Illini Basketball 2024-2025
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OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
That post is the classic "Let's get Illinois fans p!$$ed off and drive my engagement numbers up" type of posts. Which is why I'm not even clicking on his post as a link.
Absolutely no way anyone objective with college basketball doesn't have KJ on that list.
Just wear orange every game and you'll be good, there will never be a navy blue out
There was one once actually! Looked horrible lol.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
You're preaching to the choir!
i mean, how about 'Orange Out' energy at least?
There is certainly less orange, but I also think the color temperature of the lighting might have changed to a cooler color than prior to the renovation.Ah shoot, okay. I always wondered why the DIA marketing team doesn't promote wearing orange like we used to ... I mean, I figure it is because Nike has so much navy/gray/white apparel it needs to move off the shelves, but there has definitely been a decline in that "Orange Wall" vibe we had going back in the day, which is unfortunate. Don't get me wrong, still plenty of orange in SFC ... but this is a pretty stark contrast, even with different lighting/angles:
2007 vs. Wisconsin
2020 vs. Maryland
For some reason, an arena just looks SO damn intimidating when you stare up at what seems like this unified WALL of one color bearing down on you, haha.
Question....am I the only one who starts to worry/question the jelling/bonding of this team because we have players from Canada and over seas? I am in no way questioning the talent, I'm more wondering about the locker room and bonding when we have the culture differences? You can say "basketball is basketball" but the differences in how its played in other countries are real. Have we ever had a team with such culture diversity? I can think of teams in past with one...maybe two but not three, so I am curious?
Illini fall just 1 spot in the NET
Me RN with the NET rankings:
We are down to 11 in KenPom and 21(!!!) in Torvik, FWIW.
EDIT: was wrong about Torvik. We are at #8 in Torvik.
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We fell from 4 to 8th in torvikMe RN with the NET rankings:
We are down to 11 in KenPom and 21(!!!) in Torvik, FWIW.
Whoops was looking at the wrong page. Projections: https://barttorvik.com/trankpre.php
Edit: appears these are the preseason projections? Weird this was the first Google search result under "Torvik"
Curbelo Fanboy
BERTBALL IS LIFE
I was at some of those early PTHO games (including the first one vs MSU & the infamous red vs orange game vs Wiscy). That first one, there was a visible WOW factor when the crowd all stood up for the anthem & you saw how orange it really was. The remodel of course took away that floor to ceiling solid wall of people effect as the suites break that look up on the 1 side. And courtside will never look as good as it did when completely surrounded by Crush.Ah shoot, okay. I always wondered why the DIA marketing team doesn't promote wearing orange like we used to ... I mean, I figure it is because Nike has so much navy/gray/white apparel it needs to move off the shelves, but there has definitely been a decline in that "Orange Wall" vibe we had going back in the day, which is unfortunate. Don't get me wrong, still plenty of orange in SFC ... but this is a pretty stark contrast, even with different lighting/angles:
2007 vs. Wisconsin
2020 vs. Maryland
For some reason, an arena just looks SO damn intimidating when you stare up at what seems like this unified WALL of one color bearing down on you, haha.
This team is like a young MLB prospect - say left fielder with power. They get called up and absolutely rake for a few months. After 3 months, the scouting report gets around and they fall into a hitting slump. The player either learns to adapt to how they’re being pitched to and gets out of it or fails to sustain an MLB career.
That’s where Illinois is at right now. The scouting report and the formula to beat us is now known. Will we figure out how to adapt and respond in the 2nd half of the B1G season? We need better from both the coaches and players.
That’s where Illinois is at right now. The scouting report and the formula to beat us is now known. Will we figure out how to adapt and respond in the 2nd half of the B1G season? We need better from both the coaches and players.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
From the home page ... "Even after the last 4 games, Illinois remains highly ranked in Kenpom, Torvik, and the NETThis teams ceiling is extremely high, it’s just about staying at that ceiling consistently."
The problem isn't just consistency ... it's getting a good enough seed where we can possibly survive an off game in the First Round or even Second Round. If we were still on track for a #2 seed, the following scenario could potentially happen:
First Round: Total off game with poor shooting, too many turnovers and stretches of mental lapses ... but we have enough of a talent/size advantage to just outlast our #15 seed opponent and survive for another day.
Second Round: Fix our mental issues but still not shooting lights out. However, our defensive effort and a couple key plays still lets us get past a #7/10 seed team and return to the Sweet Sixteen for a second straight year for the first time since 2004 and 2005.
Sweet Sixteen: The team returns to form, we are feeling confident and the shots start falling. Now, it's game on and we prepare to make a true run.
