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After UCLA's defeat to Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Men's Tournament, the Bruins season officially came to an end. While the game would be the only event of the minds of those involved, at least that is what one would presume, for UCLA coach Mick Cronin, there is something else that is bothering him.
That thing is the accommodations given to his team to aid in their extensive travels. Unlike the regular season, for the NCAA Tournament, the NCAA picks up travel costs for every program. The downside to that is that teams who are more accustomed to better accommodations may be subjected to different services that produce unsatisfactory results. At least that is what Cronin claims.
UCLA’s Mick Cronin, on when he’ll start worrying about next season.
— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) March 23, 2025
“Right now guys, it’s 12:40 am and our season just ended. Right now my biggest concern is how bad the seats are on @Allegiant flight, on that terrible plane we’re gonna have to fly home tomorrow..”
I felt that pic.twitter.com/LQ9Zc57YKm
“Right now, guys, it’s 12:40 a.m., and our season just ended. That's it. You're gonna ask me about next year?" Cronin said. "Right now, my biggest concern is how bad the seats are on the Allegiant flight, on that terrible plane that we’re gonna have to fly home tomorrow.”
So, there are two major takeaways: Cronin used his issues with Allegiant Airlines to deflect the question, refusing to talk about next year, and is he justified with his disgust of Allegiant? Obviously, the NCAA takes care of costs due to organizing the tournament, plus all the teams that qualify who may not be able to afford extra travel costs.
According to Will Hobson of the Washington Post, the NCAA Men's Tournament earns over $700 million annually. Considering UCLA typically travels with Delta, if there's a concern regarding player comfort, considering the typical length of players' legs and the limited space airlines allow for legroom, shouldn't teams be able to make their own plans and the NCAA just reimburse them? The programs and the players drive the product.
While that needs to be figured out, there could also be an issue for UCLA after Cronin's comments. UCLA is a member of the Big Ten. The Big Ten may be looking to move the Big Ten title game from Indianapolis to Las Vegas as they did with the football media day.
The stadium in Las Vegas is called Allegiant Stadium, as the airline owns the naming rights. It will be interesting to see if Cronin's words stir up issues for him with the conference.
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Illinois basketball legend’s message to ‘passionate’ fans after key transfer portal losses
The Illinois basketball team saw its season come to an end last weekend in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Fighting Illini had a solid year as they earned a six-seed in the tournament, but they couldn’t get past Kentucky to make it to the second weekend. The season is over, and since it ended, Illinois has lost three players to the transfer portal: Tre White, Morez Johnson Jr. and Carey Booth. Because of the transfer portal departures, there have been some Illinois basketball fans on social media who are not happy. Former Fighting Illini star Dee Brown has a message for those fans: “My Illini family going off on here today! I understand your frustration- it’s ok, everyone is dealing with the same issues! With time, things will change for the better! Be more positive,” Dee Brown said in a post. “I get it- POSITIVITY! The program is in a great place- JMO!” Brown played at Illinois from 2002-2006. He knows that this is a passionate fanbase. “ILLINI fans has always been like this,” Brown added. “I call it PASSION, we love HOOPS! I get it- I played in a different era, I can’t speak about today’s game and what I would have done or made! Be POSITIVE! It’s a different time in college hoops!” Brown understands the frustration that Illinois fans are feeling, but he has a more positive outlook on things compared to some of the fanbase. “Talk about it amongst each other, talk your talk- get it all out!! It’s how you feel and you have every right to feel that,” the former Big Ten Player of the Year said. “But the fact of the matter is- we must adjust until things change! So buckle up and enjoy the ride.” In this era of college sports, transfer portal departures are going to happen, and it’s just something that teams are going to have to deal with. The Fighting Illini have lost some key players already, but the portal goes both ways. Illinois will need to find a way to find some good replacements so that they can once again be a contender in the Big Ten next year. This wasn’t a bad year for the Illinois basketball team, but based on how good this team looked early in the season, it was a disappointing finish. Still, head coach Brad Underwood has done an outstanding job with this program, and he should have the Fighting Illini in a position to compete next year.
