The final weekend of the college basketball regular season is upon us, and with it lots of seeding implications are still at stake. We're only five days away from the start of the Big Ten Tournament, which will be staged at the United Center in Chicago this year. So with that in mind, let's take a look at some of the major storylines heading into the BTT. Narratives abound with … [Read more...] about UCLA, Purdue, Northwestern, Illini Among Big Ten Tournament Storylines
College Football
Nick Martinelli Deserves a Huge Send-off vs Purdue Boilermakers on Senior Night
The Northwestern Wildcats will have a very special Senior Night when the #8 Purdue Boilermakers come to town in midweek. Nick Martinelli, last season's Big Ten scoring champion, who leads the league in points per game again this term, will play his final home game. The Glenview, Illinois native, so i.e. the local kid, will have a massive cheering contingent on hand for this … [Read more...] about Nick Martinelli Deserves a Huge Send-off vs Purdue Boilermakers on Senior Night
Chip Kelly the New Northwestern Offensive Coordinator; Wildcats Make Splash Hire
Editor's Note: Updating the piece from New Year's on the Northwestern Wildcats' splash hire at Offensive Coordinator. Chip Kelly, who most recently held the same position with the Las Vegas Raiders, will now take over the NU offense. This new version of our original article contains quotes from Kelly's introductory press conference. … [Read more...] about Chip Kelly the New Northwestern Offensive Coordinator; Wildcats Make Splash Hire
Bret Bielema Has an $88,000 Super Bowl Ring
As Super Bowl 60 approaches this Sunday, it's a good time to be reminded of the bodacious bling possessed by Illini Coach Bret Bielema. In addition to the Rose Bowl ring that he earned during his playing days (1990 Iowa Hawkeyes, Big Ten Co-Champions, who lost to Washington 46-34), he also has a ring Super Bowl ring. It's from Super Bowl LIII, when he served as the defensive … [Read more...] about Bret Bielema Has an $88,000 Super Bowl Ring
New Notre Dame DC Aaron Henry: 5 Worst and 5 Best Games at Illinois
Aaron Henry is off to Notre Dame. He is now "former" Illinois Defensive Coordinator, and this change has made without the need of Illini head coach Bret Bielema having to fire anyone. Given how Henry is his crony, and a former player of his at the University of Wisconsin, it would have been an extremely difficult conversation. It is kind of like how Ohio State hired away … [Read more...] about New Notre Dame DC Aaron Henry: 5 Worst and 5 Best Games at Illinois
Indiana Hoosiers Become First 16-0 Team 1894 Yale Bulldogs
Prior to the triumph of the #1 Indiana Hoosiers last night in Miami, only one major college football team, the 1894 Yale Bulldogs, had finished a 16-0 season. As The Simpsons supervillain, C. Montgomery Burns is Yale class of 1914, perhaps he has an awareness of that famed team that came around 20 years before he graduated. To quote Mr. Burns, on his way home from … [Read more...] about Indiana Hoosiers Become First 16-0 Team 1894 Yale Bulldogs
Nate Scheelhaase Conveyed Coaching Potential Back During His Illini Days
With Nate Scheelhaase now a Los Angeles Rams assistant coach who is set to interview for open NFL head coaching jobs, the time is right to throwback to his Illinois days. So with that in mind, we flash back to this exclusive interview that we did with Scheelhaase back at 2013 Big Ten Media Day. … [Read more...] about Nate Scheelhaase Conveyed Coaching Potential Back During His Illini Days
Nick Martinelli: NBA Draft Stock Report on Northwestern Forward
After a 26 year drought, Northwestern returned to the NBA Draft last June when Brooks Barnhizer was selected by the Oklahoma City Thunder with the 44th overall pick. Evan Eschmeyer, in 1999, had been the most recent Wildcat selected. Now Nick Martinelli, the nation's leading scorer, could follow Barnhizer to the NBA this June. Northwestern basketball head coach Chris Collins … [Read more...] about Nick Martinelli: NBA Draft Stock Report on Northwestern Forward
#16 Illini Basketball at Northwestern Wildcats Preview, Prediction, FYIs
Wednesday night brings the first of the two annual basketball versions of the Land of Lincoln Trophy game as the #16 Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team (13-5, 4-1) visits the Northwestern Wildcats (8-8, 0-5). The Illini haven't been as dominant at Welsh-Ryan Arena in recent years, as you might think, given the disparity in historical success of the two in-state Big Ten … [Read more...] about #16 Illini Basketball at Northwestern Wildcats Preview, Prediction, FYIs
Chris Collins Admires Tom Izzo’s Quest to Preserve College Basketball Norms
No matter where his career heads in the future, Northwestern basketball coach Chris Collins will always be "the guy that did the thing." He led the program to their first three NCAA Tournament berths. Priot to his arrival, Northwestern basketball was regarded to be a program with very little, some would even say no, real history, and Collins changed all that. This season may … [Read more...] about Chris Collins Admires Tom Izzo’s Quest to Preserve College Basketball Norms