ESPN Men's Basketball

The Afternoon Links are (intermittently) back, and they are exactly what they say they are. Some days will bring more than others. This is the offseason, after all. If you have a link you'd like included, your best bet is to hit me on Twitter. You can also e-mail your link to collegebasketballnation at gmail.com, or use the submission form here.

• If I had my druthers, I would dig a hole in the ground and put my rather large head in it each and every time the words "conference realignment" flickered past MacBook Air. Since that route is professionally untenable -- plus, I'd have to go buy a large shovel to accomodate this dome -- I suppose we're better off facing up to the cold, harsh realities of realignment. Sports Illustrated's Luke Winn does exactly that Tuesday. Winn crunched Ken Pomeroy's Pythagorean expectations formula numbers in order to, as he writes, "compare what actually happened over the past 10 seasons against what the stats say would have happened, had the past 10 seasons played out under the new alignments." Winn adds and subtracts various schools from various leagues, and presents a chart-heavy picture that will look downright sad to fans of the Big East, Mountain West, all three of which would have been significantly worse leagues under their current alignments. No surprise there, of course, but Luke's work puts a much finer statistical point on the unfortunate realities of football-driven money grabs. Maybe that head-hole isn't such a bad idea after all.
• On Monday, Pacific coach Bob Thomason announced that the 2012-13 season -- his 25th year at the school -- would be his last. Among a long list of accomplishments, Thomason posted nine 20-win seasons, won five Big West coach of the year trophies and led Pacific to four NCAA tournament appearances, two of which included first-round upset wins over Providence and Pittsburgh in 2004 and 2005, respectively.
• Stony Brook is putting $21.1 million into a new basketball arena. You can see an artist's rendering here.
• Draft Express's Jonathan Givony reports back from the New Jersey Nets NBA draft combine (complete with a sortable results chart) and some of the athletic test results were fascinating. Among them? Penn's Zack Rosen tested out as the fastest player in the three-quarters-court sprint, only a fraction of a second slower than Derrick Rose; Stanford's Josh Owens posted the highest vertical jumps and the best bench press numbers; and Mississippi State's Renardo Sidney (wait for it) was the heaviest player in the combine (there it is) by 40 pounds, with a body fat percentage of 22.4 percent, the highest of the combine and the second-highest in Givony's entire database. (Only the legend that is Oliver Miller ranked higher.) The kicker: "Sidney quit pretty early on in the workout after being seen grasping an inhaler on the sidelines." Never change, Renardo. Never change.
• Speaking of the draft, on Friday ESPN Insider Chad Ford released his list of players for whom draft workouts could most affect their stock. Candidates include Perry Jones, Terrence Jones, Terrence Ross, Andrew Nicholson and a host of others.
• Our own Jason King checked in with new Illinois coach John Groce, who is unfazed by the notion that he wasn't Illinois's first choice, and excited by the prospect of a long-term rebuild of the proud Illini program. Meanwhile, in case you missed it, Myron and I debated whether the program Groce inherited is indeed as overrated as we all now seem to think.
• Mental health break No. 1: "The Yankee Commandante" is no doubt one of the longer magazine stories you will read all year. It is no doubt also one of the best.
• Mental health break No. 2: I would by lying if I said I hadn't been listening to 8-bit "Kid A" all day.

Editor’s note: Each week, ESPN.com writers will debate a topic of interest in the college basketball landscape. Today’s topic: Is the Illinois head coaching job overrated? For Jason King's feature on the new man in charge of the Illini, click here.

Myron Medcalf

Well, Eamonn, I’ll start by saying that Chicago and Champaign are not sister cities, as you know. They’re not even distant cousins. The bright lights of Chicago offer vivid contrasts to the rural confines that surround the University of Illinois.

And that’s what some folks failed to realize as multiple candidates rejected offers to take over the program -- an overrated gig, in my opinion -- during this offseason.

Yes, Chicago boasts mad talent in the prep ranks, and it’s a few hours north of Champaign.

So what?

Folks attached to and inside the program have quietly conveyed for years that not hiring an African-American coach has turned some Chicago-area prospects away from Illinois and made it easier to consider alternatives. If I’m a black kid in Chicago, and can hop on a two-hour flight from O’Hare and reach just about any school in the country, what’s the incentive to attend Illinois over more marquee programs, especially since the school has never hired an African-American head coach?

