Pregame: Illinois at Gonzaga, Saturday, December 8th, 9:00pm CT, ESPN2

PeoriaIllini1 · Dec 7, 2012, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeelYourPaign

I just think it is terrific how many people are now ending their predictions with an Illini win triggered by a TG three. Last year, it was Tyler who? Now it is Tyler, you 'da man !!

Last year talent was not the issue it was something else i wont mention! :rolleyes:

lstewart53x3 · Dec 7, 2012, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by illball

Hope we win. Have a good feeling. Tracey will have to have a huge game offensively and defense wise, also Griffey won't be able to play much imo. If my mind stands correct Harris is their 4 and no way Griffey can guard him. Hope to see big time minutes out of mccalurin (sp?) and Henry at the 4 spot. Go ILLINI!

No one on our team can contain Harris. We'll need Griffey's scoring.

OrangeAndBlue217 · Dec 7, 2012, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lstewart53x3

No one on our team can contain Harris. We'll need Griffey's scoring.

Same thing as last year. But Harris just disappeared. Was basically a non factor. Maybe we take him out of the game by forcing their guards to go elsewhere or take bad shots.

lstewart53x3 · Dec 7, 2012, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeAndBlue217

Same thing as last year. But Harris just disappeared. Was basically a non factor. Maybe we take him out of the game by forcing their guards to go elsewhere or take bad shots.

Yeah you may be right I was just saying I believe Griffey will get his usual scoring time because 1.) we'll need his scoring and 2.) Henry won't be able to guard Harris much better.

IlliniByProxy · Dec 7, 2012, 05:30 PM

I was thinking about this game and listening to some radio when I heard a radio host say that in college basketball the 3pt shot is the great equalizer. This got me thinking back to Ohio's run in the tournament last year. Check out the box score from their final game against NC.

http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=320830153

Ohio was much more of an underdog than we are against GU. They hit 12 threes in that game and nearly knocked off #1 seed NC despite NC's bigs scoring 52 of their 73 points and being out rebounded by 30! Yeah they were out rebounded by 30!!! There it is right in front of us, knock down the 3's and the game becomes much much more manageable.

p.s. It also didn't hurt that NC turned the ball over 24 times lol.

BTBZag · Dec 7, 2012, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OrangeAndBlue217

Same thing as last year. But Harris just disappeared. Was basically a non factor. Maybe we take him out of the game by forcing their guards to go elsewhere or take bad shots.

19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block is being a non-factor???

IlliniByProxy · Dec 7, 2012, 05:35 PM

I was at that game, from what I remember Harris pretty much single handedly kept GU in the game. He was far from a non-factor.

PeoriaIllini1 · Dec 7, 2012, 05:39 PM

11.5 point dog on Scoresandodds.com

no doubt we need alot of 3's

i think Seniors will help us alot and a hot BP

trevdv · Dec 7, 2012, 05:53 PM

Another nice piece of exposure from ESPN. We are the top headline in the NCAA Basketball world this weekend.

CARPET · Dec 7, 2012, 07:02 PM

# 13 Illinois at # 10 Gonzaga

Zags have one of the best teams they have had in a long time, They are Tenacious on defense down low and rebounding. They have some beast down low roaming the paint for sure.

The only nick I could put on the Zags is the defensive ability to guard from the 3 point range. They suck at that and those big trees are not coming out to defend from beyond 15 feet.

Illinois has come out of no where, ask anyone and they will tell you Illinois is over rated, but they are rated for a reason people like what they see with this team with a new coach. Leading the nation in 3 point shooting pressing every play up and down and a free will type of play.

The Zags will dominate the inside game. Illinois will have plenty of free and clear shot looks from beyond. Zags rank 310 in 3 point defense.

I look for Illinois to be in this game tooth and nail, This is a different Illinois team this year loaded with talent with a new Head Coach that plays high intensity ball.

The spread is Gonzaga -11.5

I see this game Illinois keeping it close losing by a heart breaker

joekam · Dec 7, 2012, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Botb9

From that same blog is a conversation between Brennan and Medcalf:

Darn right.

After I read that, I got curious as to just how feared our Illini would be. Are we talking Sweet 16 scary? Elite 8? Dare I say...

mdonsbach · Dec 7, 2012, 07:37 PM

Sounds like the ultimate live by the 3 die by the 3 game. If we hit 12 or more we win. Anything less we lose.

joekam · Dec 7, 2012, 07:41 PM

Illini shot well in the small gym in Maui. Maybe the small gym at Gonzaga will feel just as comfy.

