Pregame: Illinois at Nebraska, Tuesday, January 22nd, 7:30pm CT, BTN

[illynifan34]

Originally Posted by SteakSandwich

If we lose to Neb, UM, and MSU then the season is lost and we need to start preparing for next year. That means more playing time for the younger guys. It will become clear that yeah the seniors will play but shave of 10 mins a game off each of them. We need to get these guys ready for next year.

I have a hard time saying we just lost to Northwestern at home by 14 and thinking that the season isn't lost already.

We'll lose to Nebraska, and I'll go with DJ crying this year.

[Ramrod2010]

Moral victory time: Nebraska doesn't get to 80 this year!

UNL - 59
UI - 53

[WesterveltVictoryCigar]

I thought the two games that really exemplified the problems of last season were the home loss to Northwestern (started the "collapse") and at Nebraska (the lowest point of the season). Ironic that we have them back to back this season. No idea what's going to happen, but it's pretty hard to be optimistic.

[Peoria Born]

Losing our last 3 games by a total of 54 points, I find there is no way we win this game. It's hard to win any game when it is basically 3 (BP, Egwu, Abrams) on 5. If my math proves right, we should lose by 18. With that being said: Nebraska 66 Illinois 48.

[Warriors1994]

We put an end to it in Nebraska and win the game and stop the collapse

[drumanimal]

I'm sure Nebraska is feeling pretty good to play the Illini!!! The skid continues.....

[barnhartkc]

Originally Posted by Warriors1994

We put an end to it in Nebraska and win the game and stop the collapse

I like that scenario and truly hopes this is the outcome!

[jackman404]

This might be our last stand here. If we play well and win, maybe we can build a little bit of momentum heading into the toughest part of the schedule. If we lose.....man.

UGLY win.
Illinois: 55
Nebraska: 51

[lakesideIllini]

How can you figure this team out? My dartboard says

UN - 68
UI - 54

There are no more ugly wins...too rare!

[OrchardDowns]

Originally Posted by Groundhogday

Is another epic Nebraska collapse in the cards? Who would have thought we would be in danger of repeating last year so exactly?

Groundhogday? Are the Illini stuck in a Groundhog day scenario????????? The same season happening over and over again??????

Oh ya. Nebraska 77, Illinois 59.

[zoggle101]

Last year everyone was expecting an easy win at Nebraska, and up until the last week it was the same feeling about playing in Omaha this year. At least we have the fact that the money most likely will not be on us, and the majority of our fans don't think we'll win this one. I always love those two things.

[Ransom Stoddard]

I fully expected us to be scraping NU off our shoes this morning, so we'll go the opposite way:

UNL 68
UI 59

[SeanO]

I feel like I'm scaling new heights (depths?) of pessimism, but it occurs to me that if we don't beat Nebraska we probably lose 11 in a row. Nebraska would be four, followed by 5 teams who are better than we are, followed by two teams who have already taken us to the cleaners. Man, I hope I'm wrong.

[JSpence]

UNL- 68
UI - 51

I had penciled in the NW win and was on the fence about this one. Things have changed - now I hope we look competitive.

Edit : What am I, the 3rd or 4th person to give UNL 68? Crazy.

[illinifan3923]

Ill-47
Neb-59

[jrichisamazing]

If we lose this then I'm not going to the B1G tourney. If we win then I will see how the team plays against UM

[jmat]

i think meyers leonards has a big game but we still lose

[Gumby]

I've got Mike Latulip exploding for 30 off the bench.

Final: Nebraska 65 Illinois 32

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by zoggle101

Last year everyone was expecting an easy win at Nebraska, and up until the last week it was the same feeling about playing in Omaha this year. At least we have the fact that the money most likely will not be on us, and the majority of our fans don't think we'll win this one. I always love those two things.

Perhaps because this team essentially already had their Nebraska loss equivalent by losing at home to a weak Northwestern team by 15 points.

[Illini B-Ball Fan]

Keep the faith.

IL 63
NE 55

Go Illini!

[PointGuardU01]

Originally Posted by lakesideIllini

How can you figure this team out? My dartboard says

UN - 68
UI - 54

There are no more ugly wins...too rare!

I think we're pretty easy to figure out at this point actually. Poor shooting team that compounds its shooting problems by not sharing the ball and settlingfor poor shots. We also are a team that turns the ball over too much. We are also a team that doesnt fast break mostly because we are always taking the ball out of the net because....we are also a very poor defensive team. My head hurts

[troydove]

Originally Posted by Gumby

I've got Mike Latulip exploding for 30 off the bench.

Final: Nebraska 65 Illinois 32

Who scores the other 2?

[Franklin Delano Bluth]

I know its not Groce's style, but I'd love to see a shake up in the starting 5 for this game, anything at all to fire this team up. Slow starts have doomed this team, It would be nice to see 5 guys come out of the gate with a little passion.

[RecLeagueHero]

Originally Posted by Franklin Delano Bluth

I know its not Groce's style, but I'd love to see a shake up in the starting 5 for this game, anything at all to fire this team up. Slow starts have doomed this team, It would be nice to see 5 guys come out of the gate with a little passion.

He could do that, but would it matter? I mean, who is he going to start that might play better than what we are seeing now?

I know we are all just grasping at straws here....the recent performance has us all scratching our heads a bit. However, it mostly comes down to not having much talent on the roster....and the talent we do have doesn't fit together worth a darn.

I look at the bench and I don't see one guy that could be starting except for maybe Bertrand. That is a pretty sad indictment.

[Monte Carlo]

Originally Posted by PointGuardU01

I think we're pretty easy to figure out at this point actually. Poor shooting team that compounds its shooting problems by not sharing the ball and settlingfor poor shots. We also are a team that turns the ball over too much. We are also a team that doesnt fast break mostly because we are always taking the ball out of the net because....we are also a very poor defensive team. My head hurts

The thing is we weren't really most of those things until recently, which makes it even more exasperating.