However, if we are a #4 or #5 seed and show up like that, we MIGHT be lucky enough to survive our First Round opponent (ala our 2022 scare vs. Chattanooga) ... but we're going down in the Second Round vs. an equal #4/#5 seed opponent. If we are in the #6+ seed range and we have an off game, we are one and done. People get way too focused on the fact that you CAN make a run as a lower seed (obviously, you CAN!) and don't focus enough on the fact that a truly good seed (#3 seed and better) provides you safety insurance for an off day in the NCAA Tournament. Do our 1989 and 2005 Final Four teams win their First Round games if they aren't working those jitters out vs. #16 seeds?? Both games were uncomfortably close. They probably find a way, but it sure was helpful to get to spend one "off game" out of 5-6 in March Madness vs. a vastly inferior team.
And that is what has really gotten me down about this team. While not quite as extreme as the 2023 team, the question really isn't CAN they beat a good team ... because they very obviously can. The question is can they be consistent enough as a #7 seed to go on a run? I think they can figure out a way to be consistent enough for a true Sweet Sixteen and beyond run as a #3 seed ... I have next to zero faith that this squad can beat a #10 seed, #2 seed and #3 seed consecutively without some serious luck, at least as things stand now; we are just too prone to off games, and they will come against opponents that are too good to overcome.
The problem isn't just consistency ... it's getting a good enough seed where we can possibly survive an off game in the First Round or even Second Round. If we were still on track for a #2 seed, the following scenario could potentially happen:
First Round: Total off game with poor shooting, too many turnovers and stretches of mental lapses ... but we have enough of a talent/size advantage to just outlast our #15 seed opponent and survive for another day.
Second Round: Fix our mental issues but still not shooting lights out. However, our defensive effort and a couple key plays still lets us get past a #7/10 seed team and return to the Sweet Sixteen for a second straight year for the first time since 2004 and 2005.
Sweet Sixteen: The team returns to form, we are feeling confident and the shots start falling. Now, it's game on and we prepare to make a true run.
However, if we are a #4 or #5 seed and show up like that, we MIGHT be lucky enough to survive our First Round opponent (ala our 2022 scare vs. Chattanooga) ... but we're going down in the Second Round vs. an equal #4/#5 seed opponent. If we are in the #6+ seed range and we have an off game, we are one and done. People get way too focused on the fact that you CAN make a run as a lower seed (obviously, you CAN!) and don't focus enough on the fact that a truly good seed (#3 seed and better) provides you safety insurance for an off day in the NCAA Tournament. Do our 1989 and 2005 Final Four teams win their First Round games if they aren't working those jitters out vs. #16 seeds?? Both games were uncomfortably close. They probably find a way, but it sure was helpful to get to spend one "off game" out of 5-6 in March Madness vs. a vastly inferior team.
And that is what has really gotten me down about this team. While not quite as extreme as the 2023 team, the question really isn't CAN they beat a good team ... because they very obviously can. The question is can they be consistent enough as a #7 seed to go on a run? I think they can figure out a way to be consistent enough for a true Sweet Sixteen and beyond run as a #3 seed ... I have next to zero faith that this squad can beat a #10 seed, #2 seed and #3 seed consecutively without some serious luck, at least as things stand now; we are just too prone to off games, and they will come against opponents that are too good to overcome.
I don't care about rankings, I care about results. It's time to take care of business.
I feel like we will. Too many options and talent not too.
It drives me crazy to see the comparisons to 22/23. That team has nothing in comparison to this year's team. They beat two good teams due to absolutely heaters and that helped them limp into the tournament.
The formula to beat us is this:
KJ is fouled out (1)
KJ is injured (1)
Tomislav is sick (1)
Not adjusting to players hitting mid range 2s for career nights (2)
Playing a current or eventual top 5 team(2)
KJ has played in 54% of the minutes in league games....that number would be 90%+. There are 2 teams you can't have your starting 5 man out for as well and that's Maryland and Michigan.
OrangeBlue98
Iowa is not in a great spot right now (LvilleILL1)
- Des Moines, IA
It’s just not going to happen this year. Too inconsistent. Last year was the year, just ran into a generational team.
100%. It starts Sunday
It 100% can still happen. Need to get fully healthy then I think this team can get on a big time run.
Inconsistencies suck this year so far, still a lot of time. It's the NIL era, so you never know, but the roster next year could set up to be really special, just something to keep in mind. Good news will be coming soon on that front as well.
I hope the good news includes some retentions. I think in the NIL era there's a lot of opportunity to improve with additions, but it seems to be crucial that those additions are grafted onto a solid foundation of returning players. Even having just 4 or 5 returning players would be beneficial.
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