Tag: Illinois

Saints attend first-round DT Johnny Newton’s pro day

The Saints were one of many teams attending first-round DT Johnny Newton’s pro day. He’d be a great addition next to Bryan Bresee:

The New Orleans Saints continue to do their homework in the trenches prior to draft day. Jordan Schultz of Bleacher Report reported that the Saints were one of many teams in attendance for Illinois defensive tackle Johnny Newton’s pro day.

Newton would have been worked out last month with the rest of his Illinois teammates at the school’s pro day, but opted to have foot surgery to repair a partial Jones fracture, pushing his pro day to Tuesday, April 16.

Newton, at 6-foot-2, 304 pounds is an athletic specimen along the defensive line. His hand usage at the point of attack to go along with his ability to bend around offensive linemen makes him one of the premier players at the defensive tackle position this year. Over his last three seasons at Illinois, Newton compiled 16.5 sacks and over 150 tackles, which shows the level of production he can potentially bring to a team as well.

With the Saints still very much in need of talent across the defensive line, Newton would be a great addition next to last year’s first round pick defensive tackle Bryan Bresee. Having these two side-by-side would not only provide some much needed pass rush but it would also shore up the position for the next 3 or 4 years.

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Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn in win over Illinois

Potential Thunder draft prospect Donovan Clingan leads UConn in win over Illinois.

The Oklahoma City Thunder could have two 2024 first-round picks in the lottery range. They own the Houston Rockets’ top-four protected pick and the Utah Jazz’s top-10 protected pick. The former looks more likely to come to OKC than the latter.

With the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament underway, the top prospects are in the spotlight as they draw national attention for their postseason performances.

Considering the Thunder will likely have at least one lottery pick, plenty of possible additions via the draft give fans a chance to see how they match up in high-stress situations.

One possibility is UConn center Donovan Clingan. He finished with 22 points on 9-of-13 shooting, 10 rebounds, five blocks and three steals in 22 minutes in No. 1 UConn’s 77-52 win over No. 3 Illinois in the Elite Eight on Saturday.

In his second season, Clingan has been part of a dominant UConn squad that seeks to repeat as national champions. The 7-foot-2 center averaged 12.5 points on 64% shooting, 7.2 rebounds and 2.3 blocks.

At 280 pounds, he has an NBA-ready frame and can give a team a classic rim-running big who can protect the rim. UConn went 31-3 and is No. 1 in the East Region.

The Thunder could envision Clingan adding serious size at center. He could start alongside Holmgren for jumbo lineups or serve as an efficient backup center for OKC.

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Big Ten Notebook: Illinois advances to Elite Eight in the NCAA Tournament

How is the Big Ten doing in the NCAA Tournament?

It hasn’t been a bad NCAA Tournament for the Big Ten.

For the first time since 2005, the Elie Eight will feature the Illinois Fighting Illini. On Thursday night, Illinois continued their championship run with a 72-69 win over Iowa State. In a hard-fought battle, the Big Ten conquered their latest challenge.

While Illinois has relied on its offense so far in the tournament, its defense shined on Thursday night. They held Iowa State to a 39 % shooting percentage and forced nine turnovers. While the rebound battle was close, Illinois took advantage of its second chances, recording 12 offensive rebounds.

Pray for the rims. pic.twitter.com/RFiZTXW6G5 https://t.co/fzqtuPfWhE

— Illinois Men’s Basketball (@IlliniMBB) March 29, 2024

As Illinois pulled off the upset, it was led by Terrence Shannon Jr. The Chicago native scored a team-high 29 points and added five rebounds to his resume. He also came through in the clutch with a steal and breakaway dunk in the closing seconds. Just like he has done all season, Shannon Jr. came through when needed.

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“People who know Terrence know what a great competitor he is,” Illini coach Brad Underwood told ESPN.“He was dialed in mentally.”

On Saturday, Illinois will be in action for arguably its toughest test of the tournament so far. They will take on No.1 UConn at 6:09 p.m. So far in the tournament, the Huskies have dominated, winning every game by at least 15 points.

Big Ten notebook: Illinois extends March Madness run, Michigan State falls to North Carolina

Updating how the Big Ten has looked in the NCAA Tournament.

On Saturday, the Big Ten had an uneven day in March Madness. Michigan State and Illinois were in action, but only Illinois won. Entering play on Sunday, three teams in the conference still have a shot at a national title.

After pulling off an upset against Mississippi State in the first round, Michigan State could not replicate its success. They took on No.1 North Carolina and did not take care of the basketball. In an 85-69 loss, the Spartans lost the turnover battle 11-5 and were outrebounded 37-32.

While Michigan’s season came to a disappointing end, there were a few bright spots, including Tyson Walker. The Westbury native scored a team-high 24 points, finishing the tournament with 43 total points.

 

Following their elimination, No.3 Illinois gave Big Ten fans a reason to celebrate with an 89-63 win over No.11 Duquesne. The Fighting Illini built a large lead early on that they would not relinquish, which included a 50-point first half.

