Pregame: Illinois at Minnesota, Wednesday, January 30th, 8:00pm CT, BTN

Status
Not open for further replies.
#101      
Also, for fun, here are the teams we are trying to catch and what they have coming up this week:

OHIO STATE (3-6)
vs. Rutgers (3-6) on Saturday

INDIANA (3-6)
at Rutgers (3-6) tonight
at #6 Michigan State (9-1) on Saturday

RUTGERS (3-6)
vs. Indiana (3-6) tonight
at Ohio State (3-6) on Saturday

NEBRASKA (3-7)
vs. Illinois (2-7) on Saturday

NORTHWESTERN (3-7)
at Rutgers (3-6) on Monday

Beating Minnesota and then Nebraska at home is a tall task, but it would have the potential to really vault us up!
 
#103      
I have little hope of winning this game but if the only factor was heart. We wouldn’t lose :)
 
#105      
I've got us as the 9th seed going against OSU, MSU, then MD/WISC.

That would be awesome.
 
#107      
Yeah, this is the closest to a win-win we as fans have had in a while. We have had plenty of games where "just another loss" isn't that big of a deal, but the hope aspect was lacking. This game provides us an opportunity for a true statement win (yes, I think sweeping Minnesota with a road victory after they just beat Iowa at home is a bigger statement than beating the #13 team in the nation on a neutral court to snap a two-game losing streak), yet a loss really isn't anything that deterring.

We simply need to look good. Keep this positive momentum going.

EDIT: Everything went right for us last night (NU, UNL and OSU all lost), so here are the updated standings that we are watchin'!

Michigan State 9-1
Michigan 9-1

Purdue 7-2

Maryland 8-3
Wisconsin 7-3

Minnesota 5-4

Iowa 5-5

Ohio State 3-6
Indiana 3-6
Rutgers 3-6

Nebraska 3-7
Northwestern 3-7
Illinois 2-7

Penn State 0-9

If we win tonight, we will tie Nebraska, Northwestern and one of Indiana and Rutgers (they play tonight and are both 3-7) ... this is NOT that steep of a mountain to climb, we just need to bring it! A BTT run would do wonders for next year, IMO, and that needs to be what we are playing for. Besides, as our 2008 team can testify, who knows what can happen once you get in Chicago? WE don't necessarily have to be the team to get rid of Michigan or MSU, after all! :p

Agreed. Also, climbing out of the bottom four and avoiding the Wednesday game will do wonders for our chances of making that run. When a bottom four team gets as far as Friday, they will always be playing their third game in three days whilst paired against a top four seed that is playing for the first time in five or six days. It doesn't matter how well the lower team matches up against the higher seed in that situation; the energy deficiency of a third game in 48 hours is just too much to expect to overcome.
 
#109      
A win tonight would put us in a tie for 11th with 8th place 0.5 games back. We have the easiest remaining schedule in the BIG according to metrics so if we win tonight we would be on pace for a first round bye.
 
#111      
Minnesota has played well at home, not played well on the road (won vs lost). Murphy’s splits mirror this pretty much. Have to do another good job against him. Adonis didn’t play against minn last time, will need him this game. Hopefully Giorgi does not get into foul trouble. Interesting Tevian and Adonis are two players that have really made an impact since that game, just two weeks ago. Another wrinkle minn will have to adjust too.
This. We need Adonis to be able to hold their bigs in check when Giorgi is on the bench.
 
#113      
Also, for fun, here are the teams we are trying to catch and what they have coming up this week:

OHIO STATE (3-6)
vs. Rutgers (3-6) on Saturday

INDIANA (3-6)
at Rutgers (3-6) tonight
at #6 Michigan State (9-1) on Saturday

RUTGERS (3-6)
vs. Indiana (3-6) tonight
at Ohio State (3-6) on Saturday

NEBRASKA (3-7)
vs. Illinois (2-7) on Saturday

NORTHWESTERN (3-7)
at Rutgers (3-6) on Monday

Beating Minnesota and then Nebraska at home is a tall task, but it would have the potential to really vault us up!
Winning these two games would put us in a pretty good position from here on out. I took a look at the remaining schedules for most of the teams and it's really easy to envision having seven teams -- everyone below the top six (with Iowa being the sixth team) and above PSU -- winding up with 5-8 wins.

It's kind of crazy to imagine based on how they started the year, but both Nebraska and Minnesota are in a bit of trouble, with five and six games against the top five teams, respectively. Minnesota's schedule is particularly brutal after tonight, with IU being the only home game not against the top five remaining on their schedule, and Nebraska is about to show us how big the dropoff is between Copeland and Tanner Borchardt.

We're a must-win for both of those teams. If we pull off the sweep, the bottom half of the league will be absolute chaos for the rest of the season.
 
#116      
Looks like no Daniel Oturu tonight.

That would be a huge loss for Minny. Thought they had two athletic bigs, once we got pass those two we seemed to have our way. So they are down to one athletic big. Don't think their guards matched up to our defense or our guards.
 
#117      
Personally it would not bother me to see this young team play the first round of BTT. We could be a dangerous team by then, but I would still hate to run the risk of a one and done BTT. Much better to have a little success to build on next year. Ideally we win the first round, get our feet under us, and go for an upset in round 2.
 
#118      
Well no one can accuse the Loyalty board of not getting too high or too low. After the Iowa drubbing, the mood "nice win against Minny, but looks like that's all that was" -- or worse. Now people have us penciled in for a first round bye in BTT. Have to love what a win over a ranked team on the road does.
 
#122      
Personally it would not bother me to see this young team play the first round of BTT. We could be a dangerous team by then, but I would still hate to run the risk of a one and done BTT. Much better to have a little success to build on next year. Ideally we win the first round, get our feet under us, and go for an upset in round 2.
Getting a first round bye (buy?) would necessarily mean we had a little success to build on.
 
#123      

Deleted member 500209

D
Guest
Tev is starting along with TF, Ayo, AJ, and GB
If that first shot goes in, watch out! Mandatory jinx: I gotta good feeling.

Im guessing it will only take us about 42 game seconds to find out (shorter if we win the tip).
 
#124      
Spread at Illini plus 6.5.
Going to have to go with the greasy grimy gopher guts at home.
Not wanting to get humiliated at home, strength inside, rewed confidence after Iowa game, bitter cold weather.
Hope I'm wrong.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.