Los Angeles Lakers vs. Houston Rockets Injury Report
On Sunday night, the Houston Rockets issued a 148-109 beatdown of the Phoenix Suns, furthering their chances of keeping the No. 2 seed as the postseason nears. It was a full team effort, with eight different Rockets finishing in double-digit scoring, led by Jalen Green with 33 points. Others included Alperen Sengun, Amen Thompson and Fred VanVleet from the starting lineup, as well as Jabari Smith Jr., Cam Whitmore, Jock Landale and Aaron Holiday from the bench. Defense played a part, too, as Houston held Kevin Durant to just 11 points on 11 shots. With the near-40-point beatdown, the second-seeded Rockets pushed their Western Conference lead over the Nuggets to two full games, important given there’s only a handful of games remaining in the season. On Monday night, the Rockets will take on the Lakers in the second half of a back-to-back, hoping to further extend its lead over the West, sans Oklahoma City. The Lakers currently stand at No. 4, and are in dire need of wins themselves. Here are the injury reports for both the Rockets and Lakers: Houston Rockets injuries: N/A Los Angeles Lakers injuries: LeBron James — Probable: Left groin strain For the first time nearly all season, the Houston Rockets have a fully healthy roster, aside from its G League designations. Reed Sheppard is back from a thumb injury, Amen Thompson's rolled ankle in the Suns' game isn't set to keep him out, and Tari Eason and more rested on the front half of the back to back. The Lakers, too, are mostly healthy. Their only designation being a 'probable' for superstar LeBron James. The two teams playing the bulk of their rotations this late in the season is an obvious sign this is an essential must-win for both squads. The Lakers and Rockets tip off at 9 p.m. CT.
Chicago Blackhawks receive brutal reality check on development in Connor Bedard’s 2nd season
The Chicago Blackhawks have nine more games remaining before their regular season comes to a merciful end. The Blackhawks enter Sunday’s contest against Utah HC with a 21-43-9 record (51 points), the second-worst record in the NHL. Only the San Jose Sharks have fewer (49) points. The Blackhawks’ season has been disappointing in Connor Bedard’s second season with the team. Chicago fired Luke Richardson in his third season after an 8-16-2 start. Connor Bedard is frustrated While Bedard has had his moments, the No. 1 pick in the 2023 draft appeared to regress through much of March. He’s struggling to win face-offs. Still, he has the second-most points on the Blackhawks with 57 points, only trailing Ryan Donato’s 58 points. Though how much of the blame falls on the 19-year-old’s shoulders is hard to tell amid an organization that hasn’t set him up for success. What we do know is that he’s frustrated. The Chicago Blackhawks receive a brutal reality check Scott Powers of The Athletic had a wake-up call for the Blackhawks before the offseason. He noticed Chicago underperformed this year when revisiting The Athletic’s preseason prediction. They expected the Blackhawks to finish 25 points better than last season. “Pass, fail or incomplete? Fail,” Powers wrote. “The Blackhawks will finish with more points than they had last season, but it won’t be by nearly as much as expected. The Blackhawks had 52 points last season and are at 51 points with 9 games to go this year. “At best, maybe they will finish 10 points better. Still, this season has been more underwhelming than predicted.” The Blackhawks will enter a pivotal offseason that will determine Bedard’s future with the organization. Chicago must find a head coach who can provide great leadership for a young team and can bring out the best in Bedard. The Blackhawks must be diligent in finding pieces that can show progress next season. Chicago isn’t going to become a contender for the Stanley Cup overnight, but there is no reason for the team to be at the bottom of the league again.
Jim Harbaugh breaks silence on ‘possible’ Keenan Allen Chargers’ reunion
Wide receiver Keenan Allen was traded to the Chicago Bears last offseason but is now a free agent. He’s publicly voiced interest in reuniting with the Los Angeles Chargers, and head coach Jim Harbaugh also said he’s keen on bringing back the franchise legend. Via Daniel Popper: “Anything’s possible. That would be cool.” While Harbaugh didn’t coach Allen, he’s undoubtedly aware of his abilities. The wideout was selected by the Chargers in 2013 out of the University of California. In 11 seasons with Los Angeles, Allen put up very solid numbers. He compiled 100+ receptions in five of those seasons and reeled in 108 catches for 1,243 yards and seven TDs in 2023 before departing in free agency. The Chargers haven’t made a ton of moves on the open market other than bringing back Mike Williams. While Ladd McConkey has emerged as Justin Herbert’s top target, running it back with a player like Allen wouldn’t be a terrible move by any means. He’d just have a different role. Perhaps LA is waiting until after the draft to explore an Allen reunion. Williams recently posted an IG story with a picture alongside Allen with the caption “Run it back turbo,” and Allen reposted it. I mean, his numbers in a Chargers uniform speak for themselves. Sure, he’s a little bit older now, but Allen is a reliable target who knows this offense inside and out. LA could still certainly add another weapon for Herbert through the draft. But, they should seriously consider Allen as an option as well. If the head coach is interested in it, then it must remain a possibility. The Chargers will be looking to bounce back in Harbaugh’s second season after exiting in the Wild Card Round. Los Angeles finished the regular season with an 11-6 record, but optimism remains with such a wonderful HC at the helm.
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