Rahimi, Harris & Grote Show - 5 On It & Jeremy Werner reacts to Illinois advancing to Sweet 16 (Hour 3)

Episode Date: March 23, 2026

In the third hour, Marshall Harris and Mark Grote discussed a variety of topics in the 5 On It segment. After that, they shared their favorite moments of the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Later, Illini Inquirer publisher Jeremy Werner joined the show to discuss Illinois advancing to the Sweet 16 and to preview its upcoming showdown against Houston.

It's time for five on it. Rahimi Harrison Rooney. Bring you five topics on their minds today. On 104-3 to score. I got five on it. Number one. We're going to call this one five on it plus today because you listening out there. You deserve some bonus questions.

We've got a couple of two-parters for you, including this one. Which Cubs player are you most sure about heading into the 20-26 season? And part two, which Cubs player are you least sure about heading into the 20-26 season? The Cubs player that I am most sure about heading into this season happens to be the Cubs starting first basement. His name is Michael Bush. I am very excited about him based on, obviously, what he did last year with the slug and the 31 home runs and how he just seemed to get better and better and better as the season went on. Now, with air quotes, limited at baths because there were many times where he was not hitting against lefties,

The plan this year is to bat him against more lefties, to let him be your everyday guy. Just with his approach, with his demeanor, with that swing, the discerning eye at the plate. I am very excited to see what Michael Bush can do for the Cubs this year in a full boat of at bats. And his play at first base has been excellent as well. So he is my guy, Michael Bush. and the player that I'm most concerned about this year for the Cubs, maybe confused as a better word, but it is Pete Crow Armstrong,

because I just don't know who he is. I don't know that there's any way that he's going to be an ineffective or bad baseball player unless he picks up where he kind of left off. But what is he? Is he a home run hitter? Is he a guy that there was some fluke going on in the first half of the season? Who is Pete Crow Armstrong? So I am just based on what we saw, a heavy downfall for PCA last year.

He is the guy about whom I am most concerned right now until I see it, until I see the PCAness that we saw in the first half last year when he was gangbusters. I definitely understand your answer, especially Michael Bush, because he has actually seen some lefties this spring. He's three for eight. That's a 375 clip against lefties. Curiously, though, he's only batting like 208. He's just above the Mendoza line spring training overall, and he's yet to leave the yard.

And everybody hits in Arizona, man. They say it's hot. The ball flies. Just make contact. You'll be okay. We can selectively decide when we want to just call it spring training. And that's what I'm going to do right now. It's spring training.

It doesn't matter. They're working on stuff. It's funny how we all do that. You're not the first to do that. You certainly will not be the last to do it. And maybe I'll fall victim to that myself. Although my answer for the guy that I know I'm sure about, it's Nico Horner. He plays solid in the field.

he is a hitter. He hits, and he's been a great hitter, and he had his best season last year. There's no reason to think he won't have a similar approach at the plate this year, and that puts the ball in play and avoid strikeouts, and he's got speed. Not a lot of pop, but who cares because he's consistent as a hitter. It's Nico Horner.

He's the guy that I know when I put him in the lineup, I know exactly what to expect out of Nico Horner. Not too much, not too less. It's as steady as they come. That's right. Yeah. Like the porridge. He was made, the porridge.

Look, Craig Counsel, I think, was the one that said he is the most made for Major League Baseball on the schedule and the grind of anybody because he's the same dude every day. And you can't say that about everybody on the Cubs. You know who you really can't say that about? Shoda. That's why he's the other end of the coin. You probably saw that coming, though, didn't you?

I didn't necessarily. But, yeah, that makes sense. Shoda, he's looked okay in the spring, low whip, which means he's not putting a lot people on base, but still getting up three and a half home runs for nine innings. That is not good. And so I don't know what we're getting out of show to Imanaga. I am thankful that he's not being as depended on. He's going to be back half of the rotation, I would imagine.

