Illini Basketball 2022-2023

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#26      

ChiefIllinois

C
ChiefIllinois
I know it isn’t finalized but why the Wednesday bragging rights game? I get doing it Friday on Christmas Eve eve might be cutting it too close to the holidays but Thursday has so much more appeal. There’s probably a chunk of fans who have Friday off.

Heck push it back to the weekend prior. Just doesn’t feel fan friendly on a Wednesday unless you’re able to spend a day or two of PTO.
 
#27      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
ChiefIllinois said:
I know it isn’t finalized but why the Wednesday bragging rights game? I get doing it Friday on Christmas Eve eve might be cutting it too close to the holidays but Thursday has so much more appeal. There’s probably a chunk of fans who have Friday off.

Heck push it back to the weekend prior. Just doesn’t feel fan friendly on a Wednesday unless you’re able to spend a day or two of PTO.
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Agreed, I’m really hoping it’s Thursday 12/22. I really want to go again (especially now that Mizzou at least looks okay), but living in Chicago and having family/Christmas in Iowa City, Wednesday is a lot tougher.

P.S. Does this mean a United Center return is out??
 
#28      

ChiefIllinois

C
ChiefIllinois
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Agreed, I’m really hoping it’s Thursday 12/22. I really want to go again (especially now that Mizzou at least looks okay), but living in Chicago and having family/Christmas in Iowa City, Wednesday is a lot tougher.

P.S. Does this mean a United Center return is out??
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I’m a 15 minute drive from the UC and I honestly like it being in STL. Sucks for travel especially with holiday travel as well, but I consider myself lucky enough that I can typically swing it.

Was it ever held at the UC? Not opposed to a neutral non con game there at all (especially now that we’re good), but bragging rights feels right in STL.
 
#30      

theNewGuy

theNewGuy
Dallas, TX
theNewGuy
ChiefIllinois said:
I’m a 15 minute drive from the UC and I honestly like it being in STL. Sucks for travel especially with holiday travel as well, but I consider myself lucky enough that I can typically swing it.

Was it ever held at the UC? Not opposed to a neutral non con game there at all (especially now that we’re good), but bragging rights feels right in STL.
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Having it at United would essentially be a home game atmosphere. STL is right smack in the middle of UC and Columbia. Perfect rivalry location.

Edit: maybe not right in the middle but close enough
 
#32      

Eternal Optimist

E
Eternal Optimist
Bucktown said:
Home schedule is crazy weak. The 2023 T-Rank projections for the 7 home games average 281. Syracuse 84 and no one else is below 288!

The 4 neutral site games on the other hand average 19. Miznoz is 48. Drop them and the average T-rank of others is projected at 9.
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Agreed, but I think it is really a season for figuring out what all we have with so many new faces. One could argue this may be the new norm, but a weak(er) schedule to figure out your rotations isn’t the end of the world. I would have also liked to see at least two of those games changed out for stronger competition, but we will have plenty solid games to test and prepare us for March.
 
#34      

Lee

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Lee
theNewGuy said:
I expect nothing less than a 27-4 record.
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Christmas Vacation Ok GIF
 
#35      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
ChiefIllinois said:
I’m a 15 minute drive from the UC and I honestly like it being in STL. Sucks for travel especially with holiday travel as well, but I consider myself lucky enough that I can typically swing it.

Was it ever held at the UC? Not opposed to a neutral non con game there at all (especially now that we’re good), but bragging rights feels right in STL.
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Sorry, should have been clearer guys ... I meant does this mean we are not having a United Center home game in general. I am 150% in agreement that Braggin' Rights should never leave St. Louis, and if St. Louis had an outdoor football stadium I would want our renewed football rivalry there, as well. In fact ... OT and all, but if we ever got consistently good at football, an occasional Mizzou game in STL would be cool. I know people hate the baseball field gimmick, but Bush would be better than inside, IMO.
 
#36      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
Bucktown said:
Home schedule is crazy weak. The 2023 T-Rank projections for the 7 home games average 281. Syracuse 84 and no one else is below 288!

The 4 neutral site games on the other hand average 19. Miznoz is 48. Drop them and the average T-rank of others is projected at 9.
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One plus to this is I would like to start up a crazy home winning streak in Champaign again ... that was such a fixture of my childhood! The longest streak we have had through these last three seasons of being good again is 10. We are currently on a 2-game streak (PSU and Iowa to end the year ... would have been 6 without the OSU heartbreaker), and we could definitely push that pretty high next year if we take care of business.
 
#38      

RichardKeenesCousin

RichardKeenesCousin
Richard Keene's Cousin
RichardKeenesCousin
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Sorry, should have been clearer guys ... I meant does this mean we are not having a United Center home game in general. I am 150% in agreement that Braggin' Rights should never leave St. Louis, and if St. Louis had an outdoor football stadium I would want our renewed football rivalry there, as well. In fact ... OT and all, but if we ever got consistently good at football, an occasional Mizzou game in STL would be cool. I know people hate the baseball field gimmick, but Bush would be better than inside, IMO.
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Schitts Creek Comedy GIF by CBC
 
#39      

Ransom Stoddard

Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
Bloomington, IL
Ransom Stoddard
Fighter of the Nightman said:
Sorry, should have been clearer guys ... I meant does this mean we are not having a United Center home game in general. I am 150% in agreement that Braggin' Rights should never leave St. Louis, and if St. Louis had an outdoor football stadium I would want our renewed football rivalry there, as well. In fact ... OT and all, but if we ever got consistently good at football, an occasional Mizzou game in STL would be cool. I know people hate the baseball field gimmick, but Bush would be better than inside, IMO.
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In my memory (which is sketchy at best) the biggest issue with playing in a baseball field was that Wrigley was too short and both teams had to play offense on the same end for the entire game. If a regulation field and out-of-bounds area fits in Busch, then let's get this done.
 
#44      

HailtotheChief

H
HailtotheChief
Got our flight to Vegas. Gonna be a blast. Any idea on when we may hear our first round opponent? I would prefer UCLA or Baylor since it would likely be more entertaining. Anyway does anyone heard anything about when that may happen?
 
#46      

Curse of the Chief

C
Curse of the Chief
theNewGuy said:
I expect nothing less than a 27-4 record.
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Keep drinking the orange kool-aid !!!
I admire the Illini enthusiasm, BUT this team will struggle at times to find its identity.
Many of these players are not use to sitting and waiting their turn in the rotation.
There could be chemistry issues AND no All-American on the roster to help us.

The Illini could be a better team in the long run AND more tournament ready, BUT I fully expect a similar record as last season.
The main goal when all is said and done is to at least advance past the first weekend.
 
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