2025-2026 B1G Basketball Thread

[medinabuckeye1]

I may drop in on NIT semis this week which will be at Hinkle w some hoop junkies who have never been.  Im sure they could find bigger hoop fan hosts as their ambassadors.

Hoops Bonanza this week in Indy.  NIT, HBCU, Division II, III and of course the DI final four here this week/weekend.

From my experience with the F4, you should probably be rooting for Arizona and UCONN.  

My guess is that the crowd Saturday night will be something like:

• 40% Illinois
• 30% Michigan
• 15% UCONN
• 10% Arizona
• 5% Random fans not following any particular team.  

This is based on all four being pretty large public Universities but the distances being dramatically different.  Lucas Oil is:

• 125 miles / 1:56 from Illinois' State Farm Center
• 269 miles / 4:14 from Michigan's Crisler Center
• 862 miles / 13:21 from UCONN's Gampel Pavilion
• 1,690 miles / 25:00 from Arizona's McKale Center

There are two factors at play here.  First, there will be a LOT more Illinois and Michigan fans because it is a reasonable distance for them to drive.  Second, most of the Illinois and Michigan fans WILL drive so if their teams lose on Saturday night, they'll mostly drive home on Sunday.  The UCONN and Arizona fans will be less numerous because the distance is so great and additionally even if their teams lose they will probably stay because their return flights will not be until Tuesday so they will be kinda stuck.  

My guess is that if the CG is Illinois/Michigan it will be PACKED and tickets will be expensive but if it is UCONN/Zona it will be a much more sparse crowd and you could probably get in for CHEAP.  

[bayareabadger]

I may drop in on NIT semis this week which will be at Hinkle w some hoop junkies who have never been.  Im sure they could find bigger hoop fan hosts as their ambassadors.

Hoops Bonanza this week in Indy.  NIT, HBCU, Division II, III and of course the DI final four here this week/weekend.

I feel like I would be fascinated to see what the energy was at an NIT semi. When Wisconsin won a few games in it a few years back, I found the experience to be very odd. 

I weirdly know a couple of people who went to one of the division two schools, so I’ll probably keep an eye on that.

[MarqHusker]

Oh I dont want to go to any of these games, im not into paying to watch basketball.  im actually flying to Palm Springs this weekend.

I have some old friends who are in town and want to see Hinkle, thus I may go hang out w them

I would not pay to watch basketball in any Dome, let alone a lot of money.

[847badgerfan]

This is good. EDIT: The link works. No preview showing below.


https://www.facebook.com/reel/1931115840829863

[medinabuckeye1]

This is good. EDIT: The link works. No preview showing below.


https://www.facebook.com/reel/1931115840829863

LoL.  That ending was amazing because this is literally true:

Dook beefed it

Man they literally just had to stand still to win

[medinabuckeye1]

So who does everyone like in the Semis?  How about for the Championship?

Saturday, April 4 (TBS):

• Illinois -2.5 vs UCONN at 6:09
• Michigan -1.5 vs Arizona at 8:49

Monday, April 6

• IL/UCONN vs M/Zona at 8:50

[Wildcat4E]

I'd like to see Illinois/Arizona so I can feel conflicted.  It'd be cool to see a Purple Cat win a natty, on the other hand it'd be good for the XII to win another one.

So it'll probably be Michigan/UConn.

[bayareabadger]

I think I’d prefer Arizona to win. So probably Michigan. 

[847badgerfan]

3 of my final four are there (I had St. John's, officials had Dook).

I have AZ winning it all.

[SFBadger96]

Pretty sure it's going to be Michigan/UConn.

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Arizona winning it all might be enough for me to sneak into the top 10 and into the money in the pool, as I've got them winning the NC. But I have Florida beating UConn on the other side of the bracket so my only hope left is Arizona. I'm rooting for Illinois which I think isn't a common pick to the NCG, so that anyone who picked UConn doesn't gain points. 

[Brutus Buckeye]

I don't think Illinois will win, and I don't want the Wolverines to win. 

[medinabuckeye1]

I don't think Illinois will win, and I don't want the Wolverines to win.

Same. 


My preference would be Illinois over Arizona. 

[ELA]

Listening to the Athletics NBA podcast talking about the tournament, and I love the takes of people who only kind of care about college basketball.

One guy said it's weird that Yaxel is laughing about teams putting freshmen on him.  Said, you are in your 6th year of college basketball, if you want to play against guys your age, there are options, you are the one who decided, no thanks, that seems hard.