I just had an epiphany.
This season is exactly what we thought it would be, we need to stop trying to figure it out and take it for what it is.
After we lost the Big Ten Regular season title in 2021, we went on to win the BTT that year, but lost in the second round. After we lost to Houston no one cared about winning the Big Ten regular season title, we knew we needed to build a roster that would win in March.
We are there.
This team beat UCLA & Texas in the non-conference. Those are quite literally two top 5 teams in the country right now, top 6 at worst. One from the B12 & one from the P12. Possibly, two P5 conference champions in their own right. . We played down to the wire with a great Virginia team, the final score was a 9 point loss...but it was anywhere from a 1-3 possession game for 38 minutes. That's a 2-1 record against possible P5 conference champions in their own right. However; we are 0-5 against the top 5 teams in the Big Ten.
Guys, I think it's actually working. And the best part? We're pretty stinkin' good. I firmly believe that this team is better, tougher, more skilled and talented than just about any other team in the country, especially 1-8. Up and down the roster, we got dudes. We beat the likes of UCLA & Texas, and we looked like we belonged. Today, we looked like we belonged. But Big Ten games are just ridiculous. On both sides. The way these games are played and called are an embarrassment to the conference, not just for Illinois but for everyone. Every night it's this call, or that call, phantom call this, kids getting hit in the head, Rutgers losing @OSU when the ball was out of bounds, whatever. You get my point.
And the best part? Ty Rodgers has arrived. Mayer is a go-to scorer. We did this today without TSJ, who Ithrived in the non-conference. Other teams in other conferences guard differently too, our roster and guys are built for that. It's the whole stinkin' point of all of this. To win in March, in non-big ten games. We're in this for the long haul.
Go Illini. Can't wait for the game thread for the weekend of March 25th.