And look, if he pitches well, it can really change what this team can be this season. If he doesn't, he might end up being a guy at the back end of the rotation who's in and out of the rotation once Justin Steele comes back. But Chode Aminaga, for me, he's that guy. And I'm curious to see how it plays out. I mean, we could talk about hypotheticals. We could talk about what happened last year, last postseason. Bottom line is, it is a new season.

I'm giving him the benefit of a doubt that he can find his way to being back to the guy that was dominant for the first year and a half he had as a Cubs. Javier Assad and Ben Brown standby for potential starts if it doesn't go well. Don't forget about my guy. Colin Ray. Colin Ray. He could swing in there. Jordan, no, Wix is hurt, right?

Yeah, I don't think Wix is, I don't know what happened to that guy. Number two. The Athletics, Eno Seris, recently published an article with his bold predictions for the 26 MLB season. One of those predictions, Saris has Brewer's right-hander, Jacob Mizorowski, winning the National League Cy Young Award in his sophomore season. Saris joined Matt Spiegel for the season premiere of hit and run on Sunday and discussed the thinking behind his prediction for a career year for the Miz.

It's mostly because he found a pitch he can command that 92 to 94 mile on our slider that he throws is pretty nasty. It's hard to hit, and he can command it. He said that, you know, when he's commanding that, when he's throwing that, it helps him command his other pitches too. So I think the big thing you've always seen with Mizairowski is the command, not the stuff. We know he has the stuff. It's high 90s, you know, triple-digit heaters and mid-90 sliders. And now he's got a new change-up grip. And I just, you know, he's the kind of guy that if he could pitch 180 innings and he had OK command,

he should be in the conversation for the size. So it's a stuff thing. I just love his stuff. That's the athletic Eno Seris with Matt Spiegel on hit and run. If Saris is correct in his prediction that this will be a Syung season for Jacob Mizorowski, are the Cubs in trouble? Yes, they're in a lot of trouble. If he's a Cy Young guy and you see them 13 times a year,

and let's say he pitches three of those times, maybe even four, it's bad news for the Cubs. Now, I like the fact that he was erratic as a rookie, but he's not a rookie anymore. I do flash back to the last time we saw him on the Hill against the Cubs, and that was undeniable that he was a difference maker in a playoff series. and I just got to tell you, him being named opening day starter, I'm really hoping the White Sox rough him up because if they don't,

it's going to be like an omen to me that, well, one, the White Sox might not have as good a season as I was hoping, but also the Cubs have a problem. If he's the best pitcher between these two teams, the Cubs have a problem. I hate that he put that out there. And he was great. I listened to that entire interview with Matt Spiegel on hit and run.

You know, Saris is terrific. And I don't think anybody knows more. baseball than that guy, especially when it comes to stuff and stuff plus and all of that stuff. But here I am celebrating Freddie Peralta is gone. Does that mean that it's not going to mean anything because they've got this. The Les Mizz is so great. It's just like Brewers. Hello, Brewers.

Caleb Durbin is gone. What does that mean? Jackson Turyos is going to be the MVP this year? Like what? So, yeah, I mean, to answer the question, of course, yeah. If he is that guy, if Miserowski is that guy, of course the Cubs are in trouble. And it's just more reason to look at the Brewers and say, even though it's like the ongoing joke around here, a lot of times out of my mouth,

that this is going to be the year that the brewers are going to fall off. As soon as somebody falls off, somebody rises so we can only hope that that doesn't happen. But yes, the Cubs would be in trouble. Number three. It's five on it at 104. the score with Marshall Harris and Mark Grody. We're taking question number one and we're putting it down and we're flipping it and reversing it for

question number three. Which White Sox player are you most sure about heading into the 2026 season and which White Sox player are you least sure about heading into the 202026 season? I am going to go with I think the short stop, Colson Montgomery is the guy

about whom I am most sure and I guess like even though it took, it was a little wobbly early, but man, did that dude go on a tear, a tear, a tear in the second half of the season to make a believer out of me. So I think, and this is relative to a roster, which you look at and doesn't really pop off the page, but I am going to go with Montgomery is the guy about whom I am most sure. And stay with me on this one, because this is going to, some people are like, huh, really?

