CHAMPAIGN – Inside the Big Ten footprint, we’re told by the guys who make millions to coach basketball that the league is the best in the country.
Two years ago, Illinois’ Brad Underwood said it was the best in the history of college basketball.
Outside that footprint, apparently, the league’s image as the powerful conference of legends and leaders in the rust belt is getting, um, a bit rusty. Just ask Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim, who offered up this missile a couple months ago to anyone who would listen.
“You can say what you want about the Big Ten,’’ Boeheim told ESPN. “They sucked in the (NCAA) tournament. To me, that’s what they did. All of their wins were in the league. If you can’t play in the tournament, then you’re not good.’’
Boeheim picked at a raw spot on the Big Ten’s image. A team hasn’t won the NCAA Tournament while playing in the Big Ten since Michigan State did it in 2000. Remember Mateen Cleaves and the Flintstones? The Illini gave it a run in 2005, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State and Wisconsin have played for a title, but there’s been no banners hung.
Meanwhile, since that title in 2000 by Izzo’s crew, eight teams from the ACC, five from the Big East, three in the SEC, three in the Big Ten and one from the AAC have all won national titles.
When No. 16 Illinois hosts Syracuse Tuesday in the final run for the Big Ten-ACC Challenge, there’s a bit of a backstory to this game beyond the matchup between the fast-rising Illini and the surging Big Ten against and the 2-3 zone from Syracuse and the ACC.
Boeheim has a national title, a 2003 championship won with freshman star Carmelo Anthony. He’s also got a track record for wins and success in the tournament, even when the Orange just sneak into the field. For Boeheim and Syracuse, the NCAA Tournament is all that matters.
In the four tournament appearances since 2014, Syracuse reached the second weekend three times and appeared in the Final Four in 2016, despite carrying no seed higher than eighth.
“I’ll take the Sweet 16 if we finish (sixth in the ACC),’’ he said. “Would I like to do better in the regular season? Sure, But I’ll take that every year. We’ve been very good in the tournament.’’
Illinois hasn’t helped the conference in recent years. As the conference tournament champ in 2020, Illinois fell to Loyola, an in-state major. A year ago, the Illini dodged a first-round upset to Chattanooga as the Big Ten regular-season champ before falling hard to Houston in the second round.
But the Illini – and the Big Ten – are back for more, building a resume early this season with the hopes of something big paying off in March and April.
After a strong showing in the first weeks of the season, Purdue is a hot topic on the sports talk circuit. The Boilers jumped 19 spots to No. 5 after blowout wins over Gonzaga and Duke. Besides the Illini, Indiana (10), Michigan State (20), Maryland (22) and Ohio State (25) are also in the rankings this week.
Illinois’ signature win thus far came against UCLA in Vegas, as the league flexed its muscle early.
“I don’t think it’s any surprise to any of the coaches,’’ Underwood said. “The departures (to the NBA) make it look like it’s going to be down. It’s proven otherwise.
“It’s a great league, as always. I don’t expect it to be anything but that. Great coaches, great players, great facilities, and great fan bases. I’m not shocked.’’
The challenge with the ACC was a made-for-TV event, great content in an otherwise part of the season when high majors slap around little brother for a buy game victory. It was also a litmus test for the two superpower leagues, even if the results in early December had little to do with the championship in April.
Things aren’t looking so good for Boeheim this year, so talking about Syracuse and the NCAA’s might be a moot point. The Orange already suffered losses to Colgate, St. John’s and Bryant. Yet Underwood can appreciate a guy who has 1,001 wins at the same school over 47seasons coaching his alma mater.
“I admire him. I admire longevity,’’ Underwood said. “You don’t win 1,000 games because you’re a bad coach. You know how to motivate and know how to teach. Everybody who has watched his career understands how good a teacher and motivator he is. That’s evident by his ability to win basketball games.’’
The game within the game is Illinois’ ability to handle the 2-3 zone, the Syracuse calling card for years. It’s both rare in the college game and effective in shutting down offenses.
“We’ve seen some (zone),’’ Underwood said. “We haven’t seen a ton. It’s what Jim does and what Syracuse is known for. We have to execute against it, make shots and move the ball – all things you have to do against a zone to beat it.’’
Junior Coleman Hawkins in the man in the middle, the Illini trigger on offense. His responsibility is moving the ball to the right spots.
The key point of emphasis is “get the ball in the middle,’’ Hawkins said. “I’ve been in the middle a lot, spraying it and making the right plays.’’
This zone stuff is unusual, Hawkins admitted
“I haven’t seen too much of someone consistently in a zone,’’ he said. “It will be fun to play against one.’’
But whether the Illini win in just the fourth matchup between these two powerful programs – the Illini defeated Syracuse in the regional final in 1989 – and the surging Big Ten rolls into December and the regular season with wins over the ACC among others, there’s still Boeheim, playing the role of the villain, on the other bench letting everyone know in Big Ten country that folks are keeping stats on which leagues win national titles.
The Big Ten-ACC Challenge is fun, but, according to Boeheim, the real test comes in March. And April.
