Illinois
LIVE BLOG: Follow As No. 17 Indiana Takes On Eastern Illinois
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Hello to everyone from Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall! Indiana men’s basketball plays its second game of the season with Eastern Illinois providing the opposition.
Indiana has already played Ohio Valley Conference competition as the Hoosiers defeated Southern Illinois-Edwardsville 80-61 last Wednesday. Eastern Illinois is battle-tested having lost 112-67 at Illinois and with a 97-61 victory over Division III Earlham.
Game action
• Indiana 7-5, 1656 1H. Indiana throwing it into the post again as a first option, but unlike Wednesday’s game, Ballo is passing out of double teams and finding open Hoosiers. Once on a nice cut by Mackenzie Mgbako. Another time when Malik Reneau was left by his lonesome under the rim.
• Indiana 9-8, 1550 1H. Not a lot of stopping power from either team so far. Panthers are not going to be able to handle this two-man game Indiana has going inside the arc. The Panthers have hit 2 of 3 from 3-point range.
• 18-18, 1155 1H. Eastern Illinois guard Nakyel Shelton is feeling it. He hit a pair of 3-pointers in a row, one with Kanaan Carlyle right in his face, as the Panthers took the initiative. Hoosiers still generating most of their attack at the rim.
Defense? What’s that? Indiana is shooting 61.5%. Eastern Illinois is converting at a 70% clip, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range. Mackenzie Mgbako has hit all three of hits shots, including Indiana’s only 3-pointer so far. Myles Rice has four assists already.
• Indiana 25-20, 915 1H. Luke Goode has made his first 3-pointer in an Indiana uniform. That had to feel good as he’s been cold to start the season.
• Indiana 27-20, 832 1H. Hoosiers starting to get out on the break. Trey Galloway has facilitated much of the action. Panthers have gone into funk as they haven’t hit a bucket in 2:36.
• Indiana 27-23, 755 1H. Mackenzie Mgbako picking up where he left off from the last game. Before he was subbed out for Gabe Cupps, Mgbako has 9 points on 4-for-4 shooting. He looks very confident on the floor.
Eastern Illinois has pestered the Hoosiers with timely shots. Every time the Hoosiers threaten to pull away, the Panthers answer with a bucket. The latest was a 3-pointer by Zion Fruster.
• 27-27, 625 1H. Lineup of Gabe Cupps, Langdon Hatton, Bryson Tucker, Trey Galloway and Luke Goode not getting it done offensively. Indiana quickly subs Mackenzie Mgbako and Myles Rice back into the action. Panthers on a 7-0 run.
• Indiana 30-29, 346 1H. Hoosiers playing with their food. Too deliberate on the offensive end. Apart from Mackenzie Mgbako, it doesn’t seem like anyone is willing to asset themselves on the offensive end. I know this tendency drives some Indiana fans nuts. The Hoosiers should be in attack mode at all times against a team like Eastern Illinois.
Eastern Illinois ballhandlers sometimes beating Indiana defenders off the dribble. Other times, Indiana has defended well for most of a possession only to concede a shot right at the death of the shot clock.
• Eastern Illinois 35-32, 200 1H. Timeout Indiana as EIU has made four buckets in a row. Myles Rice and Kanaan Carlyle have combined for a single point. I get that Indiana is trying to take advantage of its bulk advantage in the paint, but you have to get something from the backcourt besides Mgbako.
• Halftime – Eastern Illinois 37, Indiana 36. OK fans, grouse away! Some here at Assembly Hall did. A tiny percentage of boos at halftime.
Indiana should not be down at halftime against Eastern Illinois. Indiana’s backcourt – besides Mgabko and maybe Trey Galloway – has played like I feel: tired. I was up late writing stories about Indiana football. Not sure why Indiana would be so lackadaisical.
