Rothstein: Louisville, Damyean Dotson And 16 Reasons To Love The Sweet 16
Louisville's press, Damyean Dotson's upside and Denzel Valentine's versatility are just three of the many reasons to love the Sweet 16.
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Louisville's press, Damyean Dotson's upside and Denzel Valentine's versatility are just three of the many reasons to love the Sweet 16.
It turned out that the Illini – and, most significantly, athletic director Mike Thomas – were indeed lucky. And in the end, that was good.
Despite the popularity of the clichéd, post-victory cry, nobody really "shocks the world."
Mitch McGary had 21 points and 14 rebounds, and fourth-seeded Michigan breezed through Virginia Commonwealth's vaunted pressure with a clinical performance Saturday, beating the fifth-seeded Rams 78-53 to advance to the NCAA round of 16 for the first time since 1994.
And this deeper dilemma affecting U. of I. athletics is so discouraging that after reading this column, you very well may be driven to drink yourself.
But because Thomas went after coaches that he – as well as the vast majority of other ADs in the country – couldn't get, he ended up badly embarrassing Illinois. Twice. And, in turn, Thomas, along with more than a little help from the Illinois trustees and administration, has succeeded in making a very good coaching job look like a radioactive one.
Illinois has reportedly reached out to Brad Stevens about its head coaching vacancy and its interest in the Butler head coach is "high".
Twelve years ago, after Lon Kruger bolted Champaign for NBA riches in Atlanta, it appeared that Illinois athletic director Ron Guenther had his successor in hand.
Thomas' latest rejection has left him in a tough spot. Other candidates now know how much money Illinois is willing to spend.
VCU head coach Shaka Smart has turned down Illinois' offer to become the next Illini men's basketball coach.
Will Shaka Smart leave his post at VCU to join Illini Nation?
Up to the minute developments on the Illinois-Shaka Smart discussions.
Unless something "drastic" changes in the next day, it appears Shaka Smart will reportedly stay at VCU instead of taking the Illinois job.
Sources close to Simeon head coach Robert Smith say he has been in Champaign having conversations with Thomas about an assistant job.
As Illinois continues its search for a new head coach, new athletic director Mike Thomas is after one guy.
It's difficult enough to hire the right basketball coach at Illinois, without choosing to limit the field of candidates beforehand.
When Shaka Smart, Virginia Commonwealth's coach and the apple of many an Illini fan's eye, opted on Thursday to don an orange tie – and a blue shirt, to boot! – for VCU's NCAA Tourney opener, both Twitter and Facebook burst alive with posts of breathless speculation.
With Bruce Weber officially out the door, here are nine possible Illini head coaching candidates.
According to a CBSSports.com report, VCU's Shaka Smart will stay at the school, and not cash in on the team's Cinderella run to the Final Four.
If the Butler Bulldogs win the national title, will they please leave?
The coaches in the Final Four consist of two seasoned veterans and a pair of young guns who are taking college basketball by storm.
Today's story involves whether Bruce Weber is going to leave Illinois for Oklahoma.
Shaka Smart is the hottest name among all college basketball coaches right now. He's taken an 11th seed Virginia Commonwealth team to the Final Four. But not too long ago he was a part of Oliver Purnell's staff.
We know where Brad Stevens has been. We know where he's at right now. And we know where he might be next Monday night.
As I struggled to watch the University of Texas-San Antonio crush Alabama State, I had the same feeling as the night before when I witnessed Clemson cruise to victory over UAB, the 'First Four' is a joke, I thought.
The public will have a chance Thursday to pay their respects to Spencer Leak Jr., the vice president of Leak & Sons Funeral Homes.
A man was stabbed and critically injured at a CTA station in Jefferson Park on Wednesday night.
The Chicago area has been upgraded to a Level 4 out of 5 risk for severe storms.
Four people, including two firefighters, were taken to the hospital, and over a dozen people were displaced, after an apartment building fire in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood on Thursday morning.
ComEd is responding to over 5,000 active outages on Thursday morning after severe storms overnight caused widespread damage in the Chicago area.
The House on Thursday defeated a last-ditch effort to extend a key spy authority until early July.
President Trump said the U.S. has taken out "millions" of barrels of Iranian oil in the dead of night, and said inflation will come down when the war ends.
Republican lawmakers grilled the Chicago Public Schools Chief Executive Officer Dr. Macquline King on Wednesday.
Chicago City Council members on Tuesday continued to put pressure on the Johnson administration to replace the city's ShotSpotter gunshot detection system, as a top city official revealed it could be eight more months to get it done.
A partial transcript of grand jury proceedings in the "Broadview Six" case were released Tuesday, demonstrating what attorneys for the now-cleared defendants say are instances of misconduct by federal prosecutors looking for an indictment.
An Illinois law banning "swipe fees" on taxes and tips — already delayed twice by lawmakers — appears to be on life support after a federal judge that once permitted it issued a permanent injunction against it this week.
A new study from the Cook County Treasurer's office underlines growing concerns about the impact the Illinois megaprojects bill could have on the county's property tax base and overall fiscal health.
As thousands of Chicagoans wrap up road trips over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, gas prices in the city have reached the highest levels seen in four years.
