Pregame: Illinois at Duke, Tuesday, December 8th, 8:30pm CT, ESPN

logjam · Dec 4, 2020

I-N-I.....!

logjam · Dec 4, 2020

It didn't seem to work Sacraig.

sacraig · Dec 5, 2020

logjam said:
It didn't seem to work Sacraig.

Ga65 · Dec 5, 2020

Tacomallini said:
When did he suffer the concussion?

Not sure on timing but a result of colliding with Kofi and was mentioned previously on this board.

ChocolateThunder · Dec 5, 2020

Looks like a key to stopping Duke is limiting there there two 5 star freshman Jalen Johnson
and D.J Steward. Michigan State put the clamps on these two, holding them to 4 for 18 shooting.
Duke has 8 freshman on their roster this year.
A Duke loss is happiness. A Duke loss at the hands of the Illini - pure joy.
Let's take them down!!!

pruman91 · Dec 5, 2020

foby said:
This game definitely won't be a walken the park.

The question is " do we want a Walken the park or a really competitive game . "

I asked Bob to illiterate on the subject, as only Bob can do..

Thanks Bob....see you later......

Illini 81
puke 76

The ORANGE BEAST is back....

nwebb1 · Dec 5, 2020

Stop JJohnson and hope Matt Hurt doesn’t go off and well be in business.

BRucks · Dec 5, 2020

ChocolateThunder said:
Looks like a key to stopping Duke is limiting there there two 5 star freshman Jalen Johnson
and D.J Steward. Michigan State put the clamps on these two, holding them to 4 for 18 shooting.
Duke has 8 freshman on their roster this year.
A Duke loss is happiness. A Duke loss at the hands of the Illini - pure joy.
Let's take them down!!!

So, a chance to see how Miller and Steward stack up.

illinitiger · Dec 5, 2020

BigMuddyMonster said:
I’d say most were very pleased with Curbelo so far. I hope he is 100 percent healthy and helps destroy the dukies at home.

Only issue I've seen is turnover prone in first couple gamed,... and BU implied freshmen have work to improve defensively.

ChocolateThunder · Dec 5, 2020

Jalen Johnson is 6-9 . Any thoughts on how we defend?

logjam · Dec 5, 2020

ChocolateThunder said:
Jalen Johnson is 6-9 . Any thoughts on how we defend?

Coleman and help defense?

samtheman10 · Dec 5, 2020

ChocolateThunder said:
Jalen Johnson is 6-9 . Any thoughts on how we defend?

Check out ~5:25 of this breakdown. I think the key to 'containing' Johnson may be to pressure him on the defensive side and hope it's enough to rattle him or K limits his minutes. Force him to make quick decisions on help, work in well-timed backdoor cuts, get Ayo isolated on him and test Johnson to see how he handles his blow-by speed.

CentralILLini · Dec 5, 2020

Man, what a loaded Duke freshman class.

Fanview · Dec 5, 2020

Can we start Tyler Underwood this game?

BRucks · Dec 5, 2020

Fanview said:
Can we start Tyler Underwood this game?

He is injured.

sacraig · Dec 5, 2020

BRucks said:
He is injured.

Welp, we're screwed.

Ramrod2010 · Dec 5, 2020

sacraig said:
Welp, we're screwed.

As is tradition.

wewillwint · Dec 5, 2020

sacraig said:
For someone to be polarizing, some group would have to really like them. I am not sure that applies here.

I despise McColley. I forget who the player was, but 4-5 years ago, he dropped an f-bomb while interviewing the player with his mom standing by him. And he thinks he is always the smartest person in the room. He frequented Illini HQ when News Gazette had foroms on Illini stuff, and he was insufferable.

TCTORNADO · Dec 5, 2020

wewillwint said:
I despise McColley. I forget who the player was, but 4-5 years ago, he dropped an f-bomb while interviewing the player with his mom standing by him. And he thinks he is always the smartest person in the room. He frequented Illini HQ when News Gazette had foroms on Illini stuff, and he was insufferable.

Mike LaTulip.....about the .30 second mark. Enjoy!!

CurbeloYourEnthusiasm · Dec 5, 2020

With no fans you have to wonder if there won’t be any home court advantage this year. Refs perhaps call a more fair game, visiting players feel more comfortable and less pressure in an empty gym. I def feel like the Illini have a better shot at winning at Cameron with zero fans than if it was full.

FeelYourPaign · Dec 5, 2020

CurbeloYourEnthusiasm said:
With no fans you have to wonder if there won’t be any home court advantage this year. Refs perhaps call a more fair game, visiting players feel more comfortable and less pressure in an empty gym. I def feel like the Illini have a better shot at winning at Cameron with zero fans than if it was full.

This makes all the sense in the world. I just wonder if the numbers bear it out. Historically the home court advantage is 3-4 points. Anyone know what the stats guys say this season?

jmm · Dec 5, 2020

God i hope at this point we get to play Tuesday

sacraig · Dec 5, 2020

TCTORNADO said:
Mike LaTulip.....about the .30 second mark. Enjoy!!

LaTulip is just like "Can you please leave me alone and let me watch the band?"

sacraig · Dec 5, 2020

CurbeloYourEnthusiasm said:
With no fans you have to wonder if there won’t be any home court advantage this year. Refs perhaps call a more fair game, visiting players feel more comfortable and less pressure in an empty gym. I def feel like the Illini have a better shot at winning at Cameron with zero fans than if it was full.

I think it will certainly be less of an advantage, but the home team still gets to sleep in their own beds, drive in their own car, kiss their own girlfriend, poop in their lucky toilet, and get dressed at their own locker. There will still be at least a little bit of an advantage, but it will be interesting to see the statistics at the end of the year compared to usual.

TCTORNADO · Dec 5, 2020

CurbeloYourEnthusiasm said:
With no fans you have to wonder if there won’t be any home court advantage this year. Refs perhaps call a more fair game, visiting players feel more comfortable and less pressure in an empty gym. I def feel like the Illini have a better shot at winning at Cameron with zero fans than if it was full.

I think I saw that Coach K is 261-10 in non conference games at Cameron.