Illini70math · Dec 7, 2012, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BTBZag

19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals, and a block is being a non-factor???

The points scored just bounced in the basket, the rebounds just fell into his hands, the three steals were reach-ins that weren't called. He did get a block. A regular Mike Davis performance.

P.S. Zag fans, this is an Illini joke. Don't try to understand it.

trevdv · Dec 7, 2012, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Landed!!!!!!

https://twitter.com/djrich32

IlliniRunIn07 · Dec 7, 2012, 08:31 PM

Has it been mentioned if the team has been waking up later during the week trying to get on Pacific time?

Dan · Dec 7, 2012, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Landed!!!!!!

http://twitter.com/djrich32

Quote:

Tonight's flight 3:46 CMI to Spokane

http://twitter.com/EdIllini

trevdv · Dec 7, 2012, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IlliniRunIn07

Has it been mentioned if the team has been waking up later during the week trying to get on Pacific time?

It hasn't been mentioned, but I'm assuming they would. The last time an Illini squad didn't, the score was 45-14...

IlliniKat91 · Dec 7, 2012, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by trevdv

It hasn't been mentioned, but I'm assuming they would. The last time an Illini squad didn't, the score was 45-14...

I thought it had been said here on the boards that they were treating this as if it were a Central Zone game. I wonder if that means instead of getting up later, they've been having practice later than usual.

illinois_hustle · Dec 7, 2012, 09:43 PM

Too much for us to overcome: Long flight, time zones, Harris & Pangos, two true 7-footers who aren't just Frankensteins. But that's OK because Gonzaga is a great team and will help us prepare for the B1G. I expect a fight, but

Illinois 71
Gonzaga 79

troydove · Dec 7, 2012, 10:16 PM

I fill somethings in the air. Just can't put my finger on it!

If we somehow get brave and play with no fear. Blow the dog pound up with ILLINI TNT

Sad part I think we get beat bad down low. Zags 92 ILLINI 63 BBBBUUUTTTT if we pull this off,,, SPECIAL SEASON - for !!!!s and giggles

game time yet?

JimmyChitwood · Dec 7, 2012, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troydove

I fill somethings in the air. Just can't put my finger on it!

If we somehow get brave and play with no fear. Blow the dog pound up with ILLINI TNT

Sad part I think we get beat bad down low. Zags 92 ILLINI 63 BBBBUUUTTTT if we pull this off,,, SPECIAL SEASON - for !!!!s and giggles

game time yet?

lol there is no way we lose by 30...I dont think there is any way we lose by more then 10. This team can make to many 3 pointers in a hurry for the score to get way out of line.

Botb9 · Dec 7, 2012, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joekam

After I read that, I got curious as to just how feared our Illini would be. Are we talking Sweet 16 scary? Elite 8? Dare I say...

You'd expect that if we beat Gonzaga, suddenly we're favored against Mizzou and are looking at quite possibly a perfect record going into conference play. That's early-2000s scary.

ExtremeJim · Dec 7, 2012, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdonsbach

Sounds like the ultimate live by the 3 die by the 3 game. If we hit 12 or more we win. Anything less we lose.

I get that the Illini make a high percentage of treys, and I get that Gonzaga gives up a high percentage of treys, but what is Gonzaga doing on offense? In five games in the McCarthy Center this season, their own players are 40-95 from three-point range, .421, in that building.

Pangos takes most of them, and he typically takes them from 25-28 feet, so longer guards defending him at the line might not bother him as much as they would bother some other 3-point shooters of his size.

If you hit 12 or more, do you still win if they're hitting 8 or 10 themselves, interspersed with the Polish Giant working the high-low with Harris and Nine-Foot Bible Boy?

Better hit 15 or 20, just to be sure.

IlliniRon · Dec 7, 2012, 11:28 PM

Don't count us out just because Gonzaga has a big and talented front line. Coach Groce will have a plan to take these guys on, and it might be zone, might be some different guys in there, you just don't know what he has planned.

And if we get rolling with some solid outside shooting, anything can happen, just like at Maui. Plus, we play well and we have big upside from winning, and not much downside if we lose the game in a close one. Can't wait for the game to start, and I wish I had gone up to Spokane for the game.

