Say, remember when this was going to be a bounce-back college basketball season for our region’s Division I teams?
Missouri had a Top 5 national recruiting class and NCAA Tournament dreams under new coach Cuonzo Martin. SLU was going to make noise in the Atlantic 10 with Travis Ford’s transfer-bolstered squad.
New Illinois coach Brad Underwood arrived ready to push the Illini to the next level. Missouri State was picked to win the Missouri Valley Conference, and SIU Carbondale had its most talented team in years.
It was all sunshine and buttercups until stuff starting hitting the fan.