I grew up on those games in the 80s. Indiana has always been the number one rival. Other teams have come an gone and gone but Indiana has always been hated. The Knight-Henson rivalry was epic.
Illinois 68, Northwestern 61 POSTGAME
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I grew up on those games in the 80s. Indiana has always been the number one rival. Other teams have come an gone and gone but Indiana has always been hated. The Knight-Henson rivalry was epic.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
Groce doesn't say "obviously" nearly as often when we win.
Maybe he should just take the pledge to lose the word
Maybe he should just take the pledge to lose the word
KrushCow31
Former Krush Cow
- Chicago, IL
Where do you live? I often find that hatred of Northwestern directly correlates to your closeness to Chicago. It's kind of like how everyone from more central/southern Illinois hates Missouri and sees them as a huge rival but I personally don't care that much. Northwestern on the other hand I highly dislike and would greatly enjoy their basketball demise for eternity. Helps with recruiting.
Groce doesn't say "obviously" nearly as often when we win.
Maybe he should just take the pledge to lose the word
Never, won't happen.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
Sure feels good to win a game by playing pretty good basketball in a pretty steady manner.
Please, sir, could I have some more?
Please, sir, could I have some more?
I'm in suburban Chicago. I live maybe about 30 mins. from Evanston. I don't like Northwestern football, I could care less for them. But I have never minded Northwestern basketball. Maybe it's b/c ILL beats them more often than not but I think it has more to do with seeing the little brother so to speak trying to rise and get to the point of making an NCAA tournament b/c they have not been that far off for probably about 8 or 9 years now. It is very much a feel good story in my opinion on what they are doing this year as their struggles resemble closely to what the Cubs had to go through.
My most hated teams in the B10 are: Indiana, Michigan, Wisconsin, Ohio St.
ILLtilIdie
- STL
Never, won't happen.
Obviously...
IlliniSaluki
- IL metro east burbs of St. Louis
I'm from the Metro East IL burbs of St. Louis. Down here I would say within the B10 Indiana has and always be the #1 rival with Iowa a close 2nd and NW as that little kid brother you have you smack upside the head from time to time.
#1 non-B10 rivalry yah is Missuori. Two teams with a city almost in the middle and a yearly game makes for some fun times.
Overall I would go 1. Indiana 2. Iowa 3. Missouri 4. Northwestern 5. the random cycling of tOSU, Mich, Purdue and Wisc.
The Worm
- CHICAGO, IL
Agree with this, but, for me, it's much stronger on the football side. Mostly due to Fitzy.
If Carmody were still the coach, I'd probably be more supportive of their season. However, with Collins and the facility upgrades coming over the next few years, there is some potential staying power that I'd rather not deal with for Illinois' sake
The Worm
- CHICAGO, IL
Regarding this game, I'd like to toot Mr. Finke's horn for making 3 huge shots in the second half, all at critical junctures.
I was extremely down on his first half to this season, but he has shown some real nice glimpses lately. He's a perimeter big all the way and his play seemingly suffers when he tries to assume a more physical role.
I was extremely down on his first half to this season, but he has shown some real nice glimpses lately. He's a perimeter big all the way and his play seemingly suffers when he tries to assume a more physical role.
Finke is a piece who really brings a lot of versatility to our offense. It'll be interesting to see what he can add to his game and what areas he focuses on moving forward. Defense of course, but offensively, we're seeing more bigs (*ahem*, Wisconsin of late) adding ball handling to their repertoire to great effect, so that is actually a possibility i'm interested in. I'm not sure if it's his style to really bang down low, and his footwork is sufficient to play matchups on the block as he's shown at times
Defense seemed to falter bc refs called a very tight game against Illinois in sections half.... they had 10 fouls before NU had 4, and NU was playing sloppy, handsy defense. Second half fouls only look close bc NU was fouling at the end...
You have to see the big picture here, as an Illini fan we should NEVER want Nw to "have their day" or root for them to succeed. It hurts with recruitment, it hurts with our name, it effects so much. Take a kid like Smith, "rumors" are he is big on NW and Illinois, you dont think he was tuned in tonight to watch? If they got the better of us tonight, that effects a high school kids views. Recruits or future recruits watching sportscenter or btn tonight, you dont think seeing NW rocking tonight and talks of their future stadium doesnt sit in kids heads. You add that plus if they won, or continue to win. It all hurts. Sorry, but this upset me, mindblowing to see people that want to cheer them on. Its painful to see them winning, being from the chicago area, recruits are talking a lot about NW and not as much Illinois. We should always be rooting against them, ESPECIALLY if its against us!!