This guy? I am not sure about what Munataka Morikami will be at the big. league level. I mean, you just never know. I think he's going to be good. I'm excited about him. Probably the guy that I'm most excited about on the White Sox. Let's see if the socks have something in this guy, did the

socks have a 35 to 40 home run guy back? But we don't know. I mean, the bugaboo in Japan even is the swing and miss. And is there going to be an adjustment? Could it not work out for him? So I will just say, like I am

not sure about Munei at the big league level. I think that's fair because you haven't seen him take on major league pitching in the regular season yet. And I have some questions as well. But as far as the guy that I am sure about, it's Kyle Teal. Now, I know he's hurt. I know it's going to be a minute before we see him. That seems pretty unsure to me.

No, but he's going to come back. It's just a hamstring strain. True. Yeah. They'll take their time and get him right. And then once he comes back, I expect him to be every bit as good as he was. last season when he put up a 273 average, a 375 on base. I love that number.

Yeah, real nice. And he slugged 411. That's a 786 OPS. And when you look at his statistics from last year, they don't necessarily jump off the page, but he was so consistent. And he was a guy who gave you presence in a lineup where you needed just young, hopeful guys that you could kind of hit your wagon to. to steal an expression from a future question.

Listen, I think Kyle Till's going to be that dude. Who have a lot of questions about, though? Shane Smith. He's the opening day starter. And if you remember back to last year, Shane Smith had several outings where he just gave them what they need most from their starting pitching innings. He just gave them 146 and a third innings over, what, 29 starts?

Now, they went 9 and 20 in those games. his ERA was a bit questionable at 3.81, not the stuff that stars I'm made out of. But if he could take another step forward and pitch 30 plus games and maybe get to 180 innings, now you got somebody who can help you win ball games on a nightly basis. I just think I don't know if he could do it. So that's the guy I'm really,

somebody's got to lead this pitching staff. And they've told me it's going to be Shane Smith because he's out there on opening day. Well, it's funny because I was thinking about saying and I thought it would be outside the spirit of the question, the actual spirit. I was going to say the thing that I'm most sure about with the White Sox is that Noah Schulteagan-Smith or Tanner McDougal will be called up at some point in time to begin to replace some of the starting five that they have right now in place. I think that is a safe call. Number four.

By the way, as a quick programming note for tomorrow's show, Ben Verlander, the great host of the flipping bats podcast and Justin Verlander's brother, yesterday tweeted, going to say something crazy. I'm excited to watch the Chicago White Sox and the Pittsburgh Pirates this season. So he's going to join us at 1 o'clock tomorrow to talk about that. Stay tuned. Layla will be back tomorrow with Mars Hall. Here's question number four. Oh, no, with me. No, with you. I'm as confused by my schedule as

everybody else. Okay. Here is the next question. We've reached the Sweet 16 portion of the NCAA tournament. Who are you hitching your wagon to and riding all the way to the championship? So this is a great question because there's a lot of valid entries for said question. You got one seed still alive in Michigan and also Arizona, Duke, three of the one seed still alive. But I'm going to ride with the team that scores points. I think the align I are going to pull off an upset in Houston, take down Houston, and just keep it motor. Once they win that game, they're good to go.

I like the Alinae. I think this is the year that Brad Underwood finally breaks through. They have such depth that we talked about earlier in the show and so many different people. And I think Keaton Wogler's best NCAA tournament game is still ahead of him before he goes to the NBA draft. Give me the Aligni and Brad Underwood. They got to the regional final two years ago, got dominated by Yukon. I don't see a team out here that is built like that. Yukon team. And I really like the

Aligni's chances of breaking through this season, getting to the final four in in Indianapolis and winning it all. We got dual wagons hitched. We got dual wagon. This show right here in this room, in this country, we are all about the Aligni, baby. They have been convincing going over a hondo against Penn, making them look bad. Okay, Fran. And then Illinois, no funny. stuff from VCU. This ain't North Carolina you're playing. You're not coming back

from double digits on the Illinae in this one. I am predicting that Illinois will beat Houston when they play them on Thursday and it will be back to see you never know who's going to be the guy. Last week, or yesterday or Saturday? Saturday? Saturday.