Eastern Illinois shot 59% in the first half, including 5 of 10 from 3-point range. Indiana made 57.1%, but also mixed in eight turnovers and was only 2 of 7 from 3-point range. Oumar Ballo (11 points), Mackenzie Mgbako (9 points) and Malik Reneau (8 points) have provided 77.7% of Indiana points. That has to change.
Hoosiers have to wake up to avoid what would be a very embarrassing defeat.
• What’s frustrating from the Indiana perspective is that the players who are struggling have proven themselves at a high level. Myles Rice, Kanaan Carlyle and Luke Goode may be new to Indiana, but they’re not new to high-level Division I basketball. They seem restrained in some moments, too willing to force the issue in others. The classic question is it them or is it what they’re being instructed to do? I’m sure it’s a bit of both.
• Then there’s Indiana’s defense. Eastern Illinois hit a couple of guarded shots, but the Panthers should not be even with Indiana in fast break points 11 apiece. Eastern Illinois also has a somewhat surprising 18 points in the paint.
• Eastern Illinois 39-38, 1906 2H. Stoppage in play as Rodolfo Rufino Bolis falls awkwardly after he was fouled on a shot under the rim.
• Indiana 47-43, 1631 2H. Panthers took a five-point lead to start the half, but the Hoosiers have answered with a 9-0 run. All of it was scored in the paint and two of the buckets were on the break, something Indiana hasn’t been able to generate much offense from so far.
• Indiana 49-45, 1555 2H. After the last timeout, Indiana surprised Eastern Illinois as it pressed the inbounds pass. It paid off when Mackenzie Mgbako stepped in front a pass and got an easy dunk. Still, Indiana’s defense isn’t where it needs to be yet. EIU is 3-for-5 from the floor in the second half. Indiana has 16 assists on 21 buckets. That’s the kind of rate a team should have when it’s feeding the post as the Hoosiers are.
• Indiana 54-45, 1409 2H. A 3-pointer by Mackenzie Mgbako and an easy dunk for Malik Reneau added to Indiana’s 16-2 run. It’s been sloppy, but Indiana hasn’t been hurt by that in the second half.
• Indiana 58-45, 1251 2H. Bryson Tucker gets involved with a layup and Oumar Ballo gets a transition dunk against four Eastern Illinois defenders. Leading scorer Nakyel Shelton was down on the other end of the floor with a foot injury.
Panthers have missed eight of their last nine shots, including six in a row. Eastern Illinois hasn’t scored at all in 3:16. Some of those shots that were falling in the first half for the Panthers are not finding the mark in the second half.
• Indiana 60-45, 1149 2H. Shelton’s injury must have been minor because he’s back on the floor. The Eastern Illinois shooting drought continues as its now nine shots without a make. The Indiana run is up to 22-2. Hoosiers are keeping their turnovers (2) down and taking what Eastern Illinois is giving them. Indiana has matched its fast break point total for the first half with 11.
• Indiana 70-48, 903 2H. Indiana’s second half edge is 34-11. Once the shots started falling, Indiana’s defense got a lot better. It shouldn’t happen that way, but it so often does for all manner of teams. Conversely, once some shots stopped falling, Eastern Illinois resistance has crumbled. Also shouldn’t happen, but it often does.
• Indiana 72-48, 800 2H. Jakai Newton checks into the game for Indiana. Some thought he may never see the court in a real game, so it’s good that he’s getting some run.
Malik Reneau (9 points), Mackenzie Mgabko (9 points) and Bryson Tucker (6 points) are a combined 10 of 14 in the second half from the field. Included was Tucker’s first collegiate dunk.
Eastern Illinois is 4 of 19 in the second half. It’s just hard for teams playing at EIU’s level to sustain attack in games like this.
• Indiana 74-48, 708 2H. Interesting lineup on the floor for Indiana: Oumar Ballo, Trey Galloway, Myles Rice, Bryson Tucker, Jakai Newton.
• Indiana 76-48, 625 2H. Tucker got another dunk. See below.
