Illinois picked to finish 9th in Big Ten Media Poll

[Dan]

Somebody blew embargo. B1G media poll:

1. Indiana
2. Michigan
3. Ohio State
4. Michigan State
5. Wisconsin
6. Minnesota
7. Iowa
8. Purdue
9. Illinois
10. Northwestern
11. Penn State
12. Nebraska

http://twitter.com/ScottDochterman

It's pretty much the newspaper beat writers. 24 people, two per school. No nationals.

Soo apparently I missed that paragraph in the poll about an embargo... my bad, fellow beat guys....

http://twitter.com/DustinDopirak

[trevdv]

Iowa seventh?? Ah well, we can let our games speak for themselves. If 22 beat writers don't think highly of us, sucks for them...

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

Can't blame them for that selection, basically the same team with McLaurin in place of Leonard. Hopefully this will be a rare Illini season where we exceed those expectations.

[bert]

I can't see why Michigan is at #2. I really think MSU is gonna be better. I know Green was good but MSU has a lot of guys back and they were better than Michigan last year.

[Illiniwek06]

Originally Posted by bert

I can't see why Michigan is at #2. I really think MSU is gonna be better. I know Green was good but MSU has a lot of guys back and they were better than Michigan last year.

No (Burke, Hardaway). They did have some transfers, though.

They also add Big Dog's kid and Mitch McGary. They're going to be tough.

[BananaShampoo]

I don't see us being 9th (or below Iowa). I'm thinking 5th-7th. Of course none of the preseason ranking really matter, only how they come out in the end.

[Illiniwek_2]

If we can finish 6th I will consider this season a resounding success.

[BrooksTaylorFan]

Originally Posted by WesterveltVictoryCigar

Can't blame them for that selection, basically the same team with McLaurin in place of Leonard. Hopefully this will be a rare Illini season where we exceed those expectations.

Actually Egwu replaces Leonard and I don't think you will see much of a drop off in production. Weber lost a good team last season and under achieved. This year will show us how much difference a good coach makes with a good team.

[IlliniTilDeath]

Originally Posted by Illiniwek_2

If we can finish 6th I will consider this season a resounding success.

+1

[U of I 89-05-10]

Originally Posted by WesterveltVictoryCigar

Can't blame them for that selection, basically the same team with McLaurin in place of Leonard. Hopefully this will be a rare Illini season where we exceed those expectations.

Three disappointing seasons don't define a proud program. And while we do lose Meyers, everyone else (especially the freshmen) gain a much needed year of experience, and we gain a new coach, who many of us believe is better suited to coach this team ... I tend to agree.

I can't wait for us to be labeled the "surprise team," because I know the talent is there, and I think we'll really start to click and become dangerous by Conference play. I like being underrated. From 2000-2006, we were a very highly respected program (and for the most part we performed up to and exceeding expectations), and that respect carried into the 2007-2011 time frame ... Now apparently it's gone, and that's fine with me. Prepare for an unpleasant several years, Big Ten, John Groce has arrived.

[WizardBill]

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

Actually Egwu replaces Leonard and I don't think you will see much of a drop off in production. Weber lost a good team last season and under achieved. This year will show us how much difference a good coach makes with a good team.

+1

Remember, I was drinking the kool-aide a long time ago. I think we are going to do quite well this year. I think if we finish outside the top 5, it will be a huge disappointment.

I think Groce needs guys to fit his system. Do we have those guys? No. Do we have guys who are pretty good? I think so. I think we are going to be in the NCAA, and I think we are going to surprise. I think Groce will understand that he might not have all the horses to run his brand yet, but he knows how to coach, and he will get more out of our guys than most anyone (except me) expects.

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

Actually Egwu replaces Leonard and I don't think you will see much of a drop off in production. Weber lost a good team last season and under achieved. This year will show us how much difference a good coach makes with a good team.

I was talking about the roster, Egwu was on the team last year. I agree he'll probably put up similar numbers since Leonard was badly underutilized last season, but he won't be the post threat that ML was.

[Sure Shot]

That is place-by-place exactly what my ballot would look like. So I guess I have no opinion whatsoever.

[IlliniTilDeath]

Originally Posted by WizardBill

+1

Remember, I was drinking the kool-aide a long time ago. I think we are going to do quite well this year. I think if we finish outside the top 5, it will be a huge disappointment.

