Pregame: Illinois at Wisconsin, Wednesday, January 8th, 8:00pm CT, BTN

[skyIdub]

We’ll get em next year!

We're sorry, but the Cubs thread is in a different section.

 

[skyIdub]

Our best sources of offense: 1. Transition. 2. Kofi or Giorgi down low against single defender. 3. Trent or Griffin shooting 3s. 4. Ayo mid range pull up.

Our ability to create looks in those ways is often limited, and when they are we stagnate and resort to having shaky shooters take 3s (ayo, Damonte, Giorgi, kip, Feliz). Agree with you that we can’t rely too heavily on that.

Our best case is to try to get out in transition and score at the bucket every time and when we get stifled, try to feed it into Giorgi or Kofi to pressure the interior. Then if a three opens up for Trent or griffin, give them the ball. Underwood needs to be teaching two things right now- (1) passing in and out of the post and (2) creating good looks for griffin and Trent through movement, screening etc.

I can't make this bold enough. Like I need to scrawl it on the screen with a Sharpie. Or purchase a billboard outside of the Hall with this in giant orange letters.

 

[STLIlliniMike]

I think if this team has really turned the corner and is going to make the tournament then we gotta win this game. Wisconsin is very beatable and this would be a nice road win. I have confidence we get this done. That could be the Blue Moon talking though.

 

[illini80]

I'm surprised at the confidence in this thread. I'm not. At all. But we are long overdue and Wisc has to have a bad game against us sometime. Tonight seems like a great time forit! They just don't often shoot themselves in the foot, so really I think its up to us to have a really good shooting night if we want to win. Man would that look great in the win column.

 

[JJE]

I've seen this pregame hype dozens of times in the past decade with Illinois basketball. It's one of those games that is as meaningful to our NCAA tournament resume as it is to the perception to the fans that the team is actually making progress climbing up the mountain. That said 90% of these type of meaningful games that we've put a lot of emotion and hype into has ended in complete embarrassment and frustration. A loss is expected, time to put on our big boy pants and start winning these type of games.

 

[Efrem Winters fan]

I can't make this bold enough. Like I need to scrawl it on the screen with a Sharpie. Or purchase a billboard outside of the Hall with this in giant orange letters.

I agree with this. We are a couple possessions away from having a 12-3 record. Most on this borad would be over the moon if we were in that position. We shouldn't get overly down about the MSU game or too high bout the Purdue game. We held serve at home against Purdue in our best effort all year. Now we need to be hungry enough to beat some road teams. This is a winnable game and a perfect time to end the losing streak against the Badgers. I hope the boys come ready to play!

 

[billybaroo]

I think if this team has really turned the corner and is going to make the tournament then we gotta win this game. Wisconsin is very beatable and this would be a nice road win. I have confidence we get this done. That could be the Blue Moon talking though.

Your beer talks to you, too?