THE FRESHMAN. 🫢@BrysonTucker3_ | #IUBB
Subscribe/stream on B1G+ https://t.co/e7te82a5M2 pic.twitter.com/vyU8QDJP64 — Indiana Basketball (@IndianaMBB) November 10, 2024
• Indiana 76-49, 440 2H. Indiana’s second half edge is now 40-12. Put simply, Indiana played like a middling Ohio Valley Conference team in the first half and have played like a Big Ten contender in the second half. Among other things, Trey Galloway’s four second half assists have helped. So have three blocks from Oumar Ballo.
Eastern Illinois got rattled and now can’t make a shot for love or money. Panthers are a woeful 4 of 27 in the second half.
• Indiana 81-42, 244 2H. One thing this second half has accomplished is to give confidence to some Hoosiers who probably needed it. Bryson Tucker has had a solid second half with 10 points. Kanaan Carlyle made a 3-pointer … it was just good for him to see a shot fall down. Jakai Newton has had a couple of boards and can finally get past whether he can be on the floor or not. All good for Indiana going forward.
• FINAL – Indiana 90, Eastern Illinois 55. See? I told you (see below) it’s a 40-minute game!
On a serious note, Indiana’s penchant for playing underwhelming ball for long stretches does have to cease, but the overwhelming attack Indiana was able to mount in the second half (54-18 scoring edge) is a good way to go into a bit of a break this week. The Hoosiers next play in six days against another team with a direction in their name, but a bird of a different feather. The SEC’s South Carolina come to Bloomington at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday.
Pregame
• Starters: Indiana – Myles Rice, Kanaan Carlyle, Oumar Ballo, Malik Reneau, Mackenzie Mgbako. So Ballo will give it a shot.
Eastern Illinois – Artese Stapleton, Nakyel Shelton, Zion Fruster, Rodolfo Rufino Bolis, Kooper Jacobi.
• Internet is sloooow in my corner of Assembly Hall. It always seems to be pregame and then it straightens itself out shortly after tipoff. I’ll update as possible.
• Late-arriving crowd at Assembly Hall. I’m sure a lot of fans were at Memorial Stadium into the night on Saturday. Saw the traffic gradually filing out of the parking lots last night from the press box. Yikes.
• Oumar Ballo is questionable today. Not ideal for the Hoosiers who lack frontcourt depth. We’ll see how long/if Ballo can play and how Indiana handles his injury situation.
• It’s a pretty easy trip for Eastern Illinois. Charleston, Ill. is less than two hours from Bloomington … and that’s being generous. If you know your roads over in that part of Illinois, Clarksville Road between Charleston, Ill. and Marshall, Ill. is your friend.
• I covered Eastern Illinois coach Marty Simmons for a long time when he coached Evansville and I covered Indiana State and the Missouri Valley Conference. A really good dude as Indiana fans who got to know him when he played for the Hoosiers can attest.
• Reminder to yourself if you get frustrated if Indiana has a dry spell in this game, especially early in the game: the Hoosiers are ranked No. 17 in the country and it’s a 40-minute game. If the game is in jeopardy in the second half, then by all means, hit the panic button, but it seemed at the first media timeout in the last game that there was over-the-top grousing about the way Indiana was playing. I know a segment of Indiana fans do over-the-top grousing as a weird point of pride, but at some point, it kind of gets to the point of parody.
Illinois
Record-high Illinois university workers opt-out of pensions
A record share of Illinois university employees opt-out of pensions for a 401(k)-style plan, lawmakers should give other state employees the same flexibility.
More retired state university employees are opting for a 401(k)-style plan rather than a traditional pension than ever before. They want more choice and flexibility in their retirement benefits. Lawmakers should expand the option to all state workers.
SURS published its annual actuarial evaluation for 2025. With only 47.1% of what they need to pay retirees, they are the second-highest funded state pension in Illinois, beaten only by the Teachers Retirement System with a funded ratio of 47.8%. That shouldn’t be a source of pride, however.
