As part of our preparations for the lunacy that lands on our sports radars this Sunday, we've been digging around the irreplaceable Basketball Prospectus, trying to find those odd little tidbits on Oral Roberts and Siena. And we discovered something kind of amazing and oddly satisfying.

According to Ken Pomeroy's "Luck Ratings," the single unluckiest team in all of college basketball this year has been ... our Illini! That doesn't exactly make us feel better about a loss to Oprah's alma mater, but man, it at least allows us to convince ourselves that the stars have been aligned against us this year.

Anyway, because we're gluttons for punishment, we're gonna be live blogging the first round of the NCAA tournament next week, but our live blogging skills are quite rusty. (And don't compare to MJD's and Sussman's anyway.) So, as practice for that chaos, we're going to be live-blogging the Illinois-Penn State Big Ten Tournament game tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. ET. (Approximately.) We don't expect any of you to really care about our stupid Illini, but it wouldn't hurt us to stretch the muscles a little bit, so we're gonna say goodbye to this wretched team in style tomorrow.

Heck, maybe they'll even win! If they do, we won't be live-blogging that game; it's on the goddamned Big Ten Network.

4:00 PM on Wed Mar 12 2008
By Leitch
5,485 views
51 comments

Comments

asliceofbacon at 04:10 PM on 03/12/08
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At that point Arizona will have already been upset by Oregon State and I will have called in work "sick."

/grey hair stinks
PeteJayhawk at 04:10 PM on 03/12/08
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Connectedness Index: 392

Don't worry, Will. My KU preview (it's on its way tonight, I promise!) will address this.
Gourmet Spud at 04:11 PM on 03/12/08
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Archie Comics Prospectus also reports that the single unluckiest person in Riverdale is Jinx Malloy.
gunga galunga gunga -... at 04:11 PM on 03/12/08
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Excuses, excuses...
parker91 at 04:12 PM on 03/12/08
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The luckiest man is of course Ed Dechellis, because sweeping Illinois is good enough to keep his job for another year.
Spanish Necktie at 04:13 PM on 03/12/08
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If an #11 seeded Illinois can get to the final in 1999, there's no reason something similar can't happen in the craptastic Big Ten of 2008.
goathair at 04:13 PM on 03/12/08
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Perhaps we should investigate the curse of Michael Jordan.
DongerArd at 04:13 PM on 03/12/08
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The Illini hockey team (club) went 38-o and won the ACHL national championship tourney...

I'm just saying.
Doyle McPoyle at 04:14 PM on 03/12/08
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But did the guy in red and yellow hang on for the full 8 seconds?
Brazil Thrill at 04:14 PM on 03/12/08
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The luckiest* team: UCLA.

*Lucky = Beneficiary of terrible, questionable officiating
Civil Negligence at 04:14 PM on 03/12/08
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Will, your commentariat could all use a new car.
Dead Wrestlers Society at 04:15 PM on 03/12/08
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Hey, according to the BP website, Illinois has a 2.5% chance of winning the Big 10 tournament. So,.... that's something.
Spanish Necktie at 04:15 PM on 03/12/08
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While we're on the subject of Big Ten hoops, who does Bill Carmody have to murder to get fired. Does anyone realize he is the second-longest tenured Big Ten coach and nary a sniff of postseason play to show for it.
Deadspin at 04:15 PM on 03/12/08
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@Gourmet Spud: Unluckiest man according to Norm MacDonald Prospectus? You guessed it, Frank Stallone.
ToTheMoonAlice at 04:16 PM on 03/12/08
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The Illini seemed awfully lucky this year against Mizzou. And the year before that. And the year before that. And the year before that...(sigh)
gunga galunga gunga -... at 04:16 PM on 03/12/08
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@Brazil Thrill: Before we start boldly making that assumption we should not forget the fellas at Georgetown, who will be performing their usual pre-game blumpkins on the refs before the Villanova game tomorrow.
Steve Trachsel, Ace at 04:17 PM on 03/12/08
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@DongerArd: Dude, really, club hockey?
UpstateUnderdog at 04:17 PM on 03/12/08
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If I can find any other odd little tidbits on Siena I'll send them to you.
Jews For Purple Jesus at 04:18 PM on 03/12/08
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@parker91: No, Jerry Dunn is the luckiest man who somehow managed to hang on for SEVEN FUCKING YEARS riding Joe Crispin's streaky shooting.
Camp Tiger Claw at 04:19 PM on 03/12/08
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@Gourmet Spud: They put too much emphasis on VORP.

