THE NATIONAL DEANS' LIST IS IN.

In conference, the Northern Illinois women's basketball team did pretty well in the classroom.  "The academic performance information is in and once again the Northern Illinois women's basketball team places seven players on the conference version of the dean's list." That record stood up pretty well among all teams. "NIU Women’s Basketball Seventh In WBCA Academic Top 25 Honor Roll."  That's moving up four places from a year ago, when I was moved to ask, "For the duration of the quarantines, is there any reason to think that virtual education from the Ivies is any better from that provided in the mid-majors?"

It's not as though these kids are getting a participation trophy from the Mid-American, either.  "Look, if your honor students are good enough to on occasion beat up the presumptive conference champions, and on occasion the conference participants (plural deliberate) in the association tournament show themselves well am I really out of place suggesting the Mid-American teams offer a value proposition involving good academics and visible basketball?"

Good going, kids.  The university anticipates in-person attendance by the students and the general public when the 2021-2022 season tips off.  Now show me that all the Navy SEAL training you've been reporting on all summer turns into extending a ten-point lead at halftime.