by Illinois Freshman Forward Will Riley called 21 points and an Illini victory at no. 18 Purdue on Friday in the State Farm Center in Champaign, but he also gave us something else: another reason to love Bill Raftery.
If you follow Basketball College and you don’t know Raftery – you are ashamed! – You are almost certainly familiar with the joyful, emphatic delivery of the man. An old TV analyst and color commentator, Raftery is the legend that us as “onions!” And “Send it in, Jerome!” He is the timeless prince of Puckishness of College Hoops – and thanks to Riley, Riley added a new arrow to his arrow cooker on Friday.
Bill Raftery: ‘No rate’ on Illinois’ will be Riley, who has nailed a three just before half -time against Purdue. pic.twitter.com/pwaeyipydp
– The Comeback NCAA (@TeCemabackNCAA) March 8, 2025
With Illinois who had difficulty staying in the first half, while Purdue threatened to pick his D to death, Riley caught a swing pass above the key and a jab-tailed final cheese defender roasting Smith, who immediately bounced back. The space gave the 6-foot-8 Riley a lot of space to reset and launch a three that lower the lead from Purdue to 42-40 and sent the decibel levels of the State Farm Center to impressive heights.
The move also caught the attention of Rafltery, in the stand on the Fox broadcast: “He knew he had Smith – he knew he had five centimeters to save. That footwork that he owns is extraordinary, and the lecture was quite damn good.”
And when the off-camera rafeter, the twinkle not seen in his eye, but somehow heard, it couldn’t resist further further comments-Apropos of nothing and yet perfectly over Canada’s Riley:
“What about this child?” Said Raftery, still a child in his favorite candy store. “No rate on him. He just knocks them down. “
Never change, Raf. Never change.
“We’re fighting it out.” First -year @Willriley_7 Put on a show with @Illinimbb this evening pic.twitter.com/as7z8cuvea
– Fox College Hoops (@cbbonfox) March 8, 2025
