Pregame: Illinois at Ohio State, Thursday, February 14th, 6:00pm CT, ESPN2

Status
Not open for further replies.
#126      

foby

foby
Bonnaroo Land
foby
Calvin said:
Haven't looked closely at it, but I could see us getting in the discussion if we won out, and won a game or two in the BTT. I just can't see us doing that though, even though we're playing well. Purdue and Wiscy on the road are a lot to ask. I'm just enjoying the ride right now. And if we keep this up, we should be capable of making a run in the BTT.
Click to expand...
Yeah, the winning out is a longshot to say the least. However, I can see this team making a run in the BTT. And we have the advantage of being the team no one wants to play.
 
#127      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
I just booked a hotel for the weekend of the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago (also happens to be St. Paddy's Day), and I was looking up possible game times ... figured I would share. If the season ended today, we would be the 9 seed, I think. It seems like most people are predicting anywhere from 10 to 7 the way we have been playing, so I went with the range below. These would be our potential game times if we made a run depending on what seed we get for those who are also thinking about attending:

11 SEED
Wednesday 3/13 at 8:00 pm
Thursday 3/14 at ~8:30 pm
Friday 3/15 at ~8:30 pm
Saturday 3/16 at 2:30 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

10 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at 6:00 pm
Friday 3/15 at 6:00 pm
Saturday 3/16 at 2:30 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

9 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at 11:30 am
Friday 3/15 at 11:30 am
Saturday 3/16 at 12:00 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

8 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at 11:30 am
Friday 3/15 at 11:30 am
Saturday 3/16 at 12:00 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

7 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at 6:00 pm
Friday 3/15 at 6:00 pm
Saturday 3/16 at 2:30 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

6 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at ~8:30 pm
Friday 3/15 at ~8:30 pm
Saturday 3/16 at 2:30 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

There could definitely be mistakes in there, LOL. Needless to say, we need to avoid a bottom four finish, and getting that 7 seed somehow would just be awesome! Either way, I think if we avoid a bottom four finish (which would both avoid a Wednesday game AND mean that we played well enough down the stretch that we didn't drop many fans off of the bandwagon) and preferably avoid the 8/9 game, we could possibly make some noise! So excited to go. A victory at OSU would be a monumental step in that direction.
 
#128      

Calvin

C
Calvin
sacraig said:
This is the first year under a new selection system. I think it's foolish of us to act like we all know exactly how the committee selections will work. The odds are certainly stacked against us, but there is a lot of uncertainty here.
Click to expand...

Well, I could argue that it's just as foolish to say there's a lot of uncertainty when the evaluation criteria aren't all that different, and they're listed & readily available. But let's not get into a semantic argument :devilish: Bubble talk is always interesting, but never decisive.

If we get into the bubble discussion, we might be a unique team in bubble history. To play the first half of the conference slate at 2-8, after a 4-7 non-conf, only to go on a tear to finish the season and get to .500 overall, would take an astounding turn-around. I think we'd be happy to go 5-2 the rest of the way in conference, losing only to @Wiscy and @Purdue. That would get us to 14-17 with some quality wins. If we got to the finals, winning 3 in the BTT, we'd be at 17-17 as they made the selections. I wouldn't think the committee would be able to ignore how we finished the season, nor the games where Trent was out. Anyway, we'd need to win a lot of games just to get that far.

I'm really happy the games are so watchable. I'm already happy with the turn-around.
 
#129      

IlliniCC

I
IlliniCC
I’ve been experimenting with the bubble recently, and I think to be IN going into the BTT, we would have to win our next 7 games, have Georgetown move in to the Top 75 in the NET, Xavier in to the Top 100, FAU move in to the Top 160, and have all our other past opponents at least hold in their quadrants. I think that puts us on the teetering point. If we win out but our still carrying two Q3 losses, and a Q4 it looks bleak, but those three teams are so close to moving up a quadrant.
 
#130      

DeeForThr33

DeeForThr33
DeeForThr33
Fighter of the Nightman said:
I just booked a hotel for the weekend of the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago (also happens to be St. Paddy's Day), and I was looking up possible game times ... figured I would share. If the season ended today, we would be the 9 seed, I think. It seems like most people are predicting anywhere from 10 to 7 the way we have been playing, so I went with the range below. These would be our potential game times if we made a run depending on what seed we get for those who are also thinking about attending:

11 SEED
Wednesday 3/13 at 8:00 pm
Thursday 3/14 at ~8:30 pm
Friday 3/15 at ~8:30 pm
Saturday 3/16 at 2:30 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

10 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at 6:00 pm
Friday 3/15 at 6:00 pm
Saturday 3/16 at 2:30 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

9 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at 11:30 am
Friday 3/15 at 11:30 am
Saturday 3/16 at 12:00 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

8 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at 11:30 am
Friday 3/15 at 11:30 am
Saturday 3/16 at 12:00 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

7 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at 6:00 pm
Friday 3/15 at 6:00 pm
Saturday 3/16 at 2:30 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

6 SEED
Thursday 3/14 at ~8:30 pm
Friday 3/15 at ~8:30 pm
Saturday 3/16 at 2:30 pm (Semifinals)
Sunday 3/17 at 2:30 pm (Championship Game)

There could definitely be mistakes in there, LOL. Needless to say, we need to avoid a bottom four finish, and getting that 7 seed somehow would just be awesome! Either way, I think if we avoid a bottom four finish (which would both avoid a Wednesday game AND mean that we played well enough down the stretch that we didn't drop many fans off of the bandwagon) and preferably avoid the 8/9 game, we could possibly make some noise! So excited to go. A victory at OSU would be a monumental step in that direction.
Click to expand...
there’s also a path to the 5 seed if we win out.
 