Dec 7, 2012, 05:53 PM	#359
trevdv Location: Champaign Posts: 2,572	Another nice piece of exposure from ESPN. We are the top headline in the NCAA Basketball world this weekend. Attached Thumbnails (click for larger image)

Dec 7, 2012, 07:37 PM	#362
mdonsbach Location: Bethalto, IL Posts: 1,259	Sounds like the ultimate live by the 3 die by the 3 game. If we hit 12 or more we win. Anything less we lose. __________________ Twitter

Dec 7, 2012, 07:41 PM	#363
joekam Posts: 1,461	Illini shot well in the small gym in Maui. Maybe the small gym at Gonzaga will feel just as comfy. __________________

Dec 7, 2012, 11:28 PM	#375
IlliniRon Illini Basketball Fan Forever Location: Bay Area, CA Posts: 1,271	Don't count us out just because Gonzaga has a big and talented front line. Coach Groce will have a plan to take these guys on, and it might be zone, might be some different guys in there, you just don't know what he has planned. And if we get rolling with some solid outside shooting, anything can happen, just like at Maui. Plus, we play well and we have big upside from winning, and not much downside if we lose the game in a close one. Can't wait for the game to start, and I wish I had gone up to Spokane for the game. __________________ Maybe this is our Year

Dec 7, 2012, 05:30 PM	#355
IlliniByProxy Location: St. Joseph, IL Posts: 453	I was thinking about this game and listening to some radio when I heard a radio host say that in college basketball the 3pt shot is the great equalizer. This got me thinking back to Ohio's run in the tournament last year. Check out the box score from their final game against NC. http://espn.go.com/ncb/boxscore?gameId=320830153 Ohio was much more of an underdog than we are against GU. They hit 12 threes in that game and nearly knocked off #1 seed NC despite NC's bigs scoring 52 of their 73 points and being out rebounded by 30! Yeah they were out rebounded by 30!!! There it is right in front of us, knock down the 3's and the game becomes much much more manageable. p.s. It also didn't hurt that NC turned the ball over 24 times lol.

Dec 7, 2012, 05:35 PM	#357
IlliniByProxy Location: St. Joseph, IL Posts: 453	I was at that game, from what I remember Harris pretty much single handedly kept GU in the game. He was far from a non-factor.

Dec 7, 2012, 05:39 PM	#358
PeoriaIllini1 Posts: 564	11.5 point dog on Scoresandodds.com no doubt we need alot of 3's i think Seniors will help us alot and a hot BP

Dec 7, 2012, 07:02 PM	#360
CARPET Posts: 460	# 13 Illinois at # 10 Gonzaga Zags have one of the best teams they have had in a long time, They are Tenacious on defense down low and rebounding. They have some beast down low roaming the paint for sure. The only nick I could put on the Zags is the defensive ability to guard from the 3 point range. They suck at that and those big trees are not coming out to defend from beyond 15 feet. Illinois has come out of no where, ask anyone and they will tell you Illinois is over rated, but they are rated for a reason people like what they see with this team with a new coach. Leading the nation in 3 point shooting pressing every play up and down and a free will type of play. The Zags will dominate the inside game. Illinois will have plenty of free and clear shot looks from beyond. Zags rank 310 in 3 point defense. I look for Illinois to be in this game tooth and nail, This is a different Illinois team this year loaded with talent with a new Head Coach that plays high intensity ball. The spread is Gonzaga -11.5 I see this game Illinois keeping it close losing by a heart breaker

Dec 7, 2012, 08:31 PM	#366
IlliniRunIn07 Location: Central Florida Posts: 3,788	Has it been mentioned if the team has been waking up later during the week trying to get on Pacific time?

Dec 7, 2012, 09:43 PM	#370
illinois_hustle My Kool-Aid needs vodka Location: San Diego Posts: 3,001	Too much for us to overcome: Long flight, time zones, Harris & Pangos, two true 7-footers who aren't just Frankensteins. But that's OK because Gonzaga is a great team and will help us prepare for the B1G. I expect a fight, but Illinois 71 Gonzaga 79

Dec 7, 2012, 10:16 PM	#371
troydove Posts: 358	I fill somethings in the air. Just can't put my finger on it! If we somehow get brave and play with no fear. Blow the dog pound up with ILLINI TNT Sad part I think we get beat bad down low. Zags 92 ILLINI 63 BBBBUUUTTTT if we pull this off,,, SPECIAL SEASON - for !!!!s and giggles game time yet?