Illinois is in hassle towards Penn within the first spherical of the men’s NCAA Tournament.
Minor hassle, at least. Unless it’s no hassle in any respect.
Who could be positive?
Since the match expanded to 64 groups in 1985, No. 14 seeds have upset No. 3 seeds 23 occasions in 160 tries, or 14.4% of the time. So it undoubtedly occurs, and it may occur Thursday (8:25 p.m., TNT) in Greenville, South Carolina, although the Quakers completed third within the Ivy League through the common season and are on the mistaken finish of a 24½-point unfold.
Illini coach Brad Underwood isn’t taking something without any consideration. That’s as a result of 10 years in the past in New York, he witnessed mentor Bob Huggins go down laborious as a 3 seed, his West Virginia crew smoked 70-56 by 14 seed Stephen F. Austin. Nicknamed “Press Virginia” for the havoc they created defensively, the Mountaineers as an alternative had been harassed into 22 turnovers themselves, 15 greater than they created. Huggins was simply plain outcoached that day — by SFA’s Underwood, who’d labored for Huggins for six seasons at Kansas State.
It led to this all-timer of a quote from a disgusted Huggins:
“I don’t know why anybody would waste energy pressing us. We’ll throw it to you regardless.”
Don’t you simply have to like this match?
Another good story: Former longtime Iowa coach Fran McCaffery, who was fired final 12 months after his fifteenth season, landed at Penn, his alma mater. At 66, McCaffery — a temperamental coach Illinois followers cherished to not love, but additionally shut pals with Underwood — is again house in additional methods than one. Penn is in Philadelphia, McCaffery’s hometown.
The Quakers (18-11) upset Yale to win the Ivy match, with 6-9 ahead TJ Power — whom McCaffery calls “one of the best players in the country, bar none” — exploding for 44 factors and 14 rebounds. They received the match with out main scorer Ethan Roberts, who is from Arlington Heights (Hersey). Roberts is in concussion protocol and won’t play towards the Illini (24-8).
“If it was his ankle, he’d be playing. Tape it up,” McCaffery mentioned. “But the concussion stuff, you don’t mess with that. His future is too important, and we love him.”
Even McCaffery’s critics must admit his monitor document of getting groups to the Big Dance is spectacular. Long in the past, he bought Lehigh there and it helped lead him to UNC Greensboro. He took UNC Greensboro there and it helped lead him to Siena. He took Siena there 3 times — profitable first-round video games twice — and that bought him to Iowa. The Hawkeyes went to the match seven occasions beneath McCaffery.
Now Penn is dancing for the primary time since 2018.
“What he’s done with that team is just short of amazing,” Underwood mentioned. “They’re good. It’s a good basketball team. I see Fran’s thumbprint all over it, and the competitiveness.”
By the best way, that sound you hear within the distance is, in truth, McCaffery’s critics. They’re stating the person has taken groups to the NCAA Tournament 12 occasions with out ever making it previous the second spherical. It’s the reality. Barring a huge upset towards Underwood — who was 9-6 head-to-head towards McCaffery in Illinois-Iowa video games — it’s about to be 13.
Underwood would appear to carry all of the playing cards on this one.
“He gets pieces that fit,” McCaffery mentioned. “He gets pieces that prioritize winning, and his teams continue to win. Because, as we know, some teams that build rosters now look good on paper, but they don’t win. His teams win, and there’s a reason for that.”
But at Bon Secours Wellness Arena — Greenvillians simply name it “The Well” — something would possibly occur. That’s why it’s referred to as March Madness.
Well, effectively, effectively — a 14 over a 3? Or no hassle for the Illini in any respect?
It’s that point.
