In this exciting episode of The Big Ten Huddle with host JR for a deep dive into the latest news and matchups shaking up the conference. First up, JR tackles the swirling rumors around Maryland basketball and head coach Kevin Willard, whose future is uncertain amid heavy speculation tying him to Villanova. With Willard’s potential departure looming, Texas A&M’s Buzz Williams is making a bold case to take over the Terps’ helm. JR breaks down Williams’ impressive resume—120-73 at Texas A&M, three straight NCAA Tournament trips, and a history of success at Virginia Tech and Marquette—while weighing the pros and cons of his high-energy style for Maryland’s future in College Park.Next, JR shifts to Illinois basketball, where the Illini face a roster shakeup with freshman star Morez Johnson Jr. and junior wing Tre White entering the transfer portal, following Carey Booth’s earlier exit. JR analyzes the impact of losing Johnson’s rebounding prowess and White’s late-season surge, while spotlighting hope in Tomislav Ivisic and Kylan Boswell as potential returning anchors. With coach Brad Underwood navigating NIL challenges and roster turnover, JR debates whether Illinois is falling off or just hitting a bump in the road.Finally, JR previews a blockbuster Elite Eight clash as Michigan State, led by legendary coach Tom Izzo, faces top-seeded Auburn in Atlanta. The Spartans, featuring Jase Richardson, Jaden Akins, Szymon Zapala, and Jaxon Kohler, adapt their lineup to counter Auburn’s dominant frontcourt of Johni Broome and Dylan Cardwell, alongside sharpshooting guard Tahaad Pettiford. JR predicts a gritty, guard-driven upset for Michigan State over Bruce Pearl’s Tigers, with a Final Four trip to San Antonio on the line. Tune in for JR’s expert takes, plus your chance to weigh in on Maryland, Illinois, and Michigan State’s fates in this jam-packed episode!What is the Big Ten Huddle? https://the-big-ten-huddle-shop.fourthwall.com/More from JR:Personal Twitter: https://x.com/jrs_rankingsBig Ten Twitter: https://x.com/TheBigTenHuddleRead JR's Ohio State coverage: https://x.com/jrs_rankingsListen to JR on Ohio State (Most Sundays at 8 pm ET): https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCb18UD0A7PPUktICZC3ehCgListen to JR on Illinois (Monday episodes): https://www.youtube.com/@LockedOnIlliniListen to JR on Iowa (Monday afternoons): https://x.com/1600ESPNBig Ten Basketball Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@TheBigTenHuddleBasketballSPONSORSCoach's Film Room - Sign up for the Menace Army: Colonel tier at https://menace2sports.com/channels/coachs-film-room College Huddle - https://thecollegehuddle.com/Homefield - https://www.homefieldapparel.com/?rfsn=7872586.e3e1d25 | Coupon Code: TBTHCatch The Big Ten Huddle Basketball Episodes 3 times a week. Here is when to catch our live or premiere episodes ranging from 20 to 30 minutes long (eastern time):- Sunday at 9 AM- Tuesday at 9 AM- Thursday at 9 AMAUDIO ONLY PLATFORMSThe Big Ten Huddle is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon.LISTEN: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/TheBigTenHuddleLEAVE a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-college-huddle-podcast/id1703305789STREAM on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4tMaraKvafFzjUrXGq2c4w The Big Ten Huddle is a podcast dedicated to providing honest, humorous, and insightful analysis of Big Ten football and basketball. With a focus on challenging the national bias, especially against the SEC, host JR brings on a multitude of guests who podcast for teams all over the Big Ten, offering discussions of all Big Ten teams. Though critical at times, they always aim to defend the conference and give credit where it’s due, bringing humor and deep analysis together for a unique listening experience.Rooted in values of integrity, passion, humor, and community, The Big Ten Huddle strives to become the go-to voice for Big Ten sports fans.There is no show out there like The Big Ten Huddle!