Pregame: Illinois vs Penn State, Thursday, March 9th, 5:30pm CT, BTN

[HailtotheChief]

I'd like Hawkins to also give it a shot

I don’t think he is close to agile or quick enough. I think he tried but he will get a shot too. Bigger string guys have caused us issues all year and Pickett and Hood are two of the best picket is too strong for Epps and Harris and to quick and agile for everyone else. TY is the best we got imo

 

[727ill]

This is a terrible draw. We don’t match up with penn state. Maybe losing in the first riund will push us to a 10 or 11 seed. That i could live with. Better than the 8/9 line.

If PSU is a terrible draw then every team is a terrible draw for us. If you can’t beat PSU once this year don’t even bother showing up for the tourney.

 

[LvilleILL]

This is a terrible draw. We don’t match up with penn state. Maybe losing in the first riund will push us to a 10 or 11 seed. That i could live with. Better than the 8/9 line.

Disagree. They will be fired up to beat Penn State. We could get Penn State then Northwestern which would be a fantastic draw

 

[PassingBy]

RJ is nearly back. Seems to be consistent on D. Improving on O

Goode!! Season-high today with 10 points. A contributor.

Hawk. Needs to be 5 as a starter.

Ty maybe should be a starter - as a PG.

Shannon and Matt need to come-to-play.

Harris and DD off the bench as required.

 

[BRucks]

Big guards and physically strong guards have killed us.

 

[Birdus]

We will win this game by double digits. From here on out, you will see the team that was on the floor for the 2nd half of today's Purdue game.

 

[Birdus]

Big guards and physically strong guards have killed us. I hope Epps is back but I doubt it, However this could be a good place for Ty to start and match up on D with Pickett anyway. Pickett is a match up nightmare for us and TY is likely our best option if he can guard without fouling. I think we can beat them and Indians but not pthe teams I’d preferred to have drawn. I wish we had started off better today.

Without Pickett they would have won neither game. The coaches will figure out something and this team will make a run.

 

[thehass]

There is no sure thing with this team. Other than them taking the court nothing is a given. Prepare for white knuckling. screaming and a lot of what the f---.

 

[Deep]

We are not losing Thursday
Write it down!

 

[WhiteHorseWings]

This is a terrible draw. We don’t match up with penn state. Maybe losing in the first riund will push us to a 10 or 11 seed. That i could live with. Better than the 8/9 line.

I disagree. Thanks.

 

[GallopingGhost]

Well that’s too bad. I would have liked to get at least one win in the BTT…

 

[Tacomallini]

We will win this game by double digits. From here on out, you will see the team that was on the floor for the 2nd half of today's Purdue game.

Yes please

 

[AyoDos11]

This is a terrible draw. We don’t match up with penn state. Maybe losing in the first riund will push us to a 10 or 11 seed. That i could live with. Better than the 8/9 line.

If we get PSU, NW, and then MSU/Maryland/maybe Nebraska in the Semi, that would literally be the best possible draw for a 7 seed Illinois team.

 

[zentrails]

If we get PSU, NW, and then MSU/Maryland/maybe Nebraska in the Semi, that would literally be the best possible draw for a 7 seed Illinois team.

Maybe, but aren't PSU and NW both quad 2? i.e. not going to help at all with dance seeding

 

[IlliniTime]

If we’re not jacked up for this game I say fire Underwood. No excuses this time. The way we defended Edey is exactly how we defend Picket. DON’T LET HIM BEAT YOU!!!!!

No, don’t fire Underwood.

 

[AyoDos11]

Maybe, but aren't PSU and NW both quad 2? i.e. not going to help at all with dance seeding

I meant the best draw for getting to the championship game. But NW is actually top 50 making them Q1 for a neutral site game
Edit: MD and MSU are inside the top 50 as well, and after PSU's win today they might move up (they are 57).

 

[spillini]

We will win this game by double digits. From here on out, you will see the team that was on the floor for the 2nd half of today's Purdue game.

In both halves, I hope

 

[blife]

I think you have to put TSJ or RJ on Pickett. It is tough for any conference opponent to take down another 3 times in a row in the same year. See Flying Illini 1989. I think we figure PSU out this time.

 

[WWWWRocU]

We do have success on neutral courts this season, so there is that.

 

[Mistakenj]

Unfortunately, we haven’t beaten anyone of substance since Texas. Not seeing a change in that anytime soon.

 

[rtbritt]

Unfortunately, we haven’t beaten anyone of substance since Texas. Not seeing a change in that anytime soon.

Unfortunately for our chances going into the Big Dance.....but for playing PSU, we HAVE beaten better teams than PSU recently.

But to their credit, they have kicked our butts each game...

 

[Rap47]

If this team can't beat Penn State they won't last long in the big tourney.They just have to bust their butts at the start and they can beat any team.

 

[WWWWRocU]

Unfortunately, we haven’t beaten anyone of substance since Texas. Not seeing a change in that anytime soon.

Until we get to the neutral court.

 

[OnlyOrange]

Has anyone been to the BTT before? Does it make sense just to buy a cheap ticket and move up since I think these events are rarely full (but can you even do that at the UC)? Or should I actually pay more for a better seat?

TIA

 

[PassingBy]

If this team can't beat Penn State they won't last long in the big tourney.They just have to bust their butts at the start and they can beat any team.

I would not go that far, although I fully understand your sentiment.

I think the "problem" is that neither Shannon nor Matt has had leadership roles in their basketball lives. They have been very talented and have absolutely contributed to the success at every stop. But, they really have no clue - like Trent, etc - how to lead or what it means to lead, especially when things are not going good/well. IMO, it shows in their being consistently inconsistent.

This team, I feel, could lose to PSU (I do not expect them to), and make a deep run in the dance.

As I type I expect our team to make the semi in B10.