The updates will keep coming from Farmers Coliseum with Illinois facing Drexel in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Be sure to follow along:
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Some news that broke while I was either en route to Indianapolis or trying to wrangle the internet at Farmers Coliseum … Ayo Dosusnmu is one of four finalists for the Naismith Trophy along with Oklahoma State’s Cade Cunningham, Gonzaga’s Corey Kispert and Iowa’s Luka Garza.
Dosunmu was named USA Today National Player of the Year earlier this week while also earning All-AMerican honors from USA Today, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and the National Association of Basketball Coaches.
“Despite the challenges of the pandemic, the level of talent on the court was stellar, as these players emerged as the leading candidates for the Jersey Mike’s Naismith Trophy,” said Eric Oberman, executive director of the Atlanta Tipoff Club. “Their consistency throughout the course of the season and ability to dominate games make them among the game’s top performers, and we look forward to honoring one of them at the end of the season.”
Ayo Dosunmu 2020-21 Highlights
- USA Today National Player of the Year
- Naismith Trophy Finalist (4)
- Oscar Robertson Trophy Finalist (3)
- Only NCAA player over the last 11 seasons to average at least 20 points, six rebounds and five assists
- NABC First-Team All-American
- USBWA First-Team All-American
- Associated Press First-Team All-American
- Sporting News unanimous First-Team All-American
- Sports Illustrated unanimous First-Team All-American
- Wooden Award National Ballot (15)
- Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player and All-Tournament Team
- USBWA District V Player of the Year and All-District Team
- Unanimous First-Team All-Big Ten
- NABC First-Team All-District 7
- Bob Cousy Point Guard of the Year Finalist (5)
- Averaging the most assists, points and rebounds of any Cousy Award Finalist
- Joins Michigan State’s Magic Johnson as only two players in Big Ten history with multiple triple-doubles in league play
- No. 3 in kenpom.com National Player of the Year standings
- Has scored in double figures in 41 straight games, the longest active streak in the nation
- 18th in the NCAA in scoring (20.7 ppg), the highest average by an Illini in the last 30 seasons
- Second in the Big Ten in assists (5.3 apg) and ranks 12th in the B1G in rebounding (6.3 rpg)
***
It took some doing (i.e. finding someone with the WiFi password at Farmers Coliseum so I could get off my hot spot, but I’m set up for the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Just in time, too.
Illinois just came out on the court for pregame warmups 45 minutes before tipoff against Drexel in the 1-16 game. The important news of the day, of course, is the Illini are wearing their white throwbacks. The script “Illinois” look is their best.
Illinois came out for warmups to a few cheers. There were Illini fans arriving at Farmers Coliseum at the same time I did. They couldn’t get in for nearly an hour, but the lines started forming anyway.
There will be 1,200 total fans in attendance for all of the games at Farmers Coliseum. Here’s the breakdown for the rest of the venues:
Assembly Hall (500; 3%)
Mackey Arena (1,350; 9%)
Farmers Coliseum (1,200; 18%)
Hinkle Fieldhouse (1,250; 14%)
Bankers Life (2,500-3,800 fans depending on game and time between games; 13-19%)
Lucas Oil Stadium (Equality court-6,900; Unity court-8,500; both 22%)
***
I made sure to finish whatever work I needed to complete Thursday by the time Texas Southern and Mount St. Mary’s tipped off in the First Four. Realizing early in the second half I wasn’t overly invested in the showdown between No. 16 seeds, I flipped to Wichita State-Drake, which had just started.
Cue minor epiphany.
The fact I could actually debate which NCAA tournament game I wanted to watch was quite the feeling. Last year’s tournament cancellation was the first of many bummers in a pandemic year full of them.
But now we’re back.
More than back, in a way. Today is not just Illinois’ first NCAA tournament game since 2013. It’s my first, too. I’ve never been to a game or covered one in my professional career.
It’s not the same, of course, with COVID-19 protocols still in place. But the NCAA tournament happening is loads better than the alternative.
What’s an Every Day Guy?
The world is about to find out. It is time for Madness.
Narrated by @verdadero_andre pic.twitter.com/Sqa4VNf3DM
— Illinois Basketball (@IlliniMBB) March 19, 2021
That’s the feeling from the Illini, who have been in Indianapolis more than a week since the Big Ten tournament was also held in the Center City. There’s a sense of enjoying the moment, while also preparing to keep the streak they’re on alive.
Six more wins is all it will take for Illinois to cross another goal off its list. The biggest goal. The goal Ayo Dosunmu again came back for.
And the Illini have shown they can put a string of wins like that together with a seven-game winning streak from Jan. 19 through Feb. 20 and now another from Feb. 25 through last Sunday’s Big Ten tournament championship win.
The level of teams Illinois took down in those streaks is more than comparable to the challenge the team will face in Indianapolis. The Big Ten was the best conference in the country. Perhaps even the best conference ever.
The Illini are battled tested. Hardened by the rigors of the Big Ten.
What will they do next?
Scott Richey is a reporter covering college basketball at The News-Gazette. His email is srichey@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@srrichey).
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