Veronica Over Replacement Person.
Uecker Seats at 04:20 PM on 03/12/08
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badgersbadgersbadgersbadgersbadgersbadgersbadgersbadgersbadgersbadgersbadgers...
Ray at 04:20 PM on 03/12/08
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The luckiest? Ben Folds.
Uecker Seats at 04:21 PM on 03/12/08
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@Spanish Necktie: Who the fuck is Bill Carmody?
Brazil Thrill at 04:21 PM on 03/12/08
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@TebowWearsJorts: Which begs the question: which team will get the friendly whistles if somehow the Hoyas and Bruins meet up during the tourney?
MenaceIISobriety at 04:22 PM on 03/12/08
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ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOK

oh wait
Gourmet Spud at 04:24 PM on 03/12/08
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@Deadspin:

Family Sitcom Prospectus reports that the luckiest dreamers to never quit dreaming are the Seavers.
Im a people person.... at 04:24 PM on 03/12/08
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@Deadspin: That was last year. For 2008, the unluckiest person is, you guess it, Assistant Frank Stallone.
TheLou-Do at 04:26 PM on 03/12/08
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@Tracy Ham and Eggs: They beat Liberty University in the tournament. And really, that's should be enough of a victory for everyone.
Dead Wrestlers Society at 04:26 PM on 03/12/08
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@Spanish Necktie: Does Northwestern ever play in the postseason?
Secret Identity at 04:26 PM on 03/12/08
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@Gourmet Spud:

Teen Skank Prospectus reports that while Britney Spears is so lucky, she's a star, she still cries, cries, cries in her lonely heart.
Weed Against Speed at 04:28 PM on 03/12/08
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@Deadspin: With thorough research, that book also brought me to the conclusion that Germans love David Hasselhoff.
Southeast Jerome at 04:31 PM on 03/12/08
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Don't worry, Will. At least Weber brought in a stellar recruiting class for next year....oh, wait...never mind.
Deadspin at 04:34 PM on 03/12/08
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I just wish Eat Shit And Die Prospectus came out with a ranking for the world's luckiest douchebag.
Deadspin at 04:36 PM on 03/12/08
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@Im a people person. Who drinks.: My money is on Frank Stallone Trainee for 2009.
Dead Wrestlers Society at 04:37 PM on 03/12/08
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@Deadspin: pretty sure that's K-Fed. Or maybe Assfleck.
Chief Illiniwek at 04:37 PM on 03/12/08
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I believe it's the "Lou Do" curse that still lives on, like the goat only uglier.
TheLou-Do at 04:37 PM on 03/12/08
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@Southeast Jerome: Transfers will suffice for now.
TheLou-Do at 04:38 PM on 03/12/08
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@Chief Illiniwek: Hey now, let's no besmirch the do
Barry Lutz at 04:38 PM on 03/12/08
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@Gourmet Spud: Outstanding.
Storming the Floor at 04:41 PM on 03/12/08
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@asliceofbacon: Colorado State went 0-16 in the Mountain West and suddenly won a game in the tourney, so maybe Oregon State will do the same.

Naaaaah!
UkraineNotWeak at 04:42 PM on 03/12/08
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The NCAA Tournament? What's that? They're having one this year?
DongerArd at 04:43 PM on 03/12/08
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@Tracy Ham and Eggs: Hey, 38-0 is pretty tough in pee-wee hockey.
crazyjoedavola at 04:45 PM on 03/12/08
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@UkraineNotWeak: I thought it was every 4 years myself.

How's St. Johns doing?
Barry Lutz at 04:53 PM on 03/12/08
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@DongerArd: Not for me.
David Hume at 04:56 PM on 03/12/08
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@UpstateUnderdog: Siena: female population nearly exclusively attractive, catholic and acutely aware of those facts.
The Ronettes Sing... at 05:00 PM on 03/12/08
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Any bad luck the Illini endure is well deserved karma for letting Jamar Smith remain on the team.
gotohe11carolina at 05:01 PM on 03/12/08
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the acc tourny starts tom. i'm kinda hoping tyler hansborough would wear the ram costume and try crossing the street in charlotte this weekend...too soon?
elwood at 05:09 PM on 03/12/08
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I don't think luck has anything to do with Illinois' terrible free throw shooting. But hey, I went to Iowa, so I don't really feel sorry for you anyways.
Laser Guided at 05:20 PM on 03/12/08
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Live blogging illinois vs. penn state? Were there no knitting shows on in that slot?
TheWrathofQBEagles at 05:23 PM on 03/12/08
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I'm pretty sure Villanova had this one wrapped up a few weeks ago thanks to some terrible foul calls...
Dan Serafini at 07:51 PM on 03/12/08
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@Benny Hill Street Blues: +1

And an Illinois post devoid of Eric Gordon whing? I do believe I've got the vapors...