Bracket Time!

The NCAA tournament is in full swing! Illinois is preparing for this to begin, and I'm sure everyone is a bit nervous. No one is really sure how they will do, but most bets are on them loosing. I, on the other hand, have Illinois going all the way every single year, no matter how good they are. (I guess this is my way of hoping a lot of luck from St. Patrick will head their way!)

Everyone is entering the different bracket competitions I guess you could call them. Whether they are 5$ or 10$ to enter, I always know spring is coming when I see my brother scribbling away at his bracket, talking it over with my dad about who is going to defeat, and who is fall.

No one will forget the starters of the 2005, including Dee Brown. Loosing to North Carolina in the championship is a grudge against that team I will hold forever!

Quick News!

Some quick news:

-Men's basketball lost to Purdue 66-56 (Big Ten Semifinals)

-Men's baseball is ranked number 21

-Men's track partcipated in the NCAA Indoor Championships

-Men's gymnastics is ranked number 4

With all these men's teams, where are all the women? Spring sports are in full swing, with the weather getting nicer and spring break quickly approaching!

Sat. April 25th- first spring football game, and footballs' first practice is March 31st!! Doesn't it seem like we just heard about all the winning teams in football?

Big Ten Network...Friday....530 p.m......your couch and favorite Illini t-shirt...be there! The Men's basketball team faces the Michigan Wolverines tomorrow. March 12-15th is some people's favorite times of the year. It is the Big Ten tournament... the top of their website says Big Life Big Stage Big Ten. If you want big, fun to watch and intense college basketball games, check out the Ben Ten tournament games. (The Big Ten does include 11 teams, not 10). Michigan State, Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin have all claimed the title of champions twice since the beginning of this tournament. Let's see who decides to pull it off this year! Check out this website for more info about the tournament!

Illini Fan- Wear

Whether your hoodie is white,

orange, or blue, you can always

support the Illini while being

fashionable and warm.

Go here for more hoodies from Campus Colors

T-shirts can be casual just to sit around the house,

or perfect for the big football or basketball game. They can just help pack the gym with orange, or have your favorite saying on them.

You can get a Fighting Illini duffle bag for the gym or your sport, or maybe Illinois lounge chairs. Maybe you want to start your day off with an Illini coffee mug. Either way, there are many different items you can purchase to support the Illini. Except most aren't obssessed as my family!

Flips Flops Amaze

As I'm sure most of you agree, gymnastics has always been an aspiration of mine. Therefore, I have an extreme jealousy and admiration for all those who have the ability to be talented gymnasts. The Fighting Illini women's gymnastics team is ranked 15, and has a meet this Saturday against Illinois-Chicago. The meet is a double dual, with the men's team against UIC. The men are ranked number 5 in the nation. WOW! Being the last home meet of the season, it will be senior night.

It is crazy how much we are being reminded that seniors are coming to a close, let's see if a story on senior slide comes about in our feature stories- due Wednesday!! Go here for pictures of the women's team! Also, check out the men's basketball game tongith!

Special Seniors

Today, Sunday March 1st, was the last men's home basketball for the season. There are 4 departing seniors that will be missed, and they inlcude C.J. Jackson, Trent Meacham, Chester Frazier, and Calvin Brock. With the 4 men graduating with four different degrees, they figured out a succesful way to be the leaders of a strong team. Although today was a loss against Michigan State, they put up a good fight and it was not a blow out, but a very close game up until the end. The Illini is one of the most improved teams in the nation, and I'm sure everyone is sad to see these seniors go.

Although loosing seniors in any sport or even just the school is an adjustment, everyone goes on the bigger and better things. As all seniors depart, we must know that they will make the school proud and go very far in their lives. Go here for more information and notes about today's game.

150th Win for Weber

As head men's basketball coach Bruce Weber had his 150th win on Sunday, they defeated Ohio State. He has now the highest winning record of any Big Ten coach who coached 6 total seasons. It only took 203 games to complete his accomplishment of 150 wins. Congratulations Bruce Weber :)

Throughout watching many years of watching Illinois basketball, Bruce Weber has been a dedicated coach through everything. He gets into the games no matter what the score, giving advice and input. I know that he is not one of those coaches that sits during the games, giving no help or guidance. Weber has never given up, even after the hardest losses through the years.