76ers-Thunder Trade Looks One-Sided — and more

The early returns on the Jared McCain trade between the Philadelphia 76ers and Oklahoma City Thunder suggest a significant imbalance. Philadelphia appears to be struggling to effectively utilize the player, raising questions about the value they received in exchange.

Meanwhile, Oklahoma City seems to be maximizing McCain's contributions, making the deal appear increasingly favorable for the Thunder as the season progresses. The contrast in how each team is utilizing the traded player has observers questioning the 76ers' evaluation and deployment strategies.

The win helps the Illini move closer to securing a top-four finish in the Big Ten standings and a triple-bye in next week's conference tournament. Junior Andrej Stojakovic led the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while freshmen Keaton Wagler and David Mirkovic added 11 and 19 points respectively.

Three seniors were honored in their final home game: Kylan Boswell, Ben Humrichous, and AJ Redd. Illinois dominated with a 38-12 run in the first half, putting them in control early against the Ducks.

Joe Evans, who spent one season as a defensive line coach at Drake, will work under new defensive line coach Dennis Dottin-Carter. Evans helped develop several standout linemen at Drake, including Jacob Auen, Nolan Korzeniowski, and Gene Blalock.

A former Iowa walk‑on, Evans finished his college career with 135 tackles, 35 tackles for loss, and 28 sacks. He briefly joined the Baltimore Ravens practice squad in 2024 before being released.