Illini Basketball 2019-2020

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#102      

Steelyunk

Tobacco Road
Winning games like tonight certainly can shift the needle. Eye test looks great right now after this week, but on paper they‘re still just 1-3 vs Q1/Q2 which is on pace for the discussed 6-11.

Realistically, they need to win next 3 non-con, then 2 of 3 against @MSU, PUR, @WIS to move off a bubble trajectory.
So much of this league is as tough to figure this year as we are. You can easily see us winning all three and just as easily losing all three. Sticking to my 21-10 preseason prediction. Hold serve at home, except for MD and MSU. Beat Rutgers, PSU and NW on the road? Maybe?
 
#103      
So much of this league is as tough to figure this year as we are. You can easily see us winning all three and just as easily losing all three. Sticking to my 21-10 preseason prediction. Hold serve at home, except for MD and MSU. Beat Rutgers, PSU and NW on the road? Maybe?

The way it is looking, it might be more likely that we beat MD and MSU at home and lose to Rutgers and PSU on the road. Especially concerned about PSU. Hopefully, we have really turned the corner.
 
#104      

JFGsCoffeeMug

BU:1 Trash cans:0
Chicago
Big Ten is a meat grinder this year. But, if we play the way we did against Michigan, we can pick up some road wins.

Big Ten teams that make the tournament are going to be battle-tested and should make some noise.
 
#105      
Last time pumped me up, so here are my revised PREDICTIONS:

W vs. Old Dominion
W vs. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
(order is restored)
W vs. North Carolina A&T
L at #16 Michigan State
W vs. Purdue
W at Wisconsin
(YUP, this is the year we finally beat them again!!!!)
W vs. Rutgers (another super close game like last year, though)
W vs. Northwestern
L at Purdue
(that place just always seems so dark and bleak and hopeless to win)
L at #5 Michigan (revenge game and whatnot)
W vs. Minnesota
L at Iowa
(I'm so scarred from last year)
W vs. #4 Maryland (revenge game but for us!)
W vs. #16 Michigan State (I think we actually match up well with them)
L at Rutgers
L at Penn State
(some fans start to panic)
W vs. Nebraska
W at Northwestern
(and I'll be there ... hope to see TONS of orange!)
W vs. Indiana
L at #3 Ohio State
(they are good...)
W vs. Iowa (revenge in a hard-fought win vs. the Hawkeyes on Senior Day)

Entering Big Ten Tournament: 20-10 (12-8) ... holy moly, I would take this in a heartbeat!! I think we win one and lose on in the BTT, leaving us 21-11 on Selection Sunday with wins vs. Michigan, vs. Maryland, vs. Michigan State and maybe even a quality one in the BTT if we are lucky. Our only "bad" loss would be vs. Miami, and I think it would be overshadowed by our wins and tough conference schedule, putting us squarely off the Bubble. Let's be clear, too: if this team plays like it did last night and keeps the effort and concentration there ... we can be even better.

Can't wait for our next game, and it's been a while since I have been this excited!
 
#106      
...Let's be clear, too: if this team plays like it did last night and keeps the effort and concentration there ... we can be even better.

Can't wait for our next game, and it's been a while since I have been this excited!

If this team plays like it did last night for the rest of the year, then we will be 28-3, #1 in the nation, and get a number 1 seed, entering the BTT.
 
#108      
Whats up with Wisconsin? Just noticed they are 5-5 with some atypical home losses. A quick look at their recruiting and it seems like they've recruited worse since their Final 4 appearances, than they did prior. Maybe we start a new trend against them this year.

Edit: They have not lost a true home game yet - neutral site games on the schedule is deceiving
 
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#109      

BananaShampoo

Captain 'Paign
Phoenix, AZ
Last time pumped me up, so here are my revised PREDICTIONS:

W vs. Old Dominion
W vs. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
(order is restored)
W vs. North Carolina A&T
L at #16 Michigan State
W vs. Purdue
W at Wisconsin
(YUP, this is the year we finally beat them again!!!!)
W vs. Rutgers (another super close game like last year, though)
W vs. Northwestern
L at Purdue
(that place just always seems so dark and bleak and hopeless to win)
L at #5 Michigan (revenge game and whatnot)
W vs. Minnesota
L at Iowa
(I'm so scarred from last year)
W vs. #4 Maryland (revenge game but for us!)
W vs. #16 Michigan State (I think we actually match up well with them)
L at Rutgers
L at Penn State
(some fans start to panic)
W vs. Nebraska
W at Northwestern
(and I'll be there ... hope to see TONS of orange!)
W vs. Indiana
L at #3 Ohio State
(they are good...)
W vs. Iowa (revenge in a hard-fought win vs. the Hawkeyes on Senior Day)

