Pregame: Illinois vs VCU (Miami, FL), Saturday, December 3rd, 2:00pm CT, CBSSN

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#26      
Newman
Hoppy2105 said:
Yup. I have a feeling Groce is going to rue the day he went up against Keon Johnson.

And if we are on the wrong side of the bubble because of that scrappy little PG and end up getting a 1 seed in the NIT, I think the fans will rue the day we played him as well since most likely Groce will be retained.

I just hope for an easy decision at the end of the year. (Hopefully it's because we made the dance...)
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One semi bad loss isn't going to loom around if we can pull out good wins against BYU and VCU.
 
#27      
mattcoldagelli
Newman said:
One semi bad loss isn't going to loom around if we can pull out good wins against BYU and VCU.
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....AND have the best conference season of the Groce Era. I know you're kind of implying that, but it's a big matzoh ball to have hanging out there.
 
#31      
Captain Bubbles
The Rams are no slouch. Illinois has to be ready for their havoc defense. Plus, they got a good head coach in Wade, who's done a solid job over there since Shaka left.
 
#32      
GetAWin
I need some help guys...trying to figure out how to watch this game. Want to watch on roku. Have dish subscription but can't find an app that has actual games. The cbs sports app is misleading - no live or replay games.
 
#33      
spfldfan
158 on dish, comcast 531, direct 231,at&t 643
 
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#34      
Fighter of the Nightman
Second and Chalmers said:
Probably our last chance to make this an acceptable non-conference...
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FTFY! We need to pull this one out and avoid any more losses to teams we should beat ... that would, at least in this optimist's mind, make up for the Winthrop loss.

It would not, however, make up for the pathetic effort vs. WVU or completely melting down in the second half vs. FSU. That would take a great conference win.
 
#35      
Berg88
Newman said:
Would you feel better if it was Penn State? They have similar rankings right now.
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No, losing to Penn State at home is a bad loss. That's not to say they can't be overcome, but losses to ~150 RPI teams at home look horrible on the resume in March. I think, for tournament consideration purposes, any home loss to a team outside the top 100 is bad.
 
#36      
Newman
Berg88 said:
No, losing to Penn State at home is a bad loss. That's not to say they can't be overcome, but losses to ~150 RPI teams at home look horrible on the resume in March. I think, for tournament consideration purposes, any home loss to a team outside the top 100 is bad.
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I agree, but Winthrop isn't that far off from being in the top 100. I'll agree that it's a bad loss if they stay outside of the top 100 but I think they'll roll through teams in conference play and get back in there. Either way, a good win erases a bad loss and a win against VCU should do that.
 
#37      
Hoppy2105
Newman said:
One semi bad loss isn't going to loom around if we can pull out good wins against BYU and VCU.
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I'm assuming we won't be world beaters in conference and will be a bubble team this year. Hence why I think the loss to Winthrop at home will haunt us.

I also don't think they are going to run through their conference. They tend to go as Keon Johnson goes and he can't put up 30 every night.
 
#38      
WesterveltVictoryCigar
Hoppy2105 said:
I'm assuming we won't be world beaters in conference and will be a bubble team this year. Hence why I think the loss to Winthrop at home will haunt us.

I also don't think they are going to run through their conference. They tend to go as Keon Johnson goes and he can't put up 30 every night.
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Pomeroy projects them to win their league with a 14-4 record, it's not a very strong league. But that league weakness also means it's impossible for them to be anything but a bad loss for us.
 
#41      
UofI08
Second and Chalmers said:
I have seen the future. We're losing in the First Four.

I want to get it on the record now, regardless of what it might one day hypothetically mean for John Groce, if you lose in the First Four you did NOT make the NCAA Tournament.
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As bad as that scenario is, I feel like winning the First Four game and then losing in the 1st round would be even worse. That would mean Groce "won" a tournament game and would lead to a better chance of extending him. At least losing in the First Four means more pressure for a coaching change.
 
#43      
Hoppy2105
UofI08 said:
As bad as that scenario is, I feel like winning the First Four game and then losing in the 1st round would be even worse. That would mean Groce "won" a tournament game and would lead to a better chance of extending him. At least losing in the First Four means more pressure for a coaching change.
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I'd be okay with an extension if that were the case. It means he made the tourney. He wouldn't have the best seed so that means we didn't do so hot in the regular season but he still earned a way into the dance.

Now if we end up going like 10-20 this year and he gets hot in the B1G tourney and THAT is how he makes the tourney, I wouldn't want an extension there. (Unless he made the final four)
 
#44      
CAHALL15
I feel like Christopher Walken on Saturday night live, "I have a fever and the only prescription is more Te'Jon Lucas."
 
#45      
FeelYourPaign
Does the first four mean the teams that play on Tuesday and Wednesday?
The reason I ask is that I think that has included eleven seeds recently. Which makes no sense to me.
But there would be no shame in being an eleven seed.
Am I mis-remembering? (Love that stupid phrase)
 
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#47      
Ransom Stoddard
FeelYourPaign said:
Does the first for mean the teams that play on Tuesday and Wednesday?
The reason I ask is that I think that has included eleven seeds recently. Which makes no sense to me.
But there would be no shame in being an eleven seed.
Am I mis-remembering? (Love that stupid phrase)
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From the NCAA website

The last four at-large teams on the overall seed list, as well as teams seeded 65 through 68, will be paired to compete in the First Four games on Tuesday and Wednesday following the announcement of the field. (If allowed, the last at-large team on the seed list will be paired with the second-to-last at-large team on the seed list. The other First Four games will consist of the third-to-last at-large team on the seed list playing the fourth-to-last at-large team on the seed list, as well as seed 65 versus 66; and seed 67 versus 68).
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This was 16s and 11s last year.

http://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball...-madness-selection-sunday-2017-dates-schedule

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G930A using Tapatalk
 
#49      
illiniguy24
How close is this years VCU havoc defense from years past? Are they even close to what we saw from WVU? I think it would do a ton for the squad to face a similar style and pull out a W this time.


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