Experts say 60% funded is dangerous and 40% funded or lower is past the point of no return, so 47% is far too low. Illinois’ pension crisis is the worst in the nation.
But the system stands apart because it offers a way out for employees who don’t want to be stuck in the outdated, one-size-fits-all pension model or a pension system that might become insolvent.
SURS gained 1,314 new employees last year, 725 to the traditional and portable pension plans while 589 opted into the Retirement Savings Plan. Nearly half, 45%, of all new members joining are opting out of a traditional pension.
The numbers show 18.2% of all active employees opted into the Retirement Savings Plan, the highest ever since it started in 1998.
It’s a defined contribution plan, similar to a 401(k), rather than the typical defined benefit pension available in most state retirement systems. That’s up from 17.7% of active employees in 2024.
Actuaries expect this pattern to continue, projecting a growing share of active employees opting into the plan until it reaches around 30% of all active employees who are on a defined contribution plan.
Academic hires such as professors are expected to opt-in to the Retirement Savings Plan at a rate of 45%. Non-academic employees such as administrators are expected to opt-in at a rate closer to 25%.
In both cases, employees seem to enjoy getting more choice over how to invest their retirement benefits, but the difference highlights why this option is so important. Currently state university employees are the only ones with this defined contribution option.
Traditional pensions for new workers at Illinois universities have a vesting period of 10 years. That means if someone leaves their job or the state before they’ve completed 10 years, they won’t be eligible for anything but a refund of their contributions. Not the state match or any interest they could’ve accrued while working.
Early-career academics face higher job uncertainty and are more likely to change institutions than later-career or tenured faculty. Under higher expected mobility, defined contributions are more attractive because you don’t have to worry about losing out on retirement benefits because the vesting period is much lower at 5 years.
Mobility isn’t only important in academia. The ability to change careers is important for a variety of jobs today. Wage and salary workers in the public sector today have a median tenure of 6.2 years. That number is likely skewed because 3-in-4 government workers are aged 35 and older.
Younger workers tend to stay in jobs for shorter periods. Across the public and private sectors, the median tenure of workers 55 to 64 is 9.6 years and 2.7 years for workers 25 to 34. Both figures are far below the 10-year vesting requirement for most Illinois pensions.
There’s no reason to limit flexibility and control to only employees under the State University Retirement System. Senate Bill 3389 offers a step in the right direction by allowing downstate teachers to opt-in to a similar Retirement Savings Plan. But that is only the start.
Illinois should expand this option to all five of its state pension systems so that employees can choose to have more control over their retirement finances. Similar plans have been enacted in Rhode Island and Tennessee, which has one of the best-funded pension systems in the country. A defined contribution plan offers more freedom and security for retirees.
Illinois
New rule nearly doubles eligibility for Illinois ABLE savings accounts
ILLINOIS – Illinois is making it possible for thousands more people with disabilities to set aside money for their needs without losing critical federal benefits.
A new rule, announced this week by State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, raises the eligibility age so that anyone whose disability began before age 47 can now open an ABLE (Achieving a Better Life Experience) savings account.
The change nearly doubles the number of Illinois residents who can use the program, which lets people with disabilities save and invest money tax-free for qualified expenses.
Frerichs called the expansion a “game changer,” estimating that 250,000 additional Illinoisans and about 6 million people nationwide now qualify.
“We’re happy to report that ABLE accounts are now available to anyone who acquired their disability before age 46, and I think this is a game changer for a lot of people,” Frerichs said.
Until this expansion, ABLE accounts were only available to people who acquired a disability before age 26. That restriction left out veterans, accident survivors, and people diagnosed with disabling conditions later in life. The new rule took effect this year after Congress responded to calls from Illinois advocates and families to expand access.