Entering Big Ten Tournament: 20-10 (12-8) ... holy moly, I would take this in a heartbeat!! I think we win one and lose on in the BTT, leaving us 21-11 on Selection Sunday with wins vs. Michigan, vs. Maryland, vs. Michigan State and maybe even a quality one in the BTT if we are lucky. Our only "bad" loss would be vs. Miami, and I think it would be overshadowed by our wins and tough conference schedule, putting us squarely off the Bubble. Let's be clear, too: if this team plays like it did last night and keeps the effort and concentration there ... we can be even better.

Can't wait for our next game, and it's been a while since I have been this excited!
This seems...plausible.
 
#110      
Just win the BIG tournament and the rest of the record is immaterial. This team has the talent to make this a possibility.:cool:
 
#111      
Most of us thought our guards would be our strength and the best or close to it in the BIG. I did think Giorgi and Kofi would be formidable but no depth behind them and wouldn’t get more than 50-55 mins from the pair. At this point we are getting more mins. and Kipper has been an adequate backup. (Liddell was a bad miss). I wonder what the opposing coaches judge to be their biggest problem, frontcourt or backcourt? Kofi a huge problem unless you can get him in foul trouble.
 
#117      

ILL in IA

Iowa City
Last time pumped me up, so here are my revised PREDICTIONS:

W vs. Old Dominion
W vs. Missouri (St. Louis, MO)
(order is restored)
W vs. North Carolina A&T
L at #16 Michigan State
W vs. Purdue
W at Wisconsin
(YUP, this is the year we finally beat them again!!!!)
W vs. Rutgers (another super close game like last year, though)
W vs. Northwestern
L at Purdue
(that place just always seems so dark and bleak and hopeless to win)
L at #5 Michigan (revenge game and whatnot)
W vs. Minnesota
L at Iowa
(I'm so scarred from last year)
W vs. #4 Maryland (revenge game but for us!)
W vs. #16 Michigan State (I think we actually match up well with them)
L at Rutgers
L at Penn State
(some fans start to panic)
W vs. Nebraska
W at Northwestern
(and I'll be there ... hope to see TONS of orange!)
W vs. Indiana
L at #3 Ohio State
(they are good...)
W vs. Iowa (revenge in a hard-fought win vs. the Hawkeyes on Senior Day)

Entering Big Ten Tournament: 20-10 (12-8) ... holy moly, I would take this in a heartbeat!! I think we win one and lose on in the BTT, leaving us 21-11 on Selection Sunday with wins vs. Michigan, vs. Maryland, vs. Michigan State and maybe even a quality one in the BTT if we are lucky. Our only "bad" loss would be vs. Miami, and I think it would be overshadowed by our wins and tough conference schedule, putting us squarely off the Bubble. Let's be clear, too: if this team plays like it did last night and keeps the effort and concentration there ... we can be even better.

Can't wait for our next game, and it's been a while since I have been this excited!
Not sure it will make you change the L @ Iowa, but it sounds like Bohannon will be done for the year and take a medical redshirt. He has killed us the past few years.
 
#118      
Shows just how good Arizona freshman are as well....to rank that high as freshman. We at least got a junior and soph in the mix.

And consider we played against those AZ 3...that probably depresses our overall +/- unless those combo's didn't match up against each other for many minutes in the game.
 
#119      
The way it is looking, it might be more likely that we beat MD and MSU at home and lose to Rutgers and PSU on the road. Especially concerned about PSU. Hopefully, we have really turned the corner.

Ye though I walk through the valley of death I shall feel no evil because I'm walking with the biggest SOB in the valley! King Kofi.......long live the King.........Waconda!!
 
#122      
Interesting to me that both Giorgi and Kofi were the 3/4 options on outstanding winning teams and BU has them as 1/2 options with great success. Wonder if he has another next year with a 6’10” wing not highly ranked.
 
#124      
I may still be buzzing off of seeing my beloved Illini take down #5 in person (first win I have ever seen at State Farm Center...) but after that performance, who in the B1G can't we beat? I firmly believe there are no unwinnable games for us in conference this year (Ohio State may be the exception) and that is a damn refreshing feeling.
 
#125      
Think the staff needs to start looking at bigs to replace Kofi? I wonder how the staff views a succession plan for him
 
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