Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago Now that spring practice is solidly in the rearview mirror, we're examining the most indispensable players on each Big Ten team for the 2013 season. By indispensable, we don't necessarily mean best. We mean the players who would be hardest to replace between now and the start of the season if they got hurt or suspended or had to go battle White Walkers north of The Wall. That could be because of their value to the team, or because of a lack of depth at their position.
May 22, 2013Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy's decision to prohibit quarterback Wes Lunt from transferring to the SEC, the Big 12 or Southern Miss is being justifiably panned. It's petty and hypocritical for coaches, many of whom flirt with other jobs, to restrict players from pursuing their careers at their desired programs. That Tennessee is on Gundy's no-go list -- the same Tennessee that nearly pried Gundy away from his alma mater in December -- underscores the hypocrisy.
May 20, 2013
Quad-City Times Illinois shortstop Thomas Lindauer grew up around the game.
May 19, 2013Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago Illinois' search for playmakers to spark its sputtering offense in 2013 won't include wide receiver Darius Millines. Head coach Tim Beckman confirmed to The (Champaign) News-Gazette that Millines and defensive lineman Darrius Caldwell are no longer members of the Illini program because of an unspecified violation of team policy. Millines was suspended in March for violating team policy and missed spring practice, and Caldwell also sat out the spring because of academic issues.
May 15, 2013Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago Morgan Park senior forward Xzavier Taylor committed to Bradley on Sunday, according to his club coach. Taylor, a 6-foot-9 power forward, chose the Braves over Kansas State and Wake Forest, among others. He is ranked the No. 63 power forward in the Class of 2013 by ESPN. Taylor averaged 8.5 points while helping Morgan Park to an Illinois Class 3A state title last season. He had 11 points and 12 rebounds in the Mustangs’ state championship win.
May 12, 2013Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago Iowa and Northern Illinois will meet in a season opener for the second consecutive season Aug. 31 at Kinnick Stadium and for the fourth time since the 2006 season. The Hawkeyes and Huskies should be seeing more of each in the future. CBSsports.com reports that Iowa and Northern Illinois are close to finalizing games in 2018 and 2020 at Kinnick Stadium. NIU athletic director Christian Spears tells the website that a 2019 game also is a possibility.
May 10, 2013Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago The average collegiate softball player draws a walk every eight at-bats. The average leadoff hitter walks even more frequently. Natalie Hernandez is not average. In any sense of the word. Exactly 167 times during the regular season, Hernandez stepped into the batter's box for the University of Illinois-Chicago. Not once -- not even as the team's leadoff hitter for part of the year -- did the junior walk to first base. This startling fact is not due to a lack of offensive talent, of which she has plenty.
May 9, 2013St. Louis Post-Dispatch Big Ten schools can expect a record $25.7 million payout from the conference this year, including another large chunk from the Big Ten Network, according to figures obtained from the Universit…
May 6, 2013Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago One of Illinois coach John Groce's biggest, or at least most interesting, challenges next season will be how he goes about replacing Brandon Paul. The senior guard had an up and down career, to be sure, and while his senior season was no different (Paul started as hot as any player in the country but finished the year having made just 32.5 percent of his 240 3s), he will be difficult to replace in a variety of ways, namely in the sheer number of possessions and shots he took for his team while on the floor.
May 6, 2013
St. Louis Post-Dispatch The Big Ten Network will account for $7.6 million
May 6, 2013Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago Western Michigan freshman forward Darius Paul announced on Twitter on Saturday that he will follow in his older brother Brandon's footsteps and transfer to Illinois. Darius Paul, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward, was the MAC Freshman of the Year averaging 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds last season. He decided to transfer because of a coaching staff change and the desire to play at a higher level, according to his mother. Darius also had offers from Florida, Iowa State, Marquette, Miami (Fla.
May 4, 2013Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago Illinois' decision to hold its Chicago coaches caravan reception in downtown Evanston, the backyard of rival Northwestern, was bold at best and contrived and unnecessary at worst. The decision by World of Beer, a new bar in Evanston, to host the Illinois event could be described as bad business. Especially when a group of Northwestern students -- members of World of Beer's target market -- organized their own "welcome" event for Illinois coaches and fans on May 8.
May 2, 2013
Quad-City Times Illinois announced Monday a 30-year, $60 million naming rights agreement for its iconic Assembly Hall.
April 30, 2013Chicago Tribune Troubled former Illinois Mr. Basketball Jereme Richmond was ordered back to jail this morning after he was accused of making threats against his probation officer.
April 26, 2013Chicago Colleges Blog | ESPN Chicago Freshman forward Darius Paul, the younger brother of Illinois senior guard Brandon Paul, is leaving Western Michigan after one season and is looking to transfer to a high-major program, Paul's mother said on Wednesday. Darius, a 6-foot-8, 220-pound forward, was the MAC Freshman of the Year and averaged 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds last season. He had four double-doubles, including ones against Michigan and North Carolina State. Lynda Paul said Darius, who attended Warren High School in Gurnee, Ill.
April 24, 2013WR Football
G Basketball
F Basketball
G Basketball
RB Football