Sure, it’s a high-paying job in a prestigious league. But affiliation only goes so far.

Just ask Rob Kardashian.

No, John Groce isn’t a bad hire. He’s a proven leader whose successful stints as an assistant at Ohio State and head coach at Ohio led him to this position.

But he’s definitely in a tough spot.

How do you lure the best kids in the region, most of whom reside in Chicago, when you’re two-plus hours away and lack the state-of-the-art facilities that your competitors possess?

Jabari Parker, the best high school player in America, lives in Chicago, and few believe he’ll sign with the Illini.

Yes, there’s a certain nostalgia about Assembly Hall. And yes, the fans are rabid. It’s one of the most intimidating venues in the country. And still, Shaka Smart said no. I get it.

The Illinois gig simply lacks the pizazz and clout it once warranted. You can’t sell kids on facilities. You can’t sell every kid on proximity to the Windy City. You don’t own the state, so you have to fight poachers from various schools and conferences daily. You’re simultaneously nearby and separated from the best players in the area.

That’s the problem. That’s why so many said no.

Bottom line: Overrated.

Eamonn Brennan

It doesn't require much of a mental stretch to see why the Illinois job is an attractive one. In fact, we might be approaching "so overrated it's underrated" territory -- wherein we're spending all our time explaining away the reasons the job is a good one in the first place.

I happen to agree with Mr. Medcalf: The Illinois job is overrated, at least by many of its fans, for whom the expectations of success often seem to vastly outpace reality. When you combine those expectations with the aging landed spaceship that is Assembly Hall, as well as the difficulties of the Chicago recruiting scene, it's not hard to figure why Shaka Smart and several others turned down the gig before John Groce agreed to take it on.

But this wouldn't be much of a Take Two if I just agreed with Myron, now would it? Besides, Illinois has plenty of positives to recommend it.

The first is location. It is difficult to recruit in Chicago, sure, but it is still a major advantage to be so close to so much in-state talent. And let's not forget the proximity to Indiana, specifically Indianapolis, where a deep pool of talented prep stars emerge each and every season.

The second is fan base. Yes, Illinois fans are intense. Yes, they expect a lot. Yes, that balance makes life difficult for a coach. But UI's fan base also provides plenty of built-in advantages, most notably the luxury of hosting opponents in an arena packed to the gills with screaming orange-clad faithful. When the Illini are good, there are few places in the country more difficult to play than Assembly Hall. Given the choice -- apathy versus high expectations -- any coach would happily take the latter.

The Big Ten is a fantastic league, offering big-time exposure and competition against some of the nation's best players on a yearly basis, and Illinois remains a big state school wedged within an afternoon's drive of two of the most fertile recruiting grounds in the country. It has plenty of resources and great fans. You can win a national title there. At the end of the day, that's the distinction that matters.

The Illinois job has weaknesses and strengths, many of which overlap. If Groce harnesses them savvily, we might turn around in three years and wonder what all this overrated fuss was about in the first place.

Editor’s note: Each week, ESPN.com writers will debate a topic of interest in the college basketball landscape. Today’s topic: Which teams made the best coaching hires?

Dana O'Neil: Illinois' John Groce

He wasn’t the first choice. He might not have been the fifth choice (I frankly lost count) and maybe he still isn’t the popular choice.

That’s fine. I still believe John Groce is the right and best choice for Illinois.

Here’s the thing, Illinois fans: I hate to be harsh but your perception of the job and the reality of it are not exactly in the same city limits. Right now, Illinois is not an easy gig, so it would be a calculable -- and probably foolish -- risk for a Shaka Smart or a Brad Stevens to take the leap. I get that you have to ask. In fact, you, like every other BCS school, might be contractually obligated to at least float the offer by college basketball’s two It men.

But when the inevitable rejection is returned, the idea is to go for the best guy available. For Illinois, that’s Groce, a man who has made more than a decent impression in his tenure at Ohio, upsetting Georgetown two seasons ago in the NCAA tournament and taking the Bobcats to the Sweet 16 this past season. One more made free throw against North Carolina and we might have finished up March talking about Groce as the "next Shaka Smart or Brad Stevens."

Groce is smart, talented and perhaps most critical for Illinois: He’s a very good talent evaluator. Note, I didn’t say recruiter. Yes, he helped Thad Matta lure Greg Oden, Mike Conley and Deshaun Thomas to Ohio State, and recruiting those guys was huge, but it didn’t exactly take James Naismith to figure out they are talented.