#131      

doowink

D
doowink
Actually I think the 8 & 9 seeds would have an advantage over a 7 seed because of the amount of time between Friday's game and the Semi-Final on Saturday...and the Championship game on Sunday......now the level of the opponent might not work out that way...but the 8 & 9 seeds have an advantage with more time for rest
 
#132      

foby

foby
Bonnaroo Land
foby
Calvin said:
Well, I could argue that it's just as foolish to say there's a lot of uncertainty when the evaluation criteria aren't all that different, and they're listed & readily available. But let's not get into a semantic argument :devilish: Bubble talk is always interesting, but never decisive.

If we get into the bubble discussion, we might be a unique team in bubble history. To play the first half of the conference slate at 2-8, after a 4-7 non-conf, only to go on a tear to finish the season and get to .500 overall, would take an astounding turn-around. I think we'd be happy to go 5-2 the rest of the way in conference, losing only to @Wiscy and @Purdue. That would get us to 14-17 with some quality wins. If we got to the finals, winning 3 in the BTT, we'd be at 17-17 as they made the selections. I wouldn't think the committee would be able to ignore how we finished the season, nor the games where Trent was out. Anyway, we'd need to win a lot of games just to get that far.

I'm really happy the games are so watchable. I'm already happy with the turn-around.
Click to expand...
Is there a winning record rule for at large berths in the NCAAs? It's not that I'm too lazy to look it up, it's mainly that someone else might already know. Lol

However, let me edit this by saying that the only ways I believe we MAY get in without winning the BTT would be to go 7-0 and 2-1 in BTT or go 6-1 and 3-1 in BTT.

If we went 7-0 and 3-1 in the BTT, I believe we WOULD be in for sure.
 
Last edited:
#134      

GoIllini23

GoIllini23
GoIllini23
Hoping for the best, expecting them to compete hard, but a lot things on the road in the Big Ten you can’t control....tOSU can’t afford to lose to IL...we are going to have to b 20 points better to win by 5
 
#136      

IlliniCC

I
IlliniCC
There is a good chance that if we make it to the BTT semifinals that we will be playing another Cinderella. Conference is loaded from 1-14.
 
#137      

TxChief

T
TxChief
IlliniCC said:
There is a good chance that if we make it to the BTT semifinals that we will be playing another Cinderella. Conference is loaded from 1-14.
Click to expand...
You're right (although Cinderella may have started as just another SuperModel), KenPom shows that 7 of top 11 of toughest schedules are B10 teams, including Illini at #6. Tells you how good the conference is this year.
After watching Penn St against Michigan, I'm more worried about beating Penn St for 2 games. But I go back to the reality, we need a run in the BTT.
 
#138      

bombayIllini

B
bombayIllini
UM just may have peaked.

We are on an upward trajectory. Hopefully, we can keep it that a way for a while.
 
#140      

TCTORNADO

TCTORNADO
TCTORNADO
I like our chances in Columbus, particularly if we don't foul 26 times like we did at the UC in December and Giorgi foul out after only playing 19 minutes total.
 
#141      

FeelYourPaign

FeelYourPaign
So Cal
FeelYourPaign
TCTORNADO said:
I like our chances in Columbus, particularly if we don't foul 26 times like we did at the UC in December and Giorgi foul out after only playing 19 minutes total.
Click to expand...
Agree that fouling will be important. K Wesson is ranked #8 in the nation in drawing fouls, which might explain the GB stats from December. He is clearly better at avoiding the fouls now, but that will be a very important part of the game.

If Trent could get a few fouls on CJ Jackson early and force him to the bench, that would loom large. CJ plays 34 minutes / game for them, getting him to the pine would be great.
 
#146      

RML

R
RML
PtownIllini8 said:
So we can beat #13 Maryland at MSG where it was about 80% Terp fans, but we can't beat unrated OSU in Columbus?
Click to expand...
Well, we did lose to unrated OSU on a "neutral" (but pro-Illini) court, so yes, I too think we can lose at OSU. Again, I hope not. If we win, I think we end up the 7 seed in the BTT.
 
#147      

EyeoftheIllini

EyeoftheIllini
EyeoftheIllini
While I usually look forward to Illini games, I really can't wait for this game. Says a lot about how the team has progressed that I can't wait to see them back on the court. Come on Thursday.
 
#149      

PtownIllini8

P
PtownIllini8
RML said:
Well, we did lose to unrated OSU on a "neutral" (but pro-Illini) court, so yes, I too think we can lose at OSU. Again, I hope not. If we win, I think we end up the 7 seed in the BTT.
Click to expand...

We can definitely lose, we just aren't going to. Illini like butta, on a roll! BTW, December is a lifetime ago. This is a different team.
 
#150      

pruman91

pruman91
Paducah, Ky
pruman91
You gotta love the innocence and humbleness of Giorgi.....he has always talked about team first and his support for who's on the court when he is on the bench speaks loudly about the chemistry this team has....Probably one of the tightest group of players we have ever had...hearken's back to the 2004-05 team as far as
caring for each other and the on court play is reflecting that feeling .

Illini 79
osu 71


1ae88a893783c05f901c6d0fa42f0648.gif


Go Illini
 
Status
Not open for further replies.