As the Big Ten champions punched their ticket to the Sweet Sixteen, they were led by Terrence Shannon Jr. The Chicago native added 30 points to his resume and was hard to stop, shooting 71.4 percent from the field. Through his first two games of the tournament, the talented guard has 56 points.

After a few days off, Illinois will be back in action on Thursday afternoon. They will take on No.2 Iowa State at TD Garden.

March Madness: NCAA Tournament East Region odds, picks and predictions

Looking at March Madness futures odds to win the 2024 NCAA Tournament East Region, with expert picks, predictions and best bets.

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March Madness tips off Thursday, and the East Region bracket is absolutely loaded.

Below, we look at FanDuel Sportsbook’s NCAA Tournament East Region futures odds and and make our expert college basketball picks and predictions.

The East includes last year’s champs, the UConn Huskies (31-3); they’re the No. 1 seed. For Connecticut to get through this region, it will have to get past this season’s title teams from the Big 12, Big Ten, and SEC in Iowa State (27-7), Illinois (26-8), and Auburn (27-7), respectively. The Huskies (KenPom No. 1), Tigers (No. 4) and Cyclones (No. 5) represent 3/5ths of the top 5 on KenPom’s rankings.

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East Region futures odds

Provided by FanDuel Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 1:25 p.m. ET.

1 seed: UConn +110 (bet $100 to win $110)

2 seed: Iowa State +440 (bet $100 to win $440)

3 seed: Illinois +800 (bet $100 to win $800)

4 seed: Auburn +500 (bet $100 to win $500)

5 seed: San Diego State +2100 (bet $100 to win $2,100)

6 seed: BYU +1400 (bet $100 to win $1,400)

7 seed: Washington State +3400 (bet $100 to win $3,400)

8 seed: FAU +2900 (bet $100 to win $2,900)

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9 seed: Northwestern +5500 (bet $100 to win $5,500)

10 seed: Drake +4200 (bet $100 to win $4,200)

11 seed: Duquesne +13000 (bet $100 to win $13,000)

12 seed: UAB +13000 (bet $100 to win $13,000)

13 seed: Yale +11000 (bet $100 to win $11,000)

14 seed: Morehead State +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

15 seed: South Dakota State +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

16 seed: Stetson +25000 (bet $100 to win $25,000)

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East Region expert pick and prediction

Iowa State (+440)

Putting all the key betting factors together and weighing in the prices, the Cyclones come out with a lot of value. The champions of this year’s toughest league are elite at the defensive end and usually maintain key edges in turnovers, rebounding and free-throw frequency.

The analysis of the East includes some slight fading of No. 1 UConn, heavier fading of No. 3 Illinois and a bit of extra potential for an upset in No. 4 Auburn’s path.

Top 25: USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll

East Region contenders

AUBURN (+500)

The Tigers rank in KenPom’s top 10 in both offensive (10th) and defensive (4th) efficiency. The defense (including what AU does along the perimeter) and overall court skills should help Auburn avoid a misstep in what could be an interesting 1st-round game against Yale.

If the bracket plays out with AU playing UConn or Iowa State, consider that coach Bruce Pearl owns an 8-4 record against the spread when lined as an underdog.

San Diego State (+2100)

The Aztecs (24-10) are just 6-4 over their last 10 games, but they have the defense (39% field-goal accuracy allowed over those 10 games) and court skills to make for profit leverage at this price point. San Diego State sports a veteran lineup, and it gets its 1st 2 potential games in its own time zone (games in Spokane).

The futures market had shorter overall futures odds on SDSU a couple weeks ago. The Aztecs’ Jaedon LeDee is a power forward with possible late 1st-round NBA talent, and he’s a likely match-up problem for most teams San Diego State would play.

East Region long shots

Drake (+4200)

The Bulldogs (28-6) come out of the Missouri Valley Conference, a league that has often done damage from underdog slots in recent years’ brackets. Drake won the MVC Tournament and is 10-1 in its last 11 games.

DU hits from distance (36.5% from 3-point range) and takes great care of the ball. The Bulldogs are a top-notch defensive rebounding team. They have a 6-1 record in neutral-site games, and that includes a Dec. 9 rout of West No. 10 seed Nevada.

Morehead State (+25000)

Morehead State is a slow-tempo squad trending the right way at the defensive end, and that’s a dangerous combination. The Eagles often win the 3-point shooting battle, and they should be considered a live wire against 1st-round opponent Illinois and either team they might play in the 2nd round (BYU, Duquesne).

Both Drake and Morehead State are in the bottom half of the East Region bracket. Making the plays in tandem has merit.

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Injury report released for Wisconsin vs Illinois in Big Ten Tournament final

Injury report released for Wisconsin vs Illinois in Big Ten Tournament final

Wisconsin released its injury report ahead of Sunday’s clash with the Illinois Fighting Illini in the Big Ten Tournament final.