Groce also found D.J. Cooper. Overlooked for virtually everyone else coming out of high school, Cooper is now on everyone’s wish list, so much so, in fact, there were reports that some schools might have violated tampering rules in an attempt to lure him into a transfer.

That’s what Illinois needs right now, a coach who can make inroads with top recruits and maybe find one that prefers a program "on the rise" to one that’s arrived, but also a coach who can find a few unexpected, overlooked future stars.

Oh, and by the way, Cooper is from Chicago.

Jason King: Colorado State's Larry Eustachy

Just when it looked as if Colorado State was poised to name Ernie Kent as its basketball coach, the Rams reversed course last month and hired Larry Eustachy.

It was about time somebody hired him.

Eustachy shouldn’t have had to spend eight seasons at Southern Miss before getting a better job. The alcohol issues (and photos of him drinking and partying with students), which led to Eustachy’s resignation at Iowa State in May 2003, were serious, to be sure.

The situation may have ruined Eustachy’s chances of ever landing another job in one of the six major conferences.

To me, that seems a bit extreme. Coaches have been given second chances after committing far worse acts, and a lot of them aren’t nearly as accomplished as Eustachy, who is clearly a new man after making some well-documented changes in his life off the court. The more I read about Eustachy, the more confident I am that his problems are in the past and that he’s completely focused on his job and winning basketball games.

He certainly did that at Southern Miss, where the Golden Eagles won 20 or more games in each of the past three seasons. He led the school to the NCAA tournament in 2012, which no doubt helped him land the Colorado State gig after Tim Miles bolted for Nebraska.

Kudos to the Rams for giving him a shot.

It may seem like eons ago, but Eustachy won two Big 12 titles at Iowa State -- not an easy task with Kansas in the league -- and also earned conference crowns at Utah State and Idaho.

He’s familiar with the Midwest and Western parts of the country, which will be advantageous in recruiting. And he’s inheriting a healthy program, so Eustachy should be able to pick up where Miles left off.

There were a ton of good hires this offseason. Frank Martin to South Carolina, Pat Kelsey to Winthrop, Bruce Weber to Kansas State and Larry Brown to SMU (yes, I actually liked that one) to name a few.

But I like the Eustachy hire the most, mainly because I like to see deserving coaches -- especially good ones -- get a second chance.

We all make mistakes. Eustachy has obviously learned from his.

1. The National Association of Basketball Coaches' board of directors is meeting in Indianapolis on Thursday, with the issue of transfers and how to handle the requests as a primary agenda item. The board has some notable names, including Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan, who was involved in a high-profile case in which the player was initially restricted from transferring to a number of schools; Michigan State’s Tom Izzo; Pitt’s Jamie Dixon; Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim; Notre Dame’s Mike Brey; and NC State’s Mark Gottfried, among others. The NABC doesn’t have legislative power but does serve as a lobbying group to the membership -- and can also influence other coaches on how to handle a transfer situation.

2. The men's NCAA tournament basketball selection committee will also meet Thursday in Indianapolis. The primary agenda item, according to incoming chair Mike Bobinski of Xavier, is to determine the 2013 East Regional site. The finalists are expected to be Syracuse and Brooklyn (Newark, N.J., is still technically in, but it would be a surprise since the regional was there in 2011). Bobinski said it is unusual for the site still to be unknown less than a year before the event. The dismissal of former NCAA vice president Greg Shaheen apparently contributed to the site selection delay; Shaheen’s replacement, Mark Lewis, will be at the meeting. The original plan was for the tourney’s 75th anniversary to have a presence at Madison Square Garden. But the NCAA couldn’t make a commitment before the Garden had to turn in its Knicks and Rangers schedules to the NBA and NHL, respectively. The 2013 Final Four is in Atlanta. The other regional sites are set in Los Angeles (Staples Center), Dallas-Fort Worth (Cowboys Stadium) and Indianapolis (Lucas Oil Stadium)

3. New Illinois coach John Groce has added two transfers in Rayvonte Rice from Drake and Sam McLaurin from Coastal Carolina. The Illini are also busy finalizing their last major non-conference game. Illinois will play Auburn on Dec. 29 at the United Center in Chicago to fill the final significant game on the schedule.

