11/30 Games
While I can appreciate the sentiment. “The enemy of our enemy is our friend”. It’s really not good for Illinois when any team in the BIG conference loses a non-conference game. Just reduces the perceived strength of our conference AND limits the number of teams we get in the tourney. I’ll make an exception for Michigan.
frozenrope9190
- Aurora, IL
Damn, Purdue looks good. If the Illini don't win the whole thing, I wouldn't mind seeing the Boilermakers cutting down the nets at the Final 4.
frozenrope9190
- Aurora, IL
Edey doesn't have to jump when he dunks. And he hits outside shots. How do you stop that? And Ivey and Williams and those other guys? Man, it's impressive. They look like they can blow past everyone.
A lot of weapons and they play pretty good defense.
Hoosiers have battled all the way back, exchanging leads now.
side note: TJD annoys me and I don’t fully know why
TJD just got carried off the floor.
Illiniguy24 you didn’t stick pins in a TJD voodoo doll did you? Just kidding hope its not serious.
He needed help off the court. Looked like it could be bad. He’s back out there now. No worse for the wear.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Meh. Kentucky seems to recruit alright and get pretty good seeds each year, even though they’re in the SEC, which is typically in the 4th or 5th best conference each year.
There are plenty of examples just like that. Gonzaga being another.
We recruit against B1G teams. They lose, we get better recruits, we win more games.
So I want to see other B1G teams lose every game they play, especially when they play us.
danielb927
Orange Krush Class of 2013
- Rochester, MN
The foul up 3 strategy didn't work for Cuse. Gotta box out for it to work...
frozenrope9190
- Aurora, IL
Syracuse just wet the bed there. TJD just took over that rebound and sank the two free throws like it's nothing.
Bad take. Kentucky is the best program is the history of college basketball. Maybe you just started watching the Illini last year and don’t realize what kind of program we have. Kentucky is not in any way comparable to Illinois. We are just fighting for a bid in the tournament most years. A strong showing from the BIG can easily be the difference in Illinois making the tourney or not. Maybe our football team should just leave the BIG. It’s not like Notre Dame has any trouble getting a bowl game every year. Lol.
Really impressive showing by Purdue tonight. I’ll temper it a bit since FSU’s staring PG, C, & backup center are out.
Purdue is really good. FSU will be better than this.
Purdue is really good. FSU will be better than this.
As much as it hurts to admit it, I agree. Painter is a damn good coach.
UCLA has 11 things to say about that.
frozenrope9190
- Aurora, IL
I would prefer Purdue to be the next B10 team to win it all over Indiana, Michigan, Michigan St, Wisconsin or Iowa. Maybe Maryland I wouldn't mind? But of the real contenders, Matt Painter would be most deserving. Besides our beloved, of course.
I guess it depends on how you measure success. UK is the winningest team in college basketball history. I suppose it’s possible that U.K. is the second best college basketball team of all time. Neither team is comparable to the Illinois program.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Maybe you started watching Illini basketball during the end of the Weber years? Because from where I stand:
Historically, we’ve always recruited well, regardless of the strength of the conference. Some of our best seasons have come in years when the conference is down.
Of course, you’re free to root for whoever you’d like, but B1G teams performing well, does not help us.
Look at Alabama, in the SEC, recruiting very well, yet in a poor conference.
Memphis recruits incredibly well in a small conference. So does Gonzaga.
Tennessee recruits well in the SEC as well.
I could go on & on.
Other B1G teams losing non-con games does not impact our ability to recruit well or get high seeds in the tournament.
Don't think you'll get much agreement on that. A stronger conference has always appealed to recruits, and when it comes tournament time, a strong conference has meant a lot to the committee. Finally, I'd argue that playing great teams prepares them better. Maybe you don't need every game to be a bruiser, but you need to face good competition with some regularity IMO.