I think Groce needs guys to fit his system. Do we have those guys? No. Do we have guys who are pretty good? I think so. I think we are going to be in the NCAA, and I think we are going to surprise. I think Groce will understand that he might not have all the horses to run his brand yet, but he knows how to coach, and he will get more out of our guys than most anyone (except me) expects.

A huge disappointment if we don't finish in the top 5? Are you serious? The B10 is stronger than usual this year. That would be vastly over-achieving for this group.

[WizardBill]

Originally Posted by IlliniTilDeath

A huge disappointment if we don't finish in the top 5? Are you serious? The B10 is stronger than usual this year. That would be vastly over-achieving for this group.

Well, like I said, been hitting the Orange drink a bit. I just like the fact that we have some talent here. We probably will not hit stride until half way through the B1G, but we will be top 5.

[CharlesLawrence]

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

Actually Egwu replaces Leonard and I don't think you will see much of a drop off in production. Weber lost a good team last season and under achieved. This year will show us how much difference a good coach makes with a good team.

+1

[jackman404]

I think Egwu this year will be slightly worse than Leonard was last year but McLovin (if ALionEye does it, I'm hopping on this nickname) will be better than Egwu was last season. If we see improvement from the other four positions, I think we will improve from last season. I think we are going to finish seventh, and I would say finishing sixth would be incredible.

[alexander58]

Originally Posted by WizardBill

Well, like I said, been hitting the Orange drink a bit. I just like the fact that we have some talent here. We probably will not hit stride until half way through the B1G, but we will be top 5.

While I hope I am wrong, this team will not be top 5. Although Leonard could have been more productive (can anyone feed the post?), what he gave was easy buckets down low. I just don't see Nnanna replicating that. The drive and kick offense is dependent upon shooters knocking down shots. I would expect DJ, Henry and Griffey may hit shots regularly. But, when they are cold, the inside will need to pick up the slack. I just don't see that happening. Wins will not come easily to this year's team.

[HsvIllini]

Might be a good locker-room motivator....

[10bears]

Originally Posted by BrooksTaylorFan

Actually Egwu replaces Leonard and I don't think you will see much of a drop off in production. Weber lost a good team last season and under achieved. This year will show us how much difference a good coach makes with a good team.

Been waiting for this, especially the second half, should be fun!

[illini80]

Too much talent on this team to finish that low imo. I understand we lack ball handling, but I believe there is enough there to overcome that. I think 5-6 is a reasonable goal and attainable if we see normal progression. Even though Groce wants more ball handlers, I am hopeful/confident he will adapt enough to make use of what he has.

[JimmyChitwood]

1. Indiana
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Michigan State
5. Minnesota
6. Illinois
7. Wisconsin
8. Purdue
9. Iowa
10. Northwestern
11. Penn State
12. Nebraska


I think this is very achievable. I dont think Wisconsin will be good this year, but Bo always pulls something out of his a** it seems.

[MrQuist]

I honestly can't remember the last time we were projected so close to the bottom of the Big Ten. If we can't at least meet the expectations of being ninth, there may be another dumpster fire similar to the football team.

[Illini70math]

Originally Posted by JimmyChitwood

1. Indiana
2. Ohio State
3. Michigan
4. Michigan State
5. Minnesota
6. Illinois
7. Wisconsin
8. Purdue
9. Iowa
10. Northwestern
11. Penn State
12. Nebraska


I think this is very achievable. I dont think Wisconsin will be good this year, but Bo always pulls something out of his a** it seems.

Exactly. Finishing sixth means finishing as the "best of the rest" in a league with four great looking teams (right now) and Wisky. Some of the other teams have potential, but they also have huge question marks:

Purdue no longer has any of the special guys who carried them for so long, or even Lewis Jackson. The have some talent, but they lost a lot from last season.

Minnesota finished 6-12 each of the last two seasons. Yeah, they have Mbakwe back -- from knee surgery. Minny finds ways to screw things up.

Iowa lost a ton of talent. They pick up some promising freshmen, but Iowa is the only team we beat during the collapse, and it wasn't a close game.

Northwestern lost Shurna. Nuff said.

Finishing ahead of these guys (as well as Nebraska and PSU, of course) doesn't require the most amazing team in college basketball. Sixth is doable, but it will be a good accomplishment.

[MrQuist]

Reminder of USA Today preseason poll:

1. Indiana
4. OSU
5. Michigan
14. MSU
21. Wisconsin

RV: Minnesota

Best case seems to be 6th out of 12, which together with a decent non-conf result should squeak us into the dance. Worst case is the football team, part 2.