1. Bryce Drew made the right choice to withdraw from the Mississippi State coaching search. The first-year Valparaiso coach wouldn’t have been a fit in the deep South. He is perfect for the next Big Ten opening that may occur in the coming years. Drew has name recognition that is still strong in the Midwest. He won the Horizon League (over Butler and Detroit) in his first season and should be in contention again next season. He played in the NBA. He doesn’t need to rush to the first high-major stop that shows an interest. He’ll be fine.

2. John Groce may get the Frank Haith treatment at Illinois from those critical of the hiring. But he shouldn’t. Fans and Chicago high schools should give Groce a chance. Haith’s hiring was mocked at first by Mizzou loyalists because he wasn’t the first choice and Miami wasn’t a consistent NCAA team. Groce didn’t top the list at Illinois after the Illini lost out on Shaka Smart and Brad Stevens. But Groce has proven he is tremendous late-season coach more than anything else. His teams improve and are a tough out in the postseason. Groce has strong Midwest ties and an infectious energy that should be celebrated upon arrival.

3. The SEC confirmed that it does have a rule that a player must have two years of eligibility left in order to transfer to a member school. That would mean Florida, Kentucky and Missouri couldn’t stay in the Alex Oriakhi sweepstakes. A waiver could be sought since this is an unusual circumstance. Another interesting curveball: Would Oriakhi be able to play immediately if UConn were to win its appeal and earn back the right to play in the 2013 NCAA tournament? Oriakhi might be given a special circumstance since he is transferring at a point when the Huskies are currently ineligible to play in the postseason during his senior year.

Ryan Burr, Miles Simon, and Doug Gottlieb break down the Illinois coaching search and debate why several coaches have passed on the job.

As ESPN.com's Andy Katz reported this afternoon, the wide-ranging rumors of Illinois's impending hire of Ohio coach John Groce, no deal is yet completed, and no press conference has yet been scheduled. From Andy:

Ohio coach John Groce continues to be the top focus for the Illinois search, but a deal has not been struck.

A number of sources close to Groce said that the two sides are negotiating. But according to an Illinois spokesperson, athletic director Mike Thomas has reiterated that the process is not over and that there is no set timeline on hiring a coach. The spokesperson said that Illinois will not rush into this decision, despite pressure to get a deal done after public rejections from VCU's Shaka Smart and Butler's Brad Stevens.

The starts-and-fits nature of this delay doesn't reflect particularly well on Illinois, but it's OK to delay a final decision in order to ensure you hire the best possible candidate. Discretion and due diligence are never a bad thing. And any eventual hire of Groce would be OK, too. He's highly respected in the profession, he plays a style that should appeal to recruits (at least according to Evan Turner), and he's hot, fresh off a star-turn run to the Sweet 16 and a near-upset of No. 1-seeded North Carolina.

The problem? Illinois's coaching search has long since gone off the rails.

It started obviously enough: Illinois wanted Shaka Smart. But when Smart said no, Illinois AD Mike Thomas -- in an admirable attempt to hire the school's first African-American head coach -- reached out to Alabama's Anthony Grant, Florida State's Leonard Hamilton and Washington's Lorenzo Romar, none of which, as should probably have been expected, had any interest in the jobs themselves. (All of them have their high-major programs on upward trajectories at various stages of their tenures. Why would any of them leave?)

After that fell through, Illinois wished upon a shining star and reached out to Brad Stevens, who (as Dana O'Neil reported last week) returned from a fishing trip and sidewalk chalk session just in time to say "thanks, but no thanks." Illinois was never going to get Stevens. It was almost silly to offer.

In any case, the impression left among Illinois fans -- and Chicago Tribune columnist David Haugh -- was that Illinois was more worried about making an admirable and entirely worthwhile statement than finding the best possible coach for the job. From Haugh:

From the periphery, the priority of finding the best African-American coach then took precedent for Thomas over finding the best coach, period. [...] Why not Baylor's Scott Drew or Kansas State's Frank Martin? Chris Collins? I can see Grant, but Hamilton and Romar appeared to be names randomly pulled off a list of most qualified African-American coaches who might consider changing jobs.

When a source told me Illinois researched Stanford coach Johnny Dawkins and Duke assistant Jeff Capel, it seemed obvious Thomas had gotten sidetracked trying to serve the wrong constituency. It seemed the two Illinois board of trustees who voted against hiring football coach Tim Beckman because he was white had gotten inside Thomas' head. [...] Meanwhile, as Thomas wasted time chasing Stevens, Kansas State's Martin — a proven winner never considered but was interested in the Illinois job — accepted the job at South Carolina.

