By Woodrow Carroll Those of you who watched the University of Kansas’ come-from-behind 72-69 victory over North Carolina in Monday night’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament championship games saw a good one. Kansas backers had to savor the Jayhawks’ coming from 15 points behind at halftime to pull out the victory.
By Bobby Narang Steve Christiansen is staying home. Some what The Hinckley-Big Rock High School graduate was named the new head coach of the Aurora University men’s basketball program March 17. For Christiansen, it continues a long-standing tradition of coaching near his roots. “I am honored to take the reins
By Woodrow Carroll If you want to put a positive spin on the Big Ten’s Conference’s showing in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) men’s basketball tournament this season, nine teams from the Conference in the field of 68 finished with a combined 9-9. However, the Big Ten came up
By Woodrow Carroll Were it not for Purdue University’s 71-61 victory over Texas late in the day Sunday, March 20 in the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) second round men’s basketball Division I game, the Big Ten Conference was looking at possibly its worst day in basketball history. Purdue came
By Woodrow Carroll Likely no event gives the sports public more fertile grounds for discussion than the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) Division I men’s basketball tournament; not even the Super Bowl, although many fans may take exception. Sixty-eight teams were selected for the 2022 NCAA men’s tournament which runs
By Woodrow Carroll In spite of a 58-57 victory over Ohio University Friday, March 4, the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball team failed to qualify for the Mid-American Conference (MAC) Tournament in Cleveland this week. With it the Huskies’ season likely has come to an end. The victory over Ohio,
By Woodrow Carroll There are 32 major college basketball conferences. Any team in any one of these conferences theoretically could capture the NCAA basketball tournament championship. The tournament will begin March 15. Clearly, the eventual national champion will come from approximately 20 schools. There are no undefeated teams this season.
By Woodrow Carroll What teams may perform well in the men’s collegiate basketball season and make the NCAA Tournament. March 15-April 4? There are 13 Illinois schools playing Division I basketball. Schools in theory, could be part of the Big Dance final four tournament. The University of Illinois heads up
By Al Benson Aurora University alumni and school basketball legends, Wallace “Mickey” Johnson, of Chicago, and James Lancaster, Aurora, former player/coach, reunited at a school’s basketball game Wednesday, Feb. 9. Johnson left his seat in Thornton Gymnasium to chat with Lancaster during halftime of the AU-Rockford University men’s basketball game.
Tyler Jones, Aurora University interim men’s head basketball coach, talks strategy with his Spartans Saturday, Feb. 12, in Aurora.
Aurora University interim men’s head basketball coach Tyler Jones, center, poses with basketball Spartans/prospective graduates on AU senior night Saturday, Feb. 12.
Aurora University’s Julie Galauner, 3, looks to pass and is defended by Edgewood College’s Abby Shane, 3, Tuesday, Feb. 8.
Aurora University’s Shamar Pumphrey, 1, is triple teamed by Edgewood College’s Jake Schroeckenthaler, 50; Caden Nelson, 2; and Avery Lyons, 0, Wednesday, Jan. 19.
By Woodrow Carroll Following the upper echelon of college football is a relatively easy task. With 130 teams vying for the national championship, which was won earlier this month by the Georgia Bulldogs, keeping up with the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams is not difficult. The NCAA Division I basketball
Aurora University’s Ha’ashim Keys, center, shoots, against defenders of Wisconsin Lutheran College.
By Woodrow Carroll It was not a classic two-game run for the Northern Illinois University men’s basketball program for sure. Yet, the two victories turned in by the Huskies last week were important. First, Northern Illinois edged Kent State, 65-63, on the road in a Mid-American Conference (MAC) match. Then,
IllinoisSat, Dec. 18, Saint Francis (Pa.), W 106-48Wed, Dec. 22, 8 p.m., BTN, vs. MissouriWed, Dec. 29, 8 p.m. , BTN, vs. Florida A&MSun, Jan. 2, 2022, 5 p.m., BTN, at MinnesotaThu, Jan. 6, 2022, 6 p.m., ESPN2, vs. Maryland NorthwesternSat, Dec. 18, DePaul, canceledMon, Dec. 20, Illinois-Springfield, W 90-50Thu,
IllinoisSat, Dec. 11, Arizona, L 83-79Sat, Dec. 18, noon, BTN, vs. Saint Francis (Pa.)Wed, Dec. 22, 8 p.m., BTN, vs. MissouriWed, Dec. 29, 8 p.m. , BTN, vs. Florida A&MSun, Jan. 2, 2022, 5 p.m., BTN, at Minnesota NorthwesternSun, Dec. 12, NJIT, W 70-52Sat, Dec. 18, 2 p.m., BTN, vs.
Aurora University’s Julian Gatewood, 10, drives through the lane defended by St. Norbert’s Garrett Grzesk, 41, Saturday, Dec. 4, in Aurora.
IllinoisFri, Dec. 3, Rutgers, W, 86-51Mon, Dec. 6, Iowa, W 87-83Sat, Dec. 11, 4 p.m., FOX, vs. ArizonaSat, Dec. 18, noon, BTN, vs. Saint Francis (Pa.)Wed, Dec. 22, 8 p.m., BTN, vs. Missouri NorthwesternTue, Nov. 30, Wake Forest, L 77-73Sun, Dec. 5, Maryland, W 67-61Sun, Dec. 12, 3 p.m., ESPNU,
