Illini Basketball

#26      
From what I've seen, each team will have a conference rival that they will play twice every year:

Illinois-Northwestern
Wisconsin-Minnesota
Iowa-Nebraska
Washington-Oregon
UCLA-USC
Michigan-Michigan State
Indiana-Purdue
Ohio State-Maryland
Rutgers-Penn State
And I hate it ... we should play Iowa twice every year, period. FFS, it's basketball ... 90% of Illini and Iowa fans would want to switch Northwestern/Nebraska in this, and 90% of Northwestern and Nebraska fans wouldn't give a crap.
 
#29      
Still don't like that only 15 teams will be in the conference tournament next year. Feels bad. It'd be better if they even just played a first round at schools' home courts and whittled it down to 15 or 16 for the neutral tournament, if it's a question of making the days/teams work.
This was discussed before. With the addition of the west coast teams, this isn't viable due to travel times.

I really hope that all of the schedules that send teams west have them play both of USC/UCLA or O/W in a single trip.
 
#31      

KenSWburbs

SWburbs
Fun fact: all the former Pac12 schools all have home & home against each other. UCLA & USC will have that East Coast trip to Piscataway, but avoid [this time] Minneapolis❄️🥶❄️

And like a previous poster said, I hope those East Coast games tip at 11a on a Sunday😏
 
#34      
And I hate it ... we should play Iowa twice every year, period. FFS, it's basketball ... 90% of Illini and Iowa fans would want to switch Northwestern/Nebraska in this, and 90% of Northwestern and Nebraska fans wouldn't give a crap.
The only real B1G rivalry here is Iowa, unless you're talking volleyball or baseball. Nebraska would love for it to be someone like Michigan or Wisconsin but that's not gonna ever happen again.
Personally, I wish there was another conference to dump them on and be done with it.
 
#36      
And I hate it ... we should play Iowa twice every year, period. FFS, it's basketball ... 90% of Illini and Iowa fans would want to switch Northwestern/Nebraska in this, and 90% of Northwestern and Nebraska fans wouldn't give a crap.
I know it hasn’t been that intense lately but UI/IU and UI/Purdue have had some really great rivalries as well.

The positive with NW is for the standings that we are historically much better and that “away” game becomes a home game that Chicago fans take over.
 
#37      
The positive with NW is for the standings that we are historically much better and that “away” game becomes a home game that Chicago fans take over.
It's similar to the protected pair status with NW on the football side; if we're going to have guaranteed games against any of the new B1G teams it's advantageous to have it be one of the historically worst programs with a tiny alumni base located near our biggest alumni base.
 
#38      
I’m actually pretty psyched about it. This gives me a chance to go to two games this year within a 3 hour drive either way. I’ll be especially obnoxious when we visit Washington lol. Might even wear Ducks and Illini gear.

Edit: maybe I’ll even find a Wazzou hat. Any other ideas how I can communicate to Washington fans how much I dislike their school?
Throw some Zags gear in the mix.

I'll admit I'm on the opposite side of this coin. Huskies have become my second team since moving to the West Coast but despise the Ducks. I'll also be at both games.
 
#39      
I’m actually pretty psyched about it. This gives me a chance to go to two games this year within a 3 hour drive either way. I’ll be especially obnoxious when we visit Washington lol. Might even wear Ducks and Illini gear.

Edit: maybe I’ll even find a Wazzou hat. Any other ideas how I can communicate to Washington fans how much I dislike their school?
Where’s that Unlike button???
 
#40      

pruman91

Paducah, Ky
I’m actually pretty psyched about it. This gives me a chance to go to two games this year within a 3 hour drive either way. I’ll be especially obnoxious when we visit Washington lol. Might even wear Ducks and Illini gear.

Edit: maybe I’ll even find a Wazzou hat. Any other ideas how I can communicate to Washington fans how much I dislike their school?
Illini shirt that says
Wuck
Fashington
 
#41      

Epsilon

M tipping over
Pdx
Throw some Zags gear in the mix.

I'll admit I'm on the opposite side of this coin. Huskies have become my second team since moving to the West Coast but despise the Ducks. I'll also be at both games.
Too funny. Maybe I’ll see you at the games. Look for me in the Cougduckini gear.
 
#43      
Still don't like that only 15 teams will be in the conference tournament next year. Feels bad. It'd be better if they even just played a first round at schools' home courts and whittled it down to 15 or 16 for the neutral tournament, if it's a question of making the days/teams work.

With the way tournament is formatted, it makes sense that they don't let the bottom 3 into the tournament. There's very little chance any of them would make a run all the way to the final on Sunday.
 
#46      

Tacomallini

Washington State
I’m actually pretty psyched about it. This gives me a chance to go to two games this year within a 3 hour drive either way. I’ll be especially obnoxious when we visit Washington lol. Might even wear Ducks and Illini gear.

Edit: maybe I’ll even find a Wazzou hat. Any other ideas how I can communicate to Washington fans how much I dislike their school?
wearing some Oklahoma City Thunder gear wouldn't hurt
 
#49      

Mr. Tibbs

southeast DuPage
I miss the days when we regularly played Wabash , Milliken, and Knox each one game a year