In other words, Thomas and the Illinois brass have done themselves no favors in this thing. Frankly, they've booted on it. And now they find themselves at a point where an announcement is already expected and is already being panned by the future coach's most important constituency: the Chicago prep scene.

From the Sun Times's Herb Gould:

"All I know is, it’s going to be an absolute firestorm for the guy when he’s hired," a Chicago prep basketball analyst said. "It could get ugly for him with Chicago people. It’s going to be imperative that he’s careful in putting together a staff."

And that, in a nutshell, is why the Illinois job wasn't enticing enough to land Smart or Stevens, why it isn't good enough to poach any of the best possible African-American candidates from their solid gigs, and why this well-intentioned coaching search has turned into such an unmitigated mess: You have to deal with Chicago. Specifically, you have to deal with the city of Chicago, where AAU and high school coaches wield influence like ward aldermen, where everything -- more so than most areas of recruiting, which is saying something -- is about relationships, about power dynamics, about balancing constantly conflicting interests.

Groce hasn't even been hired (yet), and already the Chicago prep guys are lashing out. Who wants that headache?

In the end, Groce may end up being a blessing in disguise. And Illinois should worry first and foremost about finding a quality coach. He can win over Chicago -- and the state's fans -- later.

But here's where the situation stands: Illinois fans are apoplectic, the local columnist is persuasively panning Thomas, and the Illini still haven't made a hire. And if/when Groce is hired, he'll enter this delightful situation knowing he wasn't the first or second or third or fourth choice anyway. If he wants the headache, more power to him. But it's not hard to understand why other coaches don't.

1. SMU is joining the Big East in 2013 and wants to make a slash in replacing Matt Doherty. The Mustangs, according to sources, have Marquette’s Buzz Williams in their sights. But those close to him would be stunned if he were to leave Marquette, now a top Big East program, for a school that will enter the league at the bottom. The money can’t be more than comparable to what he makes now, and proximity to his hometown can’t be that big a deal, right? Unless something happens to prove otherwise, chalk this one up to wishful thinking.

2. Illinois has now been spurned by VCU’s Shaka Smart and Butler’s Brad Stevens. This should be yet another sign how well schools pay at some spots outside the power six. And it speaks volumes about being happy with your situation, school, boss and city for a coach’s family. Now that Illinois has struck out with Smart and Stevens, it should focus on Ohio’s John Groce. Groce has done wonders with the Bobcats and has strong Big Ten ties. I’d be surprised if Groce were to turn this gig down if offered. He’s hot now and, while he could win the MAC next year, it’s still likely a one-bid league and winning the conference tournament is a tenuous proposition.

3. South Carolina would like Kansas State’s Frank Martin. But if Martin is seriously interested in leaving Kansas State (he has publicly said he hasn’t talked to anyone), he should look at Mississippi State, which is a better basketball job than South Carolina. There is plenty of talent in the state, more recent success in the sport, and a more passionate fan base for hoops.

Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser weigh in on Shaka Smart's decision to remain with VCU.

Illinois fired Bruce Weber on Friday, one day after the Illini lost to Iowa in the first round of the Big Ten tournament, the coach told ESPN.com.

Weber will not coach in the NIT -- if the Illini were to be selected -- or in any other postseason tournament.

Weber said recently that the buyout on his contract is $3.9 million.

1. UCLA might not be a high postseason selection. So now that the Bruins are out, athletic director Dan Guerrero must either make a commitment to Ben Howland or move on after the season. He left Howland’s situation too open-ended last week. He needs to make a declarative statement, the way Pat Haden did at USC, telling the Los Angeles Times that Kevin O’Neill will be back. If Howland is going to return, Guerrero must make that clear.

2. Decisions should be made soon at Illinois and Nebraska. Bruce Weber is fully expecting there to be a change, but he’ll pocket $3.9 million. Doc Sadler isn’t so sure — but he would earn $3.4 million if he’s cut loose. It’s not even close as to which Big Ten job is better. Both schools have resources, but Illinois is always committed to hoops. Weber and Sadler are both well-liked by their peers and didn’t suddenly become poor coaches. Expect both to be gobbled up quickly in some form or fashion (head or assistant coaches) if they are officially ousted. Weber is almost a certainty but it’s too hard to have a read on Sadler at this juncture.