Saturday? Stoyakovich. Stoyakovich with the 21. David Mercovich is going to have another massive double-double because they've got to get physical against Houston. So they're my team. with honorable mention to the Iowa Hawkeyes because you know it listening right now. You either know somebody that goes to Iowa,

your child goes to Iowa, your best friend goes to Iowa. Everybody is connected to the Iowa Hawkeyes in some way, shape, or form. Many degrees of Hawkeyes in the area. Number five. Team USA quarterback, Darrell Doucette previously said that he's a better flag football quarterback

than Patrick Mahomes because of his IQ. after Team USA defeated the Wildcats flag football club and the Fanatics Flag Football Classic Doucet reflected on those comments. I made some remarks back in 2023. It was totally misconstrued and misunderstood. All I was speaking up was giving my brothers a fair chance to make 2028.

We came out this weekend with that on our mind to say, hey, let's show these guys that we are talented, that we are flag. football and not to be overlooked by anyone in the world. And that's my remarks. I'm sorry, Raygo. So that's Team USA quarterback, Darrell Doucette. Here's the question.

Should the NFL let the actual pro flag football players play in the Olympics and stop trying to take their spots after they embarrassed the NFL players in the fanatics flag football classic in L.A. on Saturday. They did embarrass them. They shouldn't do it. that the video that you sent me, Marshall, all of us is hilarious because of the actual skill set that is involved in flag football

that I didn't even really think about. But I'm going to say no more. I'm seating the rest of my time to the senator from the South Loop Marshall Harris because you got some... The South's got something to say about this one. I can't say it any better than Daryl Doucette himself said it because you heard how emotional he was talking about.

He's got the big trophy, just to paint a picture for you, in front of him. at the press conference after they won two games in the preliminary. There are three total teams. And then they won the championship game. This man led his offense. They scored every single possession of the tournament except the last one because they ran out the clock. Wow.

It's arena football we're playing now. I mean, but you saw, and what Grotie's alluding to is there's a video that I sent where when it's flag football, this isn't about tackling. You had current and former NFL players trying to grab the flags. these guys are professionals at avoiding having their flag taken from them. Like doing the Mamba. I mean, going low on the, you know what I'm saying, like the elusivity. It's like Caleb, what Caleb Williams is to quarterbacks, these guys are to flag football with the elusivity. And if you're wondering, okay, well, who was he going up against?

Tom Brady was one of the quarterbacks. I know he's a former NFL quarterback. But also, Jaden Daniels was out there. Secoon Barkley was out there. Joe Burrow was out there. Other guys were out there, but they just didn't have. the offensive efficiency that a professional flag football player has. Leave this to the pros.

I know the NFL wants to gobble, gobble, gobble this up, but nah, just let these guys make a name for themselves. They've been doing it for longer. They're better. Get the gold.

Five on it. That's it for five on it. Coming up next here on Rahimi, Harris, and Grotie, I've been looking forward to this. We're going to share our favorite moments from the NCAA tournament, and it will be a. accentuated with just some terrific audio.

Some of it is funny. Some of it is just grand like you would expect from the tournament. But we will talk NCAA tournament next on the score. Rahimi Harris and Grody. Middays 10 to 2 on 1043, the score. No foul. Inbound comes to Darwin. Three seconds, two seconds.

Darwin. On the drive to the rim. Layup of 167. 65. The St. John's Red Storm. Storm into the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1999. That felt good. Welcome me back into the Rahimi Harrison Grotie Show on the score. Yep.

