Pregame: Illinois at Rutgers, Wednesday, February 5th, 7:30pm CT, BTN

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#26      
PepeSilvia
Feel like the answer is to stop Bailey from dropping 40 if Harper is actually out. Would be inexcusable to lose to Rutgers if Harper isnt playing.

Acuff is also like their once shooter to keep an eye on and has played a couple good games in a row.

Basically guard Bailey and Acuff and pack everything else in because nobody can really shoot.
 
#28      
illinifan1987
season 2 GIF
 
#30      
hodgesonfire
illiniguy24 said:
No idea who guards Ace or Harper. On offense we just have to hope we learned to stop jacking 35 threes
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I’d love to see Morez try against Ace, but probably will be White. He’s a tough guy to guard at the college level. Not sure Harper will play.
 
#33      
hodgesonfire
illiniguy24 said:
Seems like a sure fire way to get 2 early fouls on Morez
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Yeah that’s the problem. Realistically Ben isn’t quick enough, White is too small and Morez isn’t used to guarding a ball handler, however he did guard Martinelli and Devin Royal (in the second half)

Honestly if I was the coach I would double any ball screens with him involved and clog drives to the lane with weak side help. Make him a passer and make someone else beat you.

But large 3s have been this team’s weakness all season.
 
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#37      
IlliniCub 16
This is a game where having Tomi and Morez in the lineup together should pay huge dividends. It was great to see us have a game scoring inside the three point line, because that could be a huge advantage on Wednesday.

Sommerville is their only guy in the rotation bigger than 6'8 (besides Bailey, but he can't guard anyone in the post) so one of them will have a major size advantage when the Illini have the ball.

I think Tre White has to start out on Bailey. Then put Morez on Sommerville and then have Ivicic and whoever else is in ready to help or double in a moments notice.

If Harper plays that makes things much tougher defensively but you figure Boswell would play heavy minutes and get that assignment most of the night.
 
#38      
IlliniCub 16
Another point about this game, Rutgers has already lost 3 Big Ten games at the RAC this year, including two by 12 points or more to Purdue and Wisconsin.

They actually have the same number of road Big Ten wins as Big Ten wins at home this year (2).

Kind of similar to Nebraska in that the road environment is not as daunting as years past. Doesn't guarantee victory like Nebraska showed, but there should be no fear of playing in that building this season.
 
#39      
jumpingjack
Don't turn the ball over, get downhill out of the PnR, and beat the hell out of them on the offensive glass. Rinse, repeat.
 
#40      
OrangeBlue98
hodgesonfire said:
Yeah that’s the problem. Realistically Ben isn’t quick enough, White is too small and Morez isn’t used to guarding a ball handler, however he did guard Martinelli and Devin Royal (in the second half)

Honestly if I was the coach I would double any ball screens with him involved and clog drives to the lane with weak side help. Make him a passer and make someone else beat you.

But large 3s have been this team’s weakness all season.
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This is absolutely a "Jordan Rules" game regarding Bailey. You get the ball out of his hands by any means necessary and dare someone else to beat you. I get it - the "Duany Duany" rule always seems to apply to the Illini. But on paper, no one else who will be on the floor for Rutgers is good enough to beat Illinois. I don't really like making statements like that, but it's true. Double Bailey, make him give the ball up, figure out who the "weakest link" is, and dare that person to have a career game. I don't think it will happen.
 
#41      
I-L-L 1318
Run Bailey off the 3 pt line. Let him get 15 mid-range shots up. He is going to get 24 pts+ just make sure they are inefficient and don't send him to the line! We should be able to beat them in transition consistently.
 
#42      
RockfordIllini
The way our luck has been going, this is the game Harper is finally healthy and goes off for 25+.

We need to make at least one of Bailey or Harper inefficient. If we do that and take care of the ball I think we get the W.
 
