RETURN TO INDY. I'M YOUR HOST
BRET BEHERNS -- MARLEE WIERDA
AND ANDY OLSON WILL JOIN US
LIVE FROM INDIANAPOLIS COMING
UP SHORTLY -- WHERE ILLINOIS
BASKETBALL IS GETTING SET FOR
WHAT THEY HOPE WILL BE AN
EXTENDED STAY IN THE HOOSIER
NCAA TOURNAMENTS. BUT OUR
FOCUS IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES
IS ON THE ILLINI'S PURSUIT TO
WIN A CONFERENCE TOURNAMENT
CHAMPIONSHIP FOR THE FIRST
TIME SINCE 2005. WE'VE GOT A
JAM PACKED SHOW AHEAD -- WE'LL
BREAK DOWN THE BRACKET WITH
OUR EXPERT DEREK PIPER FROM
ILLINI INQUIRER. FORMER ILLINI
AND CHAMPAIGN NATIVE TRENT
MEACHAM HAS ALSO BEEN WITH US
ALL SEASON -- HE'S ALSO HERE
LIVE IN STUDIO WITH MORE
HEAR FROM THE PLAYERS AND
COACHES ALONG THE WAY --
INCLUDING A FUN FEATURE WE'RE
CALLING ILLIN IN ESPANOL. BUT
WE START WITH THE BRACKET.
AFTER NEARLY THREE MONTHS OF
THIS. ALL 14 TEAMS IN ONE
PLACE -- WITH ONE AUTOMATIC
BID TO THE NCAA TOURNAMENT ON
THE LINE. THE GAMES ARE
ALREADY UNDERWAY -- WITH TWO
LAST NIGHT -- FOUR MORE TODAY
AND THEN FOUR QUARTERFINAL
MATCH-UPS TOMORROW -- THAT'S
THE FIRST TIME THE SECOND
SEEDED ILLINI WILL TAKE THE
COURT. MICHIGAN IS THE NUMBER
ONE SEED AND REGULAR SEASON
CONFERENCE CHAMPION. IOWA IS
THE THIRD SEED -- PURDUE
FOURTH. REGARDLESS OF WHO THEY
PLAY -- THE ILLINI SAY THEY'RE
READY TO ROLL IN THEIR RETURN
TO INDY.
BRAD UNDERWOOD: "I HOPE IT'S A
HELL OF A LOT OF FUN BRET. I
JUST HOPE I GOT ENOUGH SOCKS,
UNDERWEAR AND THERE'S A DAMN
GOOD DRY CLEANER IN
INDIANAPOLIS. I HOPE WE'RE
THERE FOR A LONG TIME, IT'S
GONNA BE FUN." ILLINOIS WILL
LOSE IN THE NCAA TOURNAMENT OR
WIN IT ALL IN WHAT COULD BE A
25-DAY STAY
ILLINOIS IS THE THIRD RANKED
TEAM IN THE COUNTRY WITH A
20-6 RECORD -- THEIR 16 BIG
TEN WINS IS THE MOST IN
PROGRAM HISTORY. THEY'RE
FOURTH IN THE NET RANKINGS,
5TH IN KENPOM -- BOTH OF THOSE
DOES QUAD 1 WINS -- THE ILLINI
HAVE AN NCAA LEADING NINE
((BRET)) BRET BEHERNS:
"WELCOME BACK TO YOUR ILLINI
TO BE JOINED BY FORMER ILLINI
TRENT MEACHAM -- YOU'VE SEEN
HIM ALL SEASON ON OUR SUNDAY
FAST BREAK SEGMENTS -- AND
TRENT WE'VE FINALLY MADE IT TO
THE POSTSEASON AND FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME --
IT FEELS LIKE THIS TEAM HAS A
SHOT TO WIN NOT ONLY A BIG TEN
TOURNAMENT TITLE BUT THE WHOLE
THING." TRENT MEACHAM: " BRET
BEHERNS: "WHAT ELEMENT OR PART
OF THIS TEAM GIVES YOU THE
MOST CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WILL
MAKE DEEPS RUNS IN MARCH?"
TRENT MEACHAM: " BRET BEHERNS:
"ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
EQUATION -- WHAT DO THEY HAVE
TO CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ON TO
NOT SLIP UP?" TRENT MEACHAM: "
BRET BEHERNS: "TAKE ME BACK TO
((BRET)) BRET BEHERNS: "WELCOME
BACK TO
"WELCOME BACK TO YOUR ILLINI
TRENT MEACHAM -- YOU'VE SEEN
HIM ALL SEASON ON OUR SUNDAY
FAST BREAK SEGMENTS -- AND
TRENT WE'VE FINALLY MADE IT TO
THE POSTSEASON AND FOR THE
FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME -- IT
FEELS LIKE THIS TEAM HAS A SHOT
TO WIN NOT ONLY A BIG TEN
TOURNAMENT TITLE BUT THE WHOLE
THING." TRENT MEACHAM: " BRET
BEHERNS: "WHAT ELEMENT OR PART
OF THIS TEAM GIVES YOU THE MOST
CONFIDENCE THAT THEY WILL MAKE
DEEPS RUNS IN MARCH?" TRENT
MEACHAM: " BRET BEHERNS: "ON
CONTINUE TO IMPROVE ON TO NOT
SLIP UP?" TRENT MEACHAM: " BRET
BEHERNS: "TAKE ME BACK TO YOUR
TIME PLAYING IN MARCH -- WHAT
CHANGES WHEN YOU GET TO BOTH
THE BIG TEN AND NCAA
TOURNAMENTS FROM A PLAYER
STANDPOINT?" TRENT MEACHAM: "
BRET BEHERNS: "OKAY TAKE OFF
YOUR ANALYST HAT HERE -- HOW
MUCH FAN ARE YOU HAVING WATCH
YOUR ALMA MATER HAVE SO MUCH
SUCCESS?" TRENT MEACHAM: " BRET
BEHERNS: "TRENT MEACHAM -- AS
ALWAYS ON POINT -- THANKS FOR
YOUR TIME."
DOWN THE ILLINI. PLUS. ANDRE
CURBELO: "AQUI TENGO ESCRITO,
PARA MI FAMILIA, PORQUE ESO ES
LA RAZON POR LA QUE YO JUEGO."
FROM PUERTO RICO TO NEW YORK