How ABLE accounts work:
An ABLE account functions much like a 529 college savings account. Account holders, friends, and family can contribute cash, which is then invested. The money grows tax-free as long as it is used for disability-related expenses such as housing, transportation, assistive technology, or education. Illinois also offers a state income tax deduction for contributions.
Before ABLE accounts, people with disabilities who received Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Medicaid faced strict asset limits. Having more than $2,000 in savings could mean losing those benefits.
“This created a lot of anxiety for families who were preparing,” Frerichs said. “There’s a lot of fear for people who wanted to go out and work. What would happen if my paycheck put me over that threshold? Well, ABLE is the answer.”
The program allows up to $100,000 in savings without affecting federal benefits. Earnings and withdrawals remain tax-free if used for qualified expenses.
Real-life impact:
Frerichs shared stories from families who had to make difficult choices before ABLE accounts existed.
“I talked to parents who had to tell their children’s employer don’t give my kid a raise,” he said. “I’ve talked to parents who talked with their financial advisors, saying, don’t name your child in your will. We created a system that put parents in horrible positions, but now we have a solution that allows them to do more long-term planning and to truly set their kids up for a better life experience.”
Stephanie Cantor, director of the Illinois ABLE program, said the expansion lets her and thousands like her save for expenses that come with disability.
“Living with a disability just costs more, and it makes me think of all the ways an ABLE account could have been useful to me over the years to be able to save money and pay for these expenses,” Cantor said.
What’s next:
Illinois has about 8,500 ABLE account holders who have saved $121 million so far. The state treasurer’s office encourages anyone who thinks they may qualify to learn more and apply at illinoisable.com.
The Source: The information in this article was reported by FOX Chicago’s Terrence Lee.
Illinois
Big Ten tournament preview: An Illinois-Michigan rematch Saturday at the UC would be huge
The 29th Big Ten men’s basketball tournament starts Tuesday and ends Sunday at the United Center, where the champion will snip down the nets while the NCAA Tournament bracket reveal furiously gets underway.
In keeping with tradition, the NCAA selection committee will claim to have factored the Big Ten final into its seeding even though it — how to put this? — did not.
Unlike last year, when 15 teams made the Big Ten field, this tourney will include all 18 teams and begin a day sooner, because clearly a five-day event just wasn’t long enough.
A team-by-team glimpse, in order of seeding (odds via FanDuel):
1. MICHIGAN (29-2, 19-1)
Next: TBD, 11 a.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +105.
Snip? If the ginormous frontcourt of Yaxel Lendeborg, Aday Mara and Morez Johnson Jr. brutalizes foes like it did Illinois in Champaign, it’s over-and-out for everybody else.
Or slip? Point guard Elliot Cadeau might wear down with injured L.J. Cason unable to spell him.
2. NEBRASKA (25-5, 15-5)
Next: TBD, 5:30 p.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +1000.
Snip? No team plays harder at the defensive end, and the Huskers move the ball beautifully on offense. Is it shooter Pryce Sandfort’s time to shine?
Or slip? Is coach Fred Hoiberg allowed to win a championship at the UC? Asking for a few million friends.
3. MICHIGAN STATE (25-6, 15-5)
Next: TBD, approximately 8 p.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +650.
Snip? Jeremy Fears is one of the best playmakers around, and we are bound by law to say it’s hard to beat Tom Izzo in March.
Or slip? As tough as this team is, it lacks the kind of star power we’ve often seen in green.
4. ILLINOIS (24-7, 15-5)
Next: TBD, approximately 1:30 p.m. Friday, BTN.
Title odds: +470.
Snip? If freshmen Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic hold up to postseason competition, the shooters around them will give the Illini a shot to win it for the third time in the 2020s.
Or slip? The Illini likely would have to get past Michigan in the semis, and the first meeting was ugly.
5. WISCONSIN (22-9, 14-6)
Next: Washington-USC winner, approximately 1:30 p.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +3500.