I agree where you live has a large part to do with who you consider our biggest rival. I grew up in the Illinois suburbs of STL, and currently attend UI. For me I've always hated Mizzou and wanted to beat them more than anyone else on the schedule. A lot of kids from my high school and area end up picking between the two schools.
Illinithad
- Northeast Missouri
Impressive win on the road (even with their player out). It looked like we were at another level than what we have been for most of the season with the intensity. Happy for players and coaches.
MrOizo
- Chicago
Amen brother. Nothing good can come from another college b-ball mouth to feed in Chicagoland. Don't you remember what happens when DePaul gets good every 20-30 years?
Nah, not nearly as painful as watching our own school become the laughingstock of the B10 for 10 years going now. You should be more concerned about how apathetic our own fanbase has gotten to this kind of mediocrity rather than worry about whether NU makes or doesn't make the tournament. I will root them on if they do make the tournament b/c I want the state schools to be represented on the big stage. Enough is enough with the state schools not making the tournament. It is a huge disservice to this entire state that produces great basketball talent.
Te'jon at point. When he's out it will be Hill. Tracy at the 2. Tate on the bench unless Hill gets in foul trouble. Get used to it. Is Groce finally seeing what we are? Decent PG play makes all the difference. It's basketball. Not rocket surgery.
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If Illinois has to compete with NW for recruits then it shows how far Illinois has fallen, not how high NW has risen. True statement. Don't blame NW, blame Illinois' athletic program. NW isn't our problem, Illinois' problem is Illinois and the blue bloods like the Kansas and Kentucky's of the world.
This is coming from the same guy who rooted on Quentin/Bobby Simmons/Steven Hunter and later Sammy Mejia/Wilson Chandler of DePaul and rooted for SIU when they were good. When UIC or Bradley made the tournament, shoot, I rooted for them to do well too. I am an Illini guy first but I have no hate for any of our state schools, and why should anybody? What have they done to any of you or what have they done badly to Illinois? Nothing. When they play us, heck yea, we want to beat them, but otherwise, the more success Illinois schools have, the better the chances of more kids staying home rather than going out of state to play for other schools.
The whole state has suffered for 10 years now. How much has it benefited Illinois? Clearly not much, so the concern about competition is really a non-factor. Illinois was doing just fine when SIU and DePaul were doing well. There are plenty of mouths to feed.
If you're afraid of some competition, I hate to break it to you, but there's always going to be competition, whether in-state or whether it is the big bad boys of Kansas/Kentucky/Duke
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And for the record I was behind Chris Collins in row three in orange. Te'jon is a better defender than people realize. He was the only guy I saw consistently fighting through tough screens. He was ahead of them most of the time from what I could see. And getting chicken winged every time to boot.
MrOizo
- Chicago
Can I get an amen?
Illini_1979
- Oregon
[YOUTUBE]vnhnNy6K7x0[/YOUTUBE]
A nice win! :clappy:
A nice win! :clappy:
The Dave
- CA
Some random thoughts...
Not even looking at the stats, the offense looks SO much better with TJL probing the lane and driving. I don't even care what his RPM is, the offense is better with him.
When did MM become a defensive factor? I really liked how he played on both ends of the floor tonight.
Kudos to Finke for stepping up when we really needed it late in the 2nd!
MH continues to grind it out. I respect the guy.
Unfortunately all we've really shown this year is that we can beat meh teams when their best player is out (tonight and Iowa when Jok barely played).
Losing all our Seniors is going to hurt, but we have a nice nucleus for next year with TJL, Black, Finke, KN, and JCL (if he gets his head/shot right). The paint is going to be our problem unless we keep Tilmon.
Not even looking at the stats, the offense looks SO much better with TJL probing the lane and driving. I don't even care what his RPM is, the offense is better with him.
When did MM become a defensive factor? I really liked how he played on both ends of the floor tonight.
Kudos to Finke for stepping up when we really needed it late in the 2nd!
MH continues to grind it out. I respect the guy.
Unfortunately all we've really shown this year is that we can beat meh teams when their best player is out (tonight and Iowa when Jok barely played).
Losing all our Seniors is going to hurt, but we have a nice nucleus for next year with TJL, Black, Finke, KN, and JCL (if he gets his head/shot right). The paint is going to be our problem unless we keep Tilmon.
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