How ordinary and topsy-turvy has this pandemic season in school soccer been? So ordinary, playoff berths are at the line Saturday and the most productive bets to get into the four-team box are Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State and Notre Dame. Wait, that isn’t ordinary in any respect. But the entirety else has been extra three-sheets-to-the-wind than your Uncle Earl at after-hours karaoke, OK? Conferences opening play on utterly other schedules. Countless recreation postponements and cancellations, together with no less than 3 of the latter (Purdue-Indiana, Michigan-Iowa, Michigan State-Maryland) within the Big Ten all through this newfangled “Champions Week.” Star avid gamers opting out. Star coaches checking out certain. On and on, but right here we're. Before the playoff variety committee
Tag: Ten
No. 6 Illinois beat No. 10 Duke 83-68 in ACC/Big Ten
DURHAM, N.C. — Ayo Dosunmu scored 18 issues and sixth-ranked Illinois shot 58% to overcome No. 10 Duke 83-68 on Tuesday evening within the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Kofi Cockburn added 13 issues for the Fighting Illini (4-1), who jumped to a 14-2 lead and not seemed again. The Fighting Illini led by means of 14 at halftime and didn’t let the margin slip under double figures after the damage, handing the Blue Devils their 2nd nonconference house loss in every week whilst enjoying with out their famously adverse Cameron Indoor Stadium crowd amid the coronavirus pandemic. Illinois led by means of 19 issues early in the second one part, aided by means of an outdoor taking pictures effort that
Illinois-Duke: Illini rep Big Ten vs. ACC
OK, so it seems Duke has been beautiful first rate over time within the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. How does 19-2 general sound? How about 9-Zero at Cameron Indoor Stadium? Yeah, smartly, a lot of good fortune to whoever will get the Blue Devils this yr. Uh-oh — that might be Illinois. The maximum promising Illini workforce since early on within the Bruce Weber years will discuss with Durham, North Carolina, on Tuesday and take a look at to be one thing greater than a sacrificial lamb. Actually, that’s promoting the Illini quick. Brad Underwood’s top-10 workforce is just right sufficient to overcome anyone. But Ayo Dosunmu couldn’t purchase a bucket, Kofi Cockburn couldn’t keep out of foul bother and now
Illinois coach Lovie Smith’s beard steals present at Big Ten
For the second consecutive Big Ten media days, Illinois coach Lovie Smith’s beard stole the present on the Hilton Chicago. That was about the one factor value speaking about Thursday on the Illini entrance. Smith’s beard was noticeably thicker and longer than it was final 12 months. But sufficient about his facial hair. This was Smith’s fourth Big Day media days, and he approached it the identical approach as he has previous occasions. He spewed empty platitudes and preached optimism for the upcoming season. ‘‘When we first got here, we knew there were some challenging things that we had to take care of, and we attacked it,’’ Smith mentioned. ‘‘We went to work immediately. We overhauled