CONFERENCE PREDICTIONS
WEST DIVISION
AS SN SS LN BR AVG
UA 2 1 1 1 1 1.20
LS 1 3 2 2 3 2.20
AR 3 2 3 3 2 2.60
UM 4 4 5 4 4 4.20
MS 5 5 4 5 5 4.80
AU 6 6 6 6 6 6.00
EAST DIVISION
AS SN SS LN BR AVG
UK 1 1 1 1 1 1.00
VU 2 4 4 2 2 2.80
UF 3 2 2 5 3 3.00
SC 4 3 3 3 4 3.40
UT 5 5 5 4 5 4.80
UG 6 6 6 6 6 6.00</PRE>
KEY--AS-Athlon Sports; CBS-CBS Sportsline.com; SN-Sporting News; SS-Street & Smith's; LN-Lindy's; BR-Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
All major publications having UT ranked 5th in their division!
WEST DIVISION
AS SN SS LN BR AVG
UA 2 1 1 1 1 1.20
LS 1 3 2 2 3 2.20
AR 3 2 3 3 2 2.60
UM 4 4 5 4 4 4.20
MS 5 5 4 5 5 4.80
AU 6 6 6 6 6 6.00
EAST DIVISION
AS SN SS LN BR AVG
UK 1 1 1 1 1 1.00
VU 2 4 4 2 2 2.80
UF 3 2 2 5 3 3.00
SC 4 3 3 3 4 3.40
UT 5 5 5 4 5 4.80
UG 6 6 6 6 6 6.00</PRE>
KEY--AS-Athlon Sports; CBS-CBS Sportsline.com; SN-Sporting News; SS-Street & Smith's; LN-Lindy's; BR-Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook.
All major publications having UT ranked 5th in their division!
Fifteen years ago, Deon Thomas of Chicago Simeon was a prized high school recruit. He was courted by both Illinois and Iowa. Ultimately, he chose Illinois and went on to be one of the best players in the '90s for the Illini. But the Iowa Hawkeyes, particularly Tom Davis then assistant Bruce Pearl, weren't eager to see him in Champaign-Urbana. They framed Illinois in a recruiting "scandal" with the NCAA. A summary from ChicagoSports.com:
[Bruce] Pearl contends at one point, [Deon] Thomas told him Illinois was offering $80,000 and a Chevrolet Blazer. Pearl, then a 29-year-old assistant, huddled with his bosses, who decided to buy audio equipment and have Pearl tape subsequent conversations with Thomas.
When an NCAA investigator inquired, Iowa officials decided to turn over the tapes, which appeared to back Pearl's claim. Thomas later said he was just trying to get Pearl off the phone.
The NCAA cleared Collins and Illinois in Thomas' recruitment but sanctioned the Illini for other violations."
- Great coach...no doubt has done a great job...but Roy Williams has done an even better job...considering UT did have 'some' talent coming back this season.
[Bruce] Pearl contends at one point, [Deon] Thomas told him Illinois was offering $80,000 and a Chevrolet Blazer. Pearl, then a 29-year-old assistant, huddled with his bosses, who decided to buy audio equipment and have Pearl tape subsequent conversations with Thomas.
When an NCAA investigator inquired, Iowa officials decided to turn over the tapes, which appeared to back Pearl's claim. Thomas later said he was just trying to get Pearl off the phone.
The NCAA cleared Collins and Illinois in Thomas' recruitment but sanctioned the Illini for other violations."
- Great coach...no doubt has done a great job...but Roy Williams has done an even better job...considering UT did have 'some' talent coming back this season.
awol256 said:
Illinios is not a school to be trusted, plain and simple.............especially in the Lou Henson days.
It must be very hard to be an Illini fan and not a Hawkeye fan considering the turbulations, support, and legendary teams both schools have had athletically over the past 75+ years.
But if one grew up in Illinois, can certainly understand the reasoning and would probably fall into the same trap.............possibly.
ope:yeah- actually Pearl UW-Milwaukee team lost to Illinois last year in the Tourney...they made a big deal about the drama.
Also...UW-Milwaukee faced Ill-Chicago 2 to 3 times a season in the Horizon Conference...Jimmy Collins coached Ill-Chicago, and was an assistant coach at Illinois when the shit went down.
In every meeting...they never shook hands before or after the game.
I guess the Pearl incident was pretty big news went it went down & people are still pissed about it.
Also...UW-Milwaukee faced Ill-Chicago 2 to 3 times a season in the Horizon Conference...Jimmy Collins coached Ill-Chicago, and was an assistant coach at Illinois when the shit went down.
In every meeting...they never shook hands before or after the game.
I guess the Pearl incident was pretty big news went it went down & people are still pissed about it.
