-be Ray Allen doesn’t return next season.

47. Dallas (from LAL)- Ricardo Ratliffe, PF, Missouri, 6-9, Sr.
The Mizzou big man has a chance to stick on an NBA roster due the energy and physicality he brings to the floor.

48. Portland- Jordan Taylor, PG, Wisconsin, 6-1, Sr.
Taylor gives the Blazers an option at the point in case Raymond Felton leaves via free agency.

Go here for more on Jordan Taylor

49. Orlando- Jarrod Jones, PF, Ball State, 6-9, Sr.
Like I said earlier, since their future hinges on Dwight Howard’s status, anything is possible so I’ll give the Magic the best available player.

50. Utah- Dee Bost, PG, Mississippi State, 6-2, Sr.
Jazz could use an up-grade at the point guard position.

51. San Antonio- Marcus Denmon, SG, Missouri, 6-3, Sr.
Marcus Denmon seems like the type of energy/role player who could find a home in San Antonio.

52. Washington (from DAL)- Renardo Sidney, PF, Mississippi State, 6-10, Jr.
When you are a team starving for talent, you can afford to take a risk on Renardo Sidney with your third pick of the draft.

53. Denver- Herb Pope, PF, Seton Hall, 6-8, Sr.
Herb Pope could stick on a NBA roster due to his ability to crash the glass and hit mid-range shots.

54. L.A. Clippers- Drew Gordon, PF, New Mexico, 6-9, Sr.
The former UCLA transfer could possibly provide the Clips with a rebounding, role player to bring off the bench.

55. Indiana- Reggie Johnson, C, Miami FL, 6-10, Jr.
Adding a big man behind Roy Hibbert, who is a restricted free agent this summer, seems like a wise move.

56. Atlanta- Tu Holloway, PG, Xavier, 6-0, Sr.
Kirk Hinrich is a free agent so the Hawks could use options at the point behind Marquis Teague.

57. Philadelphia- Jae Crowder, F, Marquette, 6-6, Sr.
Crowder could find a home in Philly thanks to his toughness, shooting ability, and versatility.

58. New Jersey (from MIA)- Kim English, G/F, Missouri, 6-6, Sr.
Kim English has a solid all-around game that could find him a home in the league.

59. Minnesota (from OKC)- Mike Scott, PF, Virginia, 6-8, Sr.
Scott is an inside/outside forward who could provide depth in case Michael Beasley is not back next season.

60. L.A. Lakers (from CHI)- Kyle O’Quinn, C, Norfolk State, 6-10, Sr.
Lakers need to find depth at every position and O’Quinn could find a spot on their roster due to his size.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FIRST ROUND

David Kay is a senior feature NBA Draft, NBA, and college basketball writer for the Sports Bank.  He also heads up the NBA and college basketball material at Walter Football.com and is a former contributor at The Washington Times Communities.  David has appeared on numerous national radio programs spanning from Cleveland to New Orleans to Honolulu.  He also had the most accurate 2011 NBA Mock Draft on the web.

You can follow him on Twitter at DavidKay_TSB.