#44      
pruman91
Don't forget the " Gambler ".......Jeremiah Williams has talent but plays out of control 80 % of the time and Jordan Derkack plays hard most of the time bordering on dirty play with screens and on defense.......

the least of my worries is their coach........he's a mid major coach at best.........everyone says he's a good guy.....well , it's been said since the Middle Ages that good guys finish last.......he's had way to much talent at RU to have the mediocre record's that he's achieved.....I think his seat is the hottest in the B$G and will be the first coach to be terminated after the season is over.......JMHO..

Illini 82
ru 69

psyc79.gif


relax your mind and your body will follow , or is it , relax your body and your mind will follow......I'm trying both ways today.....

I really really am................

psyc40.gif
 
#45      
SuperintendentChalmers
pruman91 said:
Don't forget the " Gambler ".......Jeremiah Williams has talent but plays out of control 80 % of the time and Jordan Derkack plays hard most of the time bordering on dirty play with screens and on defense.......

the least of my worries is their coach........he's a mid major coach at best.........everyone says he's a good guy.....well , it's been said since the Middle Ages that good guys finish last.......he's had way to much talent at RU to have the mediocre record's that he's achieved.....I think his seat is the hottest in the B$G and will be the first coach to be terminated after the season is over.......JMHO..

Illini 82
ru 69
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Pike isn't going anywhere after this season. RU would have to pay $24 million that they don't have plus the cost of bringing in someone new. Probably their best coach since Tom Young brought them to the '76 Final Four. Woodson, Johnson and Fran have much hotter seats. Plus, their athletic department is in chaos. Not sure if that has anything to do with the fact that Schiano hasn't hired a DC two months after the position opened.
 
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#46      
OrangeBlue98
OrangeBlue98 said:
This is absolutely a "Jordan Rules" game regarding Bailey. You get the ball out of his hands by any means necessary and dare someone else to beat you. I get it - the "Duany Duany" rule always seems to apply to the Illini. But on paper, no one else who will be on the floor for Rutgers is good enough to beat Illinois. I don't really like making statements like that, but it's true. Double Bailey, make him give the ball up, figure out who the "weakest link" is, and dare that person to have a career game. I don't think it will happen.
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Sorry for quoting my own post. My initial post was based on Harper not playing. I'm going off of several posts from last week where it sure seems like Harper's not going to play for a while. Obviously, if he does play that changes my assessment.
 
#48      
pruman91
SuperintendentChalmers said:
Pike isn't going anywhere after this season. RU would have to pay $24 million that they don't have plus the cost of bringing in someone new. Probably their best coach since Tom Young brought them to the '76 Final Four. Woodson, Johnson and Fran have much hotter seats. Plus, their athletic department is in chaos. Not sure if that has anything to do with the fact that Schiano hasn't hired a DC two months after the position opened.
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fair enough....didn't know his buyout was that much ........I still think he is above his pay grade in the B$G regardless of who RU has had in the past...................

Your right about Woodson ....he is a dead man walking.................my bad on forgetting about him......
 
#49      
Fighter of the Nightman
IlliniCub 16 said:
Another point about this game, Rutgers has already lost 3 Big Ten games at the RAC this year, including two by 12 points or more to Purdue and Wisconsin.

They actually have the same number of road Big Ten wins as Big Ten wins at home this year (2).

Kind of similar to Nebraska in that the road environment is not as daunting as years past. Doesn't guarantee victory like Nebraska showed, but there should be no fear of playing in that building this season.
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Agreed, and for two other reasons:

1. While so much of this team is new, hopefully DGL and Ty can pump these guys up with some anecdotes from last year. We were expecting an absolute war and somewhat likely early season loss, and we went into a hostile environment and embarrassed them.

2. Even though we lost, this team showed incredible poise at MSU in a Breslin Center environment that had some mid-2000s nostalgia to it. If we weren't rattled by that, we won't be rattled by the RAC.
 
#50      
zentrails
sacraig said:
The injury that ended Jamar Smith's Illini career affected Brian Carlwell.
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Actually it was Jamar admitting in public to a cop that he was violating his probation by drinking beer that put the final nail in his Illini career.
 
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