St. Johns and Dylan Darling with the last second layup to beat Kansas 67, 65. Interestingly enough, Kansas had tight it on the two, on a couple of free throws with 14.1 left. and then Bill Self just used all of his fouls to have the clock, Marshall, go from 14.1 seconds down to 3.9 seconds is when that play was started. It was, I mean, it was a pretty good strategy, actually, by Bill Self, who Lord knows has taken heaps of criticism for strategy through the years. But it was kind of painful to watch at the very end until it wasn't painful. I was imagining if I was a Kansas fan how I would feel about the end of that game specifically. and it's just, what do you do, right?

I say that because watching some of these other games and the way they ended, Florida doesn't even get a shot off at the end of its game, and you realize how crucial these final seconds, final timeouts, final decisions,

both by the coaches, and we always talk about guards in March, right? What the guards do at the end of games and, well, that guard in that game, St. John's, that's one way to do it. Sorry to the textor, too. no mark that did not feel good i needed a kansas win for my parley to hit man and not even bracket

parley yeah yeah parley this is parley yeah no it's kind of refreshing i don't need to hear about people's brackets and lord knows we're not going to tell you about our brackets because we didn't fill out brackets we just watched for the love of the game but no i'm like you know rick petino st john some of us who were a little bit older remember when st john's and louis carnececa which meant that the paul was good at the time, so it was a little bit feel good for me. As for the rest of the tournament, we all here on this show conspired to put together the best of the audio. And there was some very entertaining stuff, including what you just heard, courtesy of CBS here on Rahimi Harris and Grotie. I would like to start, though, with the Villanova Utah State game. It was Utah

State beats Villanova 86 to 76. During the game, when things were not going well for Villanova and their head coach Kevin Willard. This was the in-game Lauren Shahadi interview with the head coach for Villanova. Kevin Willard, take a listen, please.

Coach, 16 paid points for Utah State. How do you keep them out? I'm going to fire my staff because not now. Yeah, I am, because we've given up eight points on understatement. that of balance defense. So the only thing I'm going to do is father them and get a new step. All right. Go do that now.

Bye, coach. Kevin, we're losing people by the second. Not now. He said that. Like, there was no wink, no smile, just a scowl. Obviously, like, he didn't fire them in game, but he was pissed. The best part about that is they went and watched him and they were like, oh, is he going to fire them or not?

Because obviously, they're not going to happen during the games. Like, okay, it looks like they made it through the timeout. like getting fired. Because he's doing the interview as he's going back to the bench where the assistants and the players are. Nobody's walking off the court. It was funny, but also a little cringe, but the cringe kind of made it more funny. If that makes sense?

Yeah. Oh, yeah, it did. Very entertaining. In conclusion, the conclusion to our story here with the Villanova head coach, Kevin Willard, after the win. No, it was Utah State win, one, right? Yeah, Utah State beat 87s. Okay, it has it down the other way around.

But yes. the Utah State beats Villanova. Kevin Willard backed up his comments from the mid-game interview. So here's Willard being questioned about it in the postgame. Utah State was doing good on the out-of-bounds. They had a couple of scores off that. Where do you think you guys flipped the script on that and kind of was able to get it off? I don't think we did.

We gave up a big three late. Yeah, I'm probably going to have to make some changes to my staff just because of how bad we were. Mark Zigglestan, Union Tribune. You just mentioned making changes to your staff. You gave a... It's a joke. That's why I want to ask you about. You made it...

You gave an interview during the game. It went viral. You're being criticized pretty heavily online. I don't care. It's a joke. Welcome to my life. It's a joke. I like that he actually clarified that it was joke, because let me tell you something.

In the post game interview, Mark, it did not sound like a joke. I don't know. I don't think it was a joke. I think he was pissed at his staff. No, I mean, it was a joke. he was going to fight. I think he was angry with his staff, though. He had every right to be angry, but here's the thing. He looked like a coach looked after a team loses. He looked pissed off. So, like, we don't know you're telling a joke, sir. You've delivered this line

with a straight face. Yeah, well, and he also says, like, to the fact that it went viral. I don't care. I don't care. I think the question should have been, what, like, what are you doing? Like, what's, like, you sounded pretty serious with the coat, where the assistants put off by this at all with the assistants. Let's get their version of it. I saw a former assistant of his tweet that he was not a fan of seeing him make these comments. Why would you be? Because he could say he's joking, ha, ha.

