Interesting Stat

[HouseofPaign]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/campus/cst-spt-illnt13.html

Illinois' six-week run as the nation's top team is the longest since Arizona was ranked No. 1 for the first six weeks of the 2002-03 season.

[Dan]

So not only can we break that streak, but also schools records for best start (17-0) and consecutive wins (17) if we win in Evanston. There's a bit at stake Saturday.

[HouseofPaign]

Yep, all season I haven't really been nervous about ANY game, until this weekend. Not so much Northwestern, or it being a road game. It just seems like this one more win has a lot attached to it. The last time we had this record the following game sucked, and took a lot out of our 89 team (don't want to go into specifics for jinxing purposes, but I would think all Illini fans remember the Minnesota game of 89)

[whatsthatsmell]

Yeah, but in '89 we just rec'd the #1 ranking and then lost. We have been #1 for six weeks.

I am not worried about this game. I am sure the boys remember that we lost there last year. We win by at least 15.

[krillini76]

Northwestern plays 10 times better at home than they do on the road.
Mike Thompson and Vukusic have more skill than the average NU chump.

I think we'll win, but it'll be closer than 15 points. 66-58 Illini.

18-0 will look pretty sweet.

[HouseofPaign]

I am just supersticious

[BromleyHall94]

So not only can we break that streak, but also schools records for best start (17-0) and consecutive wins (17) if we win in Evanston. There's a bit at stake Saturday.

we don't want part of any streaks- remember cory bradford?

[The Sprouting Divot]

we don't want part of any streaks- remember your underwear?

**********

Despite how unremarkable and underrepresentative the national media spotlight may seem to us here in the sixth week of our reign, my used-to-eventual-Illinois-sports-team-letdown paranoia has me feeling like the rest of the country is looking at us like I viewed Stanford and, to a lesser degree, St. Joe's, last year. Does anyone else feel that way?

UNC (my second favorite team...) seems to be getting more and more of the limelight with their recent blowouts. While I think that B Dub likes to put in the subs and scrubs as soon as prudently possible in a comfortable win, and I completely agree with and support his rationale and decision to do so, does it seem to anyone like maybe really putting the torch to some of our opponents may reclaim some of our dissipating media adoration? I personally feel that a 26 point victory over PSU is just as good as a 126 point victory over them, but I wouldn't mind (if it's in the cards, mind you...) seeing B Dub run the hell out of the score against Wisconsin, Iowa, or Indiana. I think that could do wonders in terms of our national perception, particularly with the tournament committee, whom I suspect is increasingly more likely to make BCS "formula"-like foibles when assessing weight to assign to the various margins of victory throughout the season, regardless of context or coaches' intentions.

Thoughts?

[Dan]

Illinois has "cooled off" a bit perception-wise since our blazing December. Since we've been the top dog for so long we get the most scrutiny and attacks to our #1 merit, it just comes with the territory.

Point spreads do add to perception, but I'll take a 1-point road Big Ten win any day. What we're playing for is a #1 seed, so the first priority is to get the W, and right now we're where we want to be for the goal.

It's great timing for UNC's hype, because they get to play @ Wake Forest Saturday. I bet the Deacs are looking forward to redeeming themselves against top-5 competition :D

[whatsthatsmell]

If our players take care of business on the court, then come March we will be fine. Over the next month is when our seed will be determined. We must not get caught up in the UNC/Kansass distraction. UNC will lose, either to Duke or WF or some other ACC "power". Kansass will lose to Okla St or TX or Mizzou (I hope this one).

I really want IL to win @ Wisky. Since Wisky has the nation's current longest home winning streak (need MSU to lose this weekend) that would be sweet.

[HouseofPaign]

I agree, I want to break Wisky's streak more than ANYTHING. We can do it.

And Dan you made a great point that I was talking about with my friends the other night. After being number 1 for 6 weeks, the casual fan and especially national media gets tired of you. They are alwasy looking for new stories, new, new, new. They have covered us when we were hot, now that we are just consistant, and more people know about us. They want to cover something else, hence all the UNC talk, etc...etc..

[Dan]

I agree, I want to break Wisky's streak more than ANYTHING. We can do it.That seems to be the game this year that tops the hype meter.

[KZUUCrew11]

That seems to be the game this year that tops the hype meter.

It will be at that point, but if us and MSU manage to win at wisco and stay undefeated in the BT until we meet, we'll both be top 10 and that game will be huge. I think I'm actually rooting for MSU against wisky just so we can get a top ten road win. Its contrary to my logic in normal seasons but I don't want other teams to lose to make our BT title easier. I want to earn everything with as many tough games as possible.

As an aside, this is also why I want the conference tougher ASAP. I don't want Davis to stay at IU because IU sucks now. I want great coaches and players at every Big Ten school and if it means we have more 11-5 or 10-6 Big Ten finishes (but have great NCAA success) then so be it. The late 80s/early 90s were great.

[The Ox]

I agree with sprout about being looked at like stanford/st. joe's. The simple fact, is that we have just started to become a perennial national power while the duke/unc/kansas/kentucky's have been there for ages. Until we win the title and consistently remain in the top 10 year after year, we will not be mentioned with as much excitement as those teams (and probably deservedly so).