3. The pained expression on Bill Carmody’s face Thursday after the overtime loss to Minnesota spoke volumes about his tenure at Northwestern. Carmody has been so close to getting an NCAA bid, but yet so far. The Wildcats have had plenty of chances to win key games, but consistently fail. There really are no excuses, no one to blame and no one to debate. Northwestern hasn’t been snubbed. It has had a multitude of opportunities to get a bid but simply hasn't closed when needed. The drought will continue. This is actually worse than the Cubs, since the odds should favor Northwestern getting an NCAA bid over the Cubs winning the World Series.

Overview: Both Iowa and Illinois entered the Big Ten tournament in need of a championship to earn a trip to the Big Dance. Iowa had managed to impress in stretches this season (the Hawkeyes swept Wisconsin) and was mentioned as a sleeper in the buildup to the Big Ten tournament. Illinois, however, had fallen on hard times. The Illini had lost 11 of their past 13 -- a stretch that might cost Bruce Weber his job -- prior to Thursday’s 64-61 loss to Iowa.

After a back-and-forth first half that featured a 50 percent shooting clip for Illinois and a 46 percent mark for Iowa (Illinois had a 31-27 lead at halftime after a D.J. Richardson 3-pointer at the buzzer), Illinois stormed out to a 40-33 advantage just minutes in the second half. But Iowa returned fire with a 22-8 run that gave the Hawkeyes a 55-48 advantage midway through the second half.

It was just a four-point game in the final minute, and a crucial Iowa turnover seemed to put Illinois in a position to change the outcome. But the Illini coughed the ball up before they could do anything with that vital possession. Joseph Bertrand hit a 3-pointer with 16.1 seconds to play, cutting Iowa’s lead to one (62-61). But a pair of free throws by Matt Gatens put the Hawkeyes ahead again by three.

Turning point: The Illini appeared to possess a little mojo at the start of the second half, but Gatens squashed that momentum with a pair of crucial buckets near the 14-minute mark. Gatens hit a deep three, then dunked off a turnover on the other end. The game turned off that stretch. Iowa began playing with more vigor, which led to the run that turned the game in the Hawkeyes’ favor.

Key player: Gatens was a star for the Hawkeyes. He scored 20 on 7-for-12 shooting. Beyond the box score, however, the senior stayed calm when Illinois started to pull away at the start of the second half. He also had three rebounds and an assist. He converted all four of his free throw attempts, including two in the final seconds.

Key stat: The Illini committed 12 turnovers compared to Iowa’s six. The Illini went 7-for-25 from beyond the arc.

Miscellaneous: The Illini made this game far more difficult than it had to be with tough shots toward the end of the shot clock … Meyers Leonard scored 18 points in what might have been his final game at Illinois … Freshman Aaron White (13 points) could be a Big Ten star next year.

What’s next: Iowa moves on to face Michigan State at noon on Friday. Illinois will probably end up in the NIT. The bigger question is how long Weber will be on the sideline.

Basketball-wise, Meyers Leonard did not have the best Wednesday night. Individually, he was great: 18 points, 9 rebounds, one assist, one block. But his team, the hapless and collapsing Illini, lost to Michigan in typically uninspired fashion at home. The loss permanently sealed Illinois's 2012 fate as a once-promising team that melted down in the worst possible way.

On Jan. 11, the Illini were alone atop the Big Ten at 4-1. They had just upset Ohio State at home. Since then, they've lost 10 of their past 12 games, fans have revolted, athletic director Mike Thomas was tepid in his support of coach Bruce Weber, Weber was open and public and emotional about his failings as a coach this season, and his tenure -- and any chance Illinois had of returning to the NCAA tournament -- has ended emphatically.

After the game, Leonard even raised eyebrows with this comment:

Center Meyers Leonard said the Illini have not given up hope. "I don't know why anyone looks at us and thinks we're some different team," he said, alluding to earlier victories this season. "Like we're not capable. But we are."

It's fair to wonder how capable Illinois even was in the first place. This offense was never good, and it has only worsened -- it is now No. 10 in the Big Ten in efficiency -- down the stretch. But it's not hard to figure out why people are looking at Illinois differently. When you lose 10 of your past 12 games, that's just part of the bargain.