But the coaches got called out without a wink. God bless him if he's joking around like Mr. Straightface. Big three on out of balance play late. There was nothing joking about that. He made another citation of something that went wrong on and out of balance play, which his assistants are responsible for defending. Did not happen. Moving on here on our best of of the NCAA tournament on Rahimi Harris and Grotie.

We talked about the St. John's win coming in out of the break, 67, 65 over Kansas. Dylan Darling was the one who made the last second layup. And before the play was made, you could see in typical fashion with any coach in a hyperstander. situation. There's a lot of like yelling and back and forth going on and you could see it going on with Dylan Darling and Rick Petino yelling at his players because that's what college coaches do. Here's Rick Petino after their win over Kansas breaking down how they drew up that play for the one they called Dylan Darling. But here's the amazing thing and the funniest thing I've ever been involved with. So we're going to run a play and but they got fouls to give

and Bells comes up to me and says run power, which is. is a high back screen pick and roll. So I walk away, I said, okay, Powell, I walk away and said, wait a second, he hasn't scored a bucket, and he wants to run a play for himself. And then I'm thinking, as I'm walking, I said, but he's bells. And not only did he do it, he went with his right hand. So I'm real proud of him, because to want the ball,

when you haven't made it, a shot is unbelievable. So both of these guys had a major impact in us winning tonight. I'm so happy for St. John's and the fans. We had great fans out here. And we get to go to D.C. And I'm just so jubilant, so happy for the fellas. We've taken another step now. So it's just awesome.

Proud of our guys. And now it's just starting. The fun's just starting. Yeah, they've got to take on Duke next. It's nice to hear his voice. I mean, it sounds like the New York accent's gotten even thicker. And I like it. I like it.

The man is vintage. He is old school. college basketball personified. You heard him mention the name Bells, right? Which sounds like, oh, what is that, Bells? I mean, his name is Dylan Darling. There's no Bells. There's no B in there.

The Mark Grody nickname Sensibilities did not click when you heard that, huh? They did not. Let's try to get an answer on that. Let's go to this morning on ESPN's Get Up, Seth Greenberg broke down Rick Petino's comment. on darlings, um, bells. Uncle Seth, you want to explain why Rick Petino calls him bells? Well, he said he is, uh, his jewels are his biggest church bells when the game is on the line.

So his name is bells and it sticks. I wanted to see. How about greedy? Hey, you put that on me, Greedy. You're a professional. You actually threw that. You tried to throw me under the bus. I wanted to see how you would describe it.

You went with jewels. I approve of it. Okay. Here's the thing. We talked about how bad. the Florida defense on the final play was. That was nothing compared to what a total mess the Kansas defense is on this final play.

Hit him in the bells. Hit him in the ding ding. Er, that's the nickname anyway. The family jewels. Bells is a great nickname. And he did, Seth Greenberg, a great job navigating that in a family-friendly way. It really was, and we'll try to keep it family-friendly right here

on Chicago Sports Radio, 670 to score. Excuse me, 104-3 the score. Have I been saying 670 a lot today, by the way? I don't think you have. I think I've just been saying the score. I've got to keep the... It's been a while since I've led the old show here. We've got a couple more here.

Let's get through these puppies. There was a Troy... Oh, yeah, Nebraska. Excuse me. See, I've got to get... Yes, this was a round one game. So we're going back a little bit for this. But we loved it so much.

