I’ve noticed something while watching lots of college basketball. The sport has changed and changed fast. The evidence includes NIL money, open transfer windows, and legendary coaches walking away.

The regular season is important as the foundation, but the only thing that matters is reaching the second weekend of the NCAA Tournament. That’s when people start paying attention.

It’s no coincidence that Illinois appeared on network television seven times this season, one year removed from their first Elite Eight trip since 2005. When Brad Underwood arrived nine years ago, most Illini games were buried on BTN Plus.

The other change is the flip post-NIL and transfer portal of the college programs that are actually elite. Kentucky hasn’t won a national championship in 14 years. Indiana fans are closing in on the 40th anniversary of their last title. Eleven coaches combined to deliver one crown to UCLA in the half-century since John Wooden left.

There’s real parity now that other schools can pay players and recruit at the same level as the so-called blue bloods. Gee, when everyone can pony up some money it makes all the difference.

So who’s actually elite right now? It’s basically these 16 teams: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Baylor, Duke, Florida, Gonzaga, Houston, Illinois, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina, Purdue, Tennessee, UCLA, and UConn.

And I’ll be watching the Illinois/Houston game and praying to the Basketball Gods for an Orange and Blue victory.