But there is a bright side to this story, fortunately, a nice human element to add to an otherwise brutal night for Illinois and its star center. Bailey Leonard, Meyers' older brother, who just returned the States after his second tour of duty in Afghanistan, surprised little bro and the rest of the team with a visit to its afternoon workout Thursday. From the State Journal-Register's John Supinie:

Bailey returned from his second deployment overseas to shock Meyers during the afternoon workout. He wore his dress blues.

“Surprising Meyers was great,” Bailey said at halftime. “It was great to see him be happy in front of the team. I think it was good for the team. I hope it gives them extra motivation to play tonight.” [...] Weber knew about Bailey’s return for a month and kept the surprise. Meyers thought he wouldn’t see his brother for the first time in a year until the Big Ten Tournament, at the earliest.

“I had no clue he was coming,” Meyers said. “I brought tears to my eyes. He put his life on the line every single day. I couldn’t be more proud to call him my brother.”

If you read Dana O'Neil's excellent feature on Meyers Leonard in January (and if you haven't, just go read it now, because I guarantee it's a better way to spend the next half hour than whatever it was you were planning on doing), you'll be familiar with the Leonards' story.

Meyers' father passed away when he was six, throwing his family's life into disarray. His mother's poor back health made it impossible for her to work but unable to afford the surgery she needed. Bailey's decision to enlist in the Marines and serve overseas was even more difficult, and Meyers has had the weight of all that and more on his very broad and capable shoulders throughout his basketball career.

Last September, for a piece on college basketball players' (and our generation's) memories of September 11, 2001, I spoke with Meyers about his brother's deployment and how it affected him.

"Honestly, I try not to think about [my brother]. It scares me when I do think about him. His life is at risk every day. I try not to think about it, but there are certain days or certain time periods where I won't be able to talk to him and it's on my mind even more. Basketball is an escape from pressure. Whatever the pressure is. Whether it's homework or worrying or just needing to clear my mind, I'll go run and get some shots up and clear my mind and escape before going back to what I was doing before."

Unfortunately, Bailey's surprise return Wednesday night didn't lead to a win for Illinois or Meyers, despite his excellent performance in the game. But in the midst of a messy, frustrating, spiraling and potentially all-consuming season, it may served as a helpful reminder that some things are much bigger than wins and losses.

Update: A must-see photo of the reunion is here.

1. If Bruce Weber has coached his last game at Assembly Hall in Champaign then the Illini fans should find time to give him the praise he deserves for putting everything he had into the job. Weber won’t have to work after getting a $3.9 million buyout, but he could be a huge help to Chris Lowery at Southern Illinois if the Salukis can’t afford to push Lowery out in Carbondale. Weber’s ego is in check enough to help a friend, rather than think he’s too good for such a task.

2. Virginia should be safe, but it’s hard not to look at the Cavaliers and see a team that is in a tenuous situation. The Cavaliers couldn’t close out Florida State Thursday night at home as Ian Miller hit a 3-pointer with less than a second left. Virginia has lost four of six games and closes out at Maryland. Lose that game and fall in the first game of the ACC tournament and the Cavaliers may give the selection committee pause. The Cavaliers have had injuries yet again and are a tourney-worthy team for 38-39 minutes, but haven’t been able to close out the better teams in the ACC.

3. The C-USA/MWC merger needs teams and the first one on the list was going to be Temple, according to East Carolina athletic director Terry Holland. But the Owls, which would have likely been only a football member, are likely headed toward the Big East. The merger is about football, but Marshall and East Carolina desperately need a team in the Eastern Time Zone and the natural choice is Charlotte for all sports with the assumption that the startup football program can be ready to compete in the near future.

After several crucial bubble games Wednesday night, here's Joe Lunardi's brief update to Bracketology:

NOTABLE
-- Mississippi State, South Florida and Texas stay in field with wins
-- Northwestern remains “last team in” despite loss
-- Colorado State (in) and Miami (out) trade places on bubble
-- Temple clinches A-10 regular-season title

LAST FOUR IN
South Florida
Texas
Colorado State
Northwestern

FIRST FOUR OUT
Xavier
VCU
NC State
Miami

NEXT FOUR OUT
Oregon
Colorado
Saint Joseph's
Dayton

Also considered: Illinois, New Mexico State, UCF

CONFERENCE BREAKDOWN
Big East (10)
Big Ten (7)
Big 12 (6)
SEC (5)
ACC (4)
Mountain West (4)
Pac-12 (3)
West Coast (3)
Atlantic 10 (2)
Conference USA (2)
Missouri Valley (2)