We wanted to bring it to you. Nebraska just routed Troy in the first. first round, 76, 46 was the final score. So here's the Troy head coach, Scott Cross, after getting walloped by the corn huskers. The good Lord for the opportunity to just have your guts absolutely ripped out. Just happy to be here. Are you angry at God is what I would have asked? But that's just me. That's just my reporter's mentality. No, I think he understands as a 13 seed going up against Nebraska of the four seed,

this was the most likely outcome, but you got to celebrate being there. You do, you do, but it was kind of shaking your head at God for a second, though. I'd like to thank the good Lord for the opportunity to just have your guts absolutely ripped out. Before I think about that, it's Scott Cross, like, damn it Lord finally finally

and this will do our guy the Butte this is five beutes on the beets scale Tyler Butterbaugh our resident Corn Husker

Nebraska had a great great has had a great tournament so far they did what they did to Troy and then they beat Vanderbilt

74 72 but the final seconds were wild here is play by play man on the Huskers radio network Kent Pavellca

Rahimi Harris and Grody Midday's 2 on Chicago Sports Radio 3 to score Another second half domination

from Illinois and they get themselves right back to the Sweet 16 Illinois for the second time in three years

is moving past the round of 32 this time with a 76 55 win over VCU Love seeing it Illinois advances. They will take on the mighty Houston Cougars on Thursday in Houston.

We're going to talk to our guy, Jeremy Werner, all about it. He of the publisher of the Illinois Inquirer.com. But first, a little bit of breaking news on the score being brought to you by Wildfire. Enjoy a delicious meal at Wildfire Restaurants with five Chicagoland locations. It has been made official. Sayas Suzuki, the Cubs, starting right fielder, has been placed on the 10. 10-day injured list, probably the best-case scenario, considering the sprained PCL. The Cubs will be without him for at least the first couple of weeks of this, the 2026 Major League Baseball season.

As for the Illini and our guy, Jeremy Werner, Jeremy, what I like about these first two wins for Illinois, although there were some stuffy moments in the first half of both of these games, like a 10-0 VCU run in the first half when the Aligni were starting to run away with it. For the most part, no funny stuff. The Illini were supposed to win these two games and they did it in grand style in both cases. Yeah, they won about a combined 56 points against these double-digit seeds. They outrebounded these teams by plus 39. Yeah, this is what you want. You want to physically impose your will and they got a break in VCU beating North Carolina. Now, I didn't think North Carolina was going to be much of an issue for Illinois either, but obviously a little bit more talent on that North Carolina team. But this is what

happens when you get number three seed. Sometimes you get a break in front of you in the bracket. Happened two years ago for Illinois. And both those years, Illinois has dominated the pod to advance to the Sweet 16. And that sets them up to, you know, potentially make the final four. Their biggest test of potentially getting there is the Sweet 16 game, which is basically a final four caliber showdown between Illinois and Houston. But yeah, Illinois was physical. I thought they set the tone from the start. And even though they had some wolves in the first half, they quickly put those away and just had dominant second half. So that's the kind

of mentality you wanted to see. It's kind of the physicality. It's kind of the roster flex that you wanted to see Illinois impose on lower level opponents. And it's something they've done all year. Against teams outside the top 30 of the Ken Palm ratings, Illinois went 20 and nothing this year. Now you get

your chance at a premier program in Houston. Jeremy, play time over. You said they got the break and took advantage of it. The breaks are clearly over having to go against a two seat in Houston. in Houston, which is insane, except for this is kind of a thing that they have carved out for themselves by the way that they played over the last month or so against top teams. And now I just have one question.

Is this game going overtime? Because that's usually how this goes. Well, hopefully not for Illinois because they went over and four in overtime this year. So their record has not been very good there. But listen, I thought Houston was the best team in this bracket. All kudos to Florida for their season. But I just didn't think the SEC was all that. great in Florida, you know, took advantage of that, and they were the best team in that conference.

But Houston, what they've done through in the Big 12, clearly one of the best teams. They returned three starters in the back court from last year's NCAA runner-up. So this is a really good team and just the style they play. Illinois hasn't faced this all year. The good thing is you got a little taste of it with VCU, with the pressure that they play at, forcing turnovers. But it's nothing like the athletes, the quickness. just the pressure that Kelvin Samson's program puts on.

