Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

The Secondary Break: Wednesday’s Links

Kevin Ollie, DeAndre Daniels, Tyler Olander

Connecticut coach Kevin Ollie, center, speaks DeAndre Daniels, left and Tyler Olander during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Hartford, Conn., Friday, Dec. 21, 2012. Connecticut won the game 88-73. (AP Photo/Fred Beckham)

AP

Illinois seemed headed for glory in ’89, but Michigan prevailed (Chicago Sun Times)
While the 1989 Final Four ended up being remembered for Michigan’s winning the national title, one of the two teams the Wolverines beat was an Illinois squad some felt was the favorite to win it all. But they fell two points short, and it’s a missed opportunity that still weighs on the minds of some of the members of the “Flying Illini.”

Look who’s talking: Ollie tells Daniels to be more vocal (Hartford Courant)
Guards Shabazz Napier and Ryan Boatright are the leaders for No. 7 UConn, and with that comes a lot of attention nationally. But junior forward DeAndre Daniels is also an important piece, and if anything there are times when head coach Kevin Ollie needs the Los Angeles native to be more assertive. And that goes for the verbal aspect of the game just as much as it does Daniels’ skill.

Gators heed advice of Billy Donovan, put aside Final Four distractions (Bradenton Herald)
One key for the teams in this weekend’s Final Four is to manage the distractions that come off the court. That means taking care of ticket requests and anything else that can get in the way of the players keeping their focus on the task at hand. For No. 1 Florida, head coach Billy Donovan gave his players Sunday and Monday to handle those areas, and his experience coaching in the Final Four is something the players will look to draw from.

Saints hope to rock the old house (Albany Times Union)
Siena hosts Game 2 of the CBI championship series on Wednesday, with the Saints looking to close things out after beating Fresno State on the road in Game 1. And they’ll be doing so on campus, with the Times Union Center unavailable due to events that have been scheduled for the facility.

The Northwestern Decision: An Explainer (Grantland)
With Northwestern football players winning the right to form a union, there’s been confusion as to what the development means for college sports as a whole. Here’s a solid breakdown of the situation, what it all means now and what it could mean down the line for Northwestern and collegiate athletics as a whole.

Ten most important players in the Final Four (USA Today)
Here’s a look at ten of the most important players in this weekend’s Final Four, led by Wisconsin junior Frank Kaminsky.

Calipari reminds Kentucky players: “we ain’t dead yet” (Louisville Courier-Journal)
Earlier this season Kentucky head coach John Calipari was forced to spend a lot of his time teaching things such as effort and body language, which stunted the growth of his young team. Once that changed in the latter portion of the season so did the Wildcats’ fortunes, and they’re in the Final Four as a result. And Calipari has made sure to remind his players that they aren’t done yet.

Follow @raphiellej