Consumer and environmental advocates said Monday that they found overcharges buried in the most recent rate-hike request by Nicor.
One week away from Memorial Day weekend and the unofficial start of the summer travel season, with gas prices remaining high, negotiations were set to resume Monday at the largest oil refinery in the Midwest.
Dr. Peter Stafford was working with a missionary group in the Congo when he came down with the virus last month.
While 330 Ebola infections are confirmed in central Africa and huge challenges remain, hundreds more suspected cases "have been cleared out," the WHO says.
June is World Infertility Awareness Month, and Northwestern Medicine on Monday shared the story of a woman who is celebrating the birth of her second child after a tumor disrupted her fertility.
The Centennial Park Aquatic Center in the southwest Chicago suburb of Orland Park has been closed to the public after two recent cases of E. coli infection.
Menopause can feel like a major turning point for millions of women, with symptoms like fatigue, weight gain, and brain fog can make women feel like their bodies aren't their own.
Walgreens is set to close in Chicago's Chatham neighborhood on Thursday, and there's growing concern about where families will get their medications.
The owners of Gene & Georgetti steakhouse are suing a concessions operator over their expansion at Midway International Airport.
DraftKings announced Monday that it is closing its sportsbook operation at Wrigley Field after only about two years.
After more than 80 years, there will be no Ann Sather restaurant location in the 900 block of West Belmont Avenue in Chicago's Lakeview community, effective in June.
Flight attendants at Chicago-based United Airlines have approved a new labor contract, marking their first pay increases in six years.
Forty years ago last weekend, crowds turned out for the Chicago Blues Festival — an event studded with a roster of stars for a spectacle that's still talked about today.
Visitors will soon be able to check out the set from CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" in Chicago, at the Museum of Broadcast Communications.
"Schmigadoon!" — which was tied for the most nominations, with 12 — won Best Musical, and "Liberation" took home the honor of Best Play at the 2026 Tony Awards.
Anthony Head played librarian and mentor Rupert Giles in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and recently appeared in "Ted Lasso."
Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams is on the cover of Madden NFL 27, the first Bear ever to grace the primary cover of the massively popular video game.
The House Republicans who questioned King are investigating districts that support transgender students, as well as minority programs.
Jumpstart your day at Lake Katherine in Palos Heights.
The public will have a chance Thursday to pay their respects to Spencer Leak Jr., the vice president of Leak & Sons Funeral Homes.
The Trump administration called the strikes self-defense, targeting Iranian surveillance, communications, and air defense systems. Jarred Hill reports.
Four people, including two firefighters, were taken to the hospital from the scene of the fire on Laflin Street off 45th Street.
The Chicago area has been upgraded to a Level 4 out of 5 risk for severe storms.
ComEd is responding to over 5,000 active outages on Thursday morning after severe storms overnight caused widespread damage in the Chicago area.
A massive tree came crashing down onto a van with the driver and six kids inside on Wednesday afternoon in Portage Park.
Two firefighters and two other people were taken to the hospital, and over a dozen people were displaced, after an apartment building fire in Chicago's Back of the Yards neighborhood on Thursday morning.
The public will have a chance Thursday to pay their respects to Spencer Leak Jr., the vice president of Leak & Sons Funeral Homes.
The Crisis Alternative Response Evanston, or CARE, team responds to calls that, before July 2024, would have been lumped into police calls.
The system will provide all heating, cooling, and ventilation for the high school's new physical education facilities and contribute to the school system, saving the district nearly $400,000 a year.
The forecast for a summer reopening of West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park is growing cloudy, as negotiations continue between the owners and landlord, after the safety net hospital abruptly shuttered its doors in March.
The Obama Presidential Center has been built with sustainability literally in its foundation. But its infrastructure for clean energy, environmentalism and climate change resiliency will also help the communities around it on Chicago's South Side.
A driver in Carol Stream says a band of hungry squirrels caused nearly $30,000 in damage to three different luxury vehicles because of plant-based parts they view as a tasty snack.
The Cubs have lost 22 of their past 29 games after starting the season 27-12.
White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery, who doubled and hit a game-ending homer in his big league debut Tuesday, had two more doubles Wednesday.
It was another humid day up at Halas Hall for day two of the Bears' mandatory mini-camp. One of the new faces on defense said he can handle the heat, and wants all the smoke, while a veteran offensive lineman is trying to regain his footing.
Michael Busch added a solo homer as the Cubs lost for the 21st time in 28 games.
The second-place White Sox (35-31) moved within a half-game of scuffling Cleveland atop the AL Central.
A fourth man has been charged in connection with a string of burglaries targeting video gambling terminals in Chicago's west and southwest suburbs since late last year.
A man has been charged with multiple acts of mail theft and burglary in the Chicago area dating back up to three years.
Chicago police on Wednesday released a surveillance image of someone they said was spotted fleeing the scene as a cross burned in Grant Park.
Attorneys for Salah Sarsour, president of Wisconsin's largest mosque, told a federal judge he has lost 30 pounds and is not receiving consistent medical care for Type 2 diabetes while held in an Indiana jail.
Nick Reiner is accused of stabbing his parents Rob and Michele Singer Reiner to death at their home in December.