Snip? The team that popped Purdue for 97 points to ruin the Boilermakers’ Senior Day can beat anybody.
Or slip? The team that ham-fisted its way through recent lopsided losses at Ohio State and Oregon isn’t going anywhere.
6. UCLA (21-10, 13-7)
Next: Minnesota-Rutgers winner, approximately 8 p.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +3500.
Snip? When point guard Donovan Dent is on his game, this offense — particularly shooter Tyler Bilodeau — is dangerous.
Or slip? The Bruins are a different team, and not in a good way, away from home.
7. PURDUE (23-8, 13-7)
Next: TBD, 5:30 p.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +550.
Snip? Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer have been there so many times before.
Or slip? Who would’ve believed the Boilers would tumble all the way to seventh? Something’s off with Matt Painter’s crew.
8. OHIO STATE (20-11, 12-8)
Next: TBD, 11 a.m. Thursday, BTN.
Title odds: +7500.
Snip? Bruce Thornton, the school’s career scoring leader, isn’t the only Buckeye who can fill it up.
Or slip? Statistically, this team is right down the middle in the conference. That has “also-ran” written all over it.
9. IOWA (20-11, 10-10)
Next: Oregon-Maryland winner, 11 a.m. Wednesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +5000.
Snip? Guard Bennett Stirtz is terrific, and first-year coach Ben McCollum’s postseason record (most of it at Northwest Missouri State) is unreal.
Or slip? Stirtz doesn’t have a whole lot in the way of sidekicks.
10. INDIANA (18-13, 9-11)
Next: Northwestern-Penn State winner, 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.
Title odds: +10000.
Snip? Guard Lamar Wilkerson led the Big Ten in scoring in league play and had multiple 40-plus-point games.
Or slip? Look, it’s a football school and the whole world knows it.
11. MINNESOTA (15-16, 8-12)
Next: Rutgers, approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? The Gophers have beaten three higher seeds, one of them Michigan State.
Or slip? Minnesota still hasn’t won this tournament. Why start now?
12. WASHINGTON (15-16, 7-13)
Next: USC, approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +20000.
Snip? The Huskies went 3-3 down the stretch and had late leads in two of the losses.
Or slip? One NCAA win in the last 14 years kind of says it all.
13. USC (18-13, 7-13)
Next: Washington, approximately 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? A 4-1 stretch that began at Wisconsin looked really good.
Or slip? There have been seven straight losses since then, and star Chad Baker-Mazara was just booted from the program.
14. RUTGERS (13-18, 6-14)
Next: Minnesota, approximately 8 p.m. Wednesday, BTN.
Title odds: N/A.
Snip? A lot of steals and not many turnovers from this squad.
Or slip? Every league win came against Penn State, Maryland, Oregon or Northwestern.
Northwestern forward Nick Martinelli (2) celebrates with teammates after scoring the winning basket during overtime of an NCAA college basketball game against Maryland in Evanston, Ill., Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh) ORG XMIT: ILNH117
15. NORTHWESTERN (13-18, 5-15)
Next: Penn State, approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? The name’s Nick Martinelli. Perhaps you’ve heard of him.
Or slip? And then there are the rest of the Wildcats.
16. OREGON (12-19, 5-15)
Next: Maryland, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: +30000.
Snip? The Ducks won four of seven down the stretch. They aren’t total pushovers.
Or slip? Injured Jackson Shelstad isn’t entering the building. At least not in shorts.
17. MARYLAND (11-20, 4-16)
Next: Oregon, 4 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: N/A.
Snip? Freshman guard Andre Mills has been going off and scored 39 at Northwestern.
Or slip? Uh, the Terrapins still lost in Evanston.
18. PENN STATE (12-19, 3-17)
Next: Northwestern, approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Peacock.
Title odds: N/A.
Snip? Aside from being utterly terrible at defense, rebounding and three-point shooting, the Nittany Lions are merely subpar.
Or slip? Gee, you think?
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