On the heals of Thursday night visit to the World’s Most Famous Arena (a.k.a. The Dump) to John Beilein, Jim Carty’s  favorite candidate for the Michigan gig, beat Clemson, Hoopraker sets its sights on the final weekend of the men’s college basketball season. Back in December, Hoopraker identified the Florida game as a barometer for the Buckeyes, one which unfortunately dumped cold rain on the young turks from Columbus. Now, on the last day of March, Ohio State faces a more imperative benchmark in John Thompson III and the Georgetown Hoyas, the best combination of talent and discipline they will have faced all season. For Ohio State, the dominoes are set up beautifully for redemption in the Georgia Dome. (more…)

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The Oden-Durant debate officially jumped down the rabbit hole recently when Dick Vitale declared that a Texas, Ohio State Final Four matchup would’ve been the equivalent of Bird versus Magic. Not that Vitale should ever be taken seriously (even before the DiGiorno commercial), but the Oden-Durant babble, whether from him or more credible sources, has become wearying. (more…)

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If the rumors and whispers are to be believed it is not inconceivable that there will be four new head coaches in next year’s Big Ten. Adding to the positions in Minneapolis (now filled) and Ann Arbor, there is now confirmation of a vacancy in Iowa City as well as speculation about Bill Carmody’s interest in returning to his previous employer in Division IAA. And as of this afternoon, Tubby Smith is said to be ready to don a goosedown parka and become the new face of Minnesota basketball. (more…)

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On the eve of the Sweet Sixteen, the father of Ohio State point guard Mike Conley, disclosed to the Indy Star the formation his very own sports management agency, the MAC Management Group.  With virtually no experience in sports management, Conley Sr. nevertheless has a stable of clients at his hip, including his son’s best friend Greg Oden and his former AAU player Daequan Cook.  Conley Sr. is leaning heavily on his beneficial tenure as the coach of the Midwest’s premier AAU team, SPIECE Indy Heat. That team trotted out a formidable lineup, which included Oden, Conley, Jr., Cook, Eric Gordon, and Cook’s Dayton Dunbar teammate and Pitt recruit, Aaron Pogue. When asked to explain the rationale for his new business venture, Conley Sr. stated, “[T]hey’re definitely going to do something this year or next, so if I’m going to do it, I need to put myself in the position to be ready when the time comes.” (more…)

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With its Saturday night outclassing of O’Fallon, the Simeon Wolverines entered the rarified company of the nine programs in the ninety-eight year history of the IHSA that have won at least two straight state championships. When your company includes teams and players of the caliber of East St. Louis Lincoln (’87-’89) with LaPhonso Ellis, Cuonzo Martin, and Chris Rodgers, Proviso East (’91-’92) with Donny Boyce Sherrell Ford, and Michael Finley, the Wayne McClain coached Peoria Manual (’94-’97) with Marcus Griffin, Frank Williams, and son Sergio, and a Peoria (’03-’04) squad that featured Shaun Livingston the achievement becomes clearer. Even more striking, they became the first Chicago public league team to accomplish the feat. (more…)

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After an impressive 5-1 First Round record, the Big Ten Conference stumbled on their way out of the Second Round. Some teams ran into opponents worthy of hoisting the National Championship (North Carolina and Florida) and some simply failed to win winnable games (IU, Illinois and Wisconsin). Heading into the Sweet Sixteen, Ohio State is left to carry the torch for the Conference. In loses, however, glimpses of the future offer solace to fans beleaguered by the weekend’s setbacks. (more…)

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Two of the three Big Ten teams in action Saturday were sent into the offseason while the other continued its uninspiring, solipsistic drift into next week’s Sweet Sixteen. While the winning team will continue to collect praise for its comeback, the memory of the losing efforts will recede into the good night with little more mention. Obviously, winning deserves the hottest glare, but let’s not be among those blinded by it. (more…)

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Well-traveled Lon Kruger and his UNLV Runnin’ Rebels stand between Bo Ryan and the Wisconsin Badgers’ fourth Sweet Sixteen in the last eight years. This afternoon in the United Center, UNLV will need to overcome the masses of red clad Wisconsin fans singing and dancing along with Bucky Badger. They’ll also need to overcome Wisconsin’s sense of purpose. (more…)

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Over the course of one basketball game, Ohio State coach Thad Matta will march one mile along the sidelines, slap the scorer’s table countless times, and generally act as a surrogate cheerleader for forty minutes. In 34 games, and particularly since the Florida debacle on December 27, his enthusiasm has served the Buckeyes extremely well, effectively cloaking the team with an aura of self-confidence that’s difficult for most teams to penetrate. But if there’s one coach who knows what Thad Matta mutters as he gyrates up and down the sideline and how to penetrate it, it’s his former Associate Head Coach and chalkboard brain at Xaiver, Sean Miller (Pitt ‘92).

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