And this is, I think, could be their biggest test until potentially a national title game. I think Houston is so, so good. So I really respect what they do because Duke's the other one seed that they would play potentially in the final four. Michigan State they've played already. So I just think Houston is a national title caliber kind of team. Kingston Fleming's is a kind of quick guard, a top five pick that Illinois struggled to stop all year.

I also think Illinois poses some problems from Houston. Illinois does pass well out of these traps. Illinois has got big guys who can really spread it around as passers, shoot it really well over this pressure when they play in rotation. And then Illinois's got better size than Houston. This is a bigger team that Illinois has rather than Houston, so Illinois has a chance to beat them up on the glass. But you better bring it mentally because Houston wants to make this a boxing match.

and at times Illinois has struggled with that with teams, but I do like how they played the last couple games, but they got to bring their A game from the start. Otherwise, Houston's the type of team that can bury it, can force turnovers and make you question yourself. So if Illinois comes out with the same mentality they did in Greenville, they'll give themselves a chance. Absolutely. Can't wait for that game on Thursday, Houston.

And the Illini, as Jeremy Werner, just telling us here, the publisher of the Aligni Inquirer.com on Rahimi Harris and Grotie. And you wrote about it a little bit, and just doing the research on Brad Underwood, credit where credit is due, it's easy to forget that there was an eight-year tournament drought for the fighting Aligni, and this man has restored order. What kind of credit does Brad Underwood have?

Because I think sometimes it's easily taken for granted because we expect the signature college in the state of Illinois to thrive, but that's not always the case. No, it wasn't, Mark, for years, for a decade. It wasn't the case. Bruce Weber was great in leading Illinois to the 2005 national title run. The next year, James Augustine and D. Brown were still here, but he just did not maintain that. And that's a credit to what Bill's self, Lon Kruger, you know, Lou Henson before them had built. But after that 05 run, this program was a middling Big Ten team for the most part,

and then fell during John Gross's tenure to a bottom half Big Ten team. So the fact that Brad has built this from his first two years in that rebuild, losing more games in a two-year stretch than Illinois has ever had to a point where now the expectation is to get to a Sweet 16, like that is the bar he is set. And credit to him, he said that needs to be the bar. We should be competing for national championships here and Big Ten championships here. But it shouldn't be overlooked that, you know, Illinois fans now can complain about not making elite eights or final fours or winning Big Ten championships. because Brad Underwood has lifted this program from the bottom half of the Big Ten to one of the best programs in the Big Ten,

one of the best rosters. Illinois is now an NBA factory. That's all because of Brad Underwood. And his hires, his ability to change scheme, go to an NBA-style offense, and get the guys from overseas, find guys like Keaton Wogler, and develop them into NBA players. So he deserves all the credit in the world. I think he's building something similar to what Lou Henson is. doing, and Lou Henson got to one final four. That's the next check for Brad Underwood is to get there. He's got a huge test in front of him, but if you're able to beat Houston, set up a game where you

would be the favorite over Nebraska or Iowa for the chance to get to the final four, I think that would solidify Brad Underwood as one of the two best coaches to ever be at Illinois because Bill Self was only here three years, but that would solidify him as one of the nation's elite coaches. I think he's already been kind of in that conversation beginning of the final four. He gets there. There's no doubt he's one of those guys. Mayor, I love hearing that. He is on the right trajectory. Jeremy, thank you so much. We always appreciate your insights. Love reading you. Love hearing you, man. Thanks, Jeremy. All right. Thanks, guys. Anytime. You got it. That is Jeremy Werner. If you'd like to follow Jeremy Werner, the publisher of Inlinequire.com, he is on X at J. Werner 247.

that is the place for all that good information and insight. Coming up next on Rahimi, Harris, and Grody. Has Caleb Williams risen to a higher tier among NFL quarterbacks after last season? That I've also got something to give way to you if you want to be part of a live studio audience for the Take the North podcast. So we got a hot hour on the way here on Rahimi Harris and Grody on the score. Thank you.