All of the Badgers starters and primary players are good to go, according to the report. That includes star point guard Chucky Hepburn, veteran forward Tyler Wahl and young guard John Blackwell, who are all currently battling minor ailments.

Hepburn missed Wisconsin’s win against Northwestern in the Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal, while both Wahl and Blackwell have played through their respective minor injuries.

Related: Wisconsin Badgers vs. Illinois Fighting Illini: TV channel, betting line, game notes for Big Ten Tournament final

Illinois, meanwhile, is fully healthy for the contest.

Greg Gard’s team is set to battle a Fighting Illini team and program that the Badgers haven’t defeated since 2019. A Big Ten Tournament title is on the line, but so is Wisconsin’s momentum after three straight stellar performances.

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On this day: Wisconsin clinches second Big Ten Tournament title

On this day: Wisconsin clinches second Big Ten Tournament title

Captained by big man Brian Butch, Trevon Hughes and Marcus Landry, Wisconsin clinched its second Big Ten Tournament win in school history on March 16, 2008.

Held at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, the Badgers entered the tournament with a 16-2 conference mark and No. 6 overall in the 2008 AP Poll, four spots higher than their last tournament win in 2004.

Five Badgers averaged eight or more points per game throughout the regular season. NBA veterans John Leuer and Greg Stiemsma, who combined to average 6.4 points per appearance, came off the bench for Bo Ryan’s squad. 

As the No. 1 seed in the conference tournament, Wisconsin throttled the University of Michigan 51-34 in its quarterfinal game. With three Big Ten All-Defensive Team members scattered throughout the rotation, UW held Michigan to 20% from the field and 18 points per half. Junior forward Joe Krabbenhoft led all scorers with 12 points. 

UW followed its explosive opening performance with a two-tally win against Michigan. Harris, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, scored eight of his 21 points in the final 2:56 of action. Wilkinson, Wisconsin’s most dependable big man, dropped 20 and corralled nine boards.

In its following contest, the Badgers orchestrated a 12-point comeback in the second half to steal a win from Tom Izzo’s Michigan State Spartans. Michael Flowers, an excellent two-way guard, nailed a game-winning layup with 28 ticks to spare before the final buzzer.

The Badgers advanced to the championship game and plowed through the tournament’s No. 10 seed, the University of Illinois, by 13 points. 

With the win, Wisconsin captured its second Big Ten Tournament victory in program history and automatically clinched a berth in the NCAA Tournament. Junior Marcus Landry was named the Big Ten Tournament’s Most Outstanding Player. 

Nate Snead recaps pitching performance against Illinois

Nate Snead recaps pitching performance against Illinois.

No. 8 Tennessee (16-1) defeated Illinois (5-9), 8-3, on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll.

Sunday’s win completed a three-game series sweep for Tennessee. The Vols also extended its win streak to 15 games, tied for the third-longest in program history.

Tennessee sophomore Nate Snead (4-0) pitched six innings in relief on Sunday, earning his fourth win of the season. He recorded five strikeouts and totaled 89 pitches, including 56 strikes, against 25 batters.

Snead transferred to Tennessee from Wichita State ahead of the 2024 season.

Following Tennessee’s series sweep against the Fighting Illini on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, Snead met with media. His postgame media availability can be watched below.

Tony Vitello recaps series sweep against Illinois

Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello recaps series sweep against Illinois.

No. 8 Tennessee (16-1) defeated Illinois (5-9), 8-3, on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll.

Sunday’s win completed a three-game series sweep for Tennessee against the Fighting Illini. The Vols also extended its win streak to 15 games.

Tennessee will next play Eastern Kentucky on Tuesday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium. First pitch is slated for 6 p.m. EDT and can be watched on SEC Network+.

PHOTOS: A look at Tony Vitello through the years

Following the Vols’ win against Illinois on Sunday, seventh-year head coach Tony Vitello met with media. His postgame press conference can be watched below.

Vols sweep Illinois for 15th consecutive win

Tennessee baseball sweeps Illinois and extends win streak to 15 games.

No. 8 Tennessee (16-1) defeated Illinois (5-9), 8-3, on Sunday at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Rankings reflect the USA TODAY Sports baseball coaches poll.

Sunday’s win completed a three-game series sweep for Tennessee. The Vols also extended its win streak to 15 games.

Aaron Combs started and pitched three innings for Tennessee. He recorded two strikeouts and totaled 57 pitches (39 strikes).

Nate Snead (4-0) pitched six innings in relief for the Vols, earning his fourth win of the season. Snead recorded five strikeouts and totaled 89 pitches (56 strikes).

Tennessee totaled six hits against Illinois, including three home runs (Blake Burke, Hunter Ensley, Robin Villeneuve).

The Vols recorded six two-out RBIs in the series finale.

Photo by Dan Harralson, Vols Wire