Pregame: Illinois at Michigan State, Saturday, February 7th, 7:00pm CT, FOX

[Illini in Indiana]

I agree with every ones "Fears", and yes Izzo's normal plan is to hurt or get zebras help.
I kind of think the B10 and Fox will want to promote a better story (Wagler & our offense efficiency).

I actually think the zebras will call a clean game, and Fears will be watched closely. Izzo will likely pout the entire second half, on his way to a double digit loss.

Maybe I'm just optimistic this time!

 

[fishbed]

If the conference and officiating consortium had any foresight on assignments, they’d put their most thick-skinned officials who are not swayed by a home crowd on this game.

This was a game that, 30 years ago, I’d be begging for Ed Hightower to call. I always thought he was one of the best at not letting the home crowd get to him. For a modern-day, NBA example, that official would be Scott Foster. Love him or hate him, he does not have a favorable home whistle.

To be clear, I don’t expect this. We’ll get Carstensen, Anderson, and some other guy and they’ll do what every official does at Breslin.

I'd be begging for Jim "Boomer" Bain.

 

[thefalcon5]

two keys: score 70, win the rebounding margin.

I find it incredibly hard for most teams to beat us should we accomplish those two. MSU even more so considering how anemic their offense can be.

 

[altgeld88]

Don't ever change, EL.

 

[Illini2010-11]

We’re +1.5 on the early spread. Not that it means much but thoughts?

What you would expect. Vegas seeing the game as more of a coin flip outside of home court advantage.

I personally think we are going to see a move to the Illini -2.5 after the big wigs start to place their bets.

 

[Emerson Bigguns]

We just have to play our game. Rebound, take care of the ball, and don't foul. I think our length is going to frustrate the heck out of them. I'm confident we will make more shots.
Illini by 9.

 

[Rap47]

He sure never favored Illini when he referred at Illinois. I hated to see him at the Assembly hall.

 

[Hessel Blvd]

This would be a good time to have a end of the bench like Jakstys available. I know he is out for the year. We need a guy on the bench ready to go blow for blow if needed. I hate ball being played that way but if one of the MSU guys tries to pull the Ayo type !!!! on us Brad needs someone to go in the game right then & pay it back. It's time to call Izzo on his BS.

Izzo is a great coach historically speaking but since about 2015 or so he has just basically coached thug ball & has become a Coach K level ref baiter. A shell of what he used to be IMO. The thugball needs to be responded to but I don't want it done with a guy that could get suspended that is a valuable player on the team.

I know that may sound harsh, but it's eye for an eye kind of stuff. And I'm a guy that is still pissed at the Bears 40 years later that they never paid back Green Bay for the dirty hit on McMahon. I never advocate that stuff but if the other side goes there it should be responded to in kind immediately. That's the best way to stop it.

Failing all that maybe our Soviet bloc connections on the roster have some old Russian mobsters we could call in. LOL!

you don't feel like that hit on Love this year evened the score?

 

[AirTran]

Who cares? MSU needs Satturday's game more than we do. @ MSU is going to be the most difficult test for out "Big only lineup." I am guessing this is going to be an unpopular statement but we going to need solid games from David M. and Ben H.

 

[jrichisamazing]

With the Spartan's lack of offense, it seems like we have to shoot poorly AND get outrebounded AND give up points in transition in order to lose.

All that happening seems very unlikely but weird things happen on the road.

 

[ptgrd23]

Illini big boys who made sure nobody took cheap shots at our stars

Tom Gerhardt
George Montgomery
Shelly Clark
Lucas Johnson
Shawn Pruitt
Chester Frazier
Trent Frazier / DaMonte Williams
Big Z

 

[hodgesonfire]

Let the Crow rise and avenge the past.

 

[JKR]

one thing's for sure, the BIG should be sending an A team reffing crew to this game

Ain't no such animal.

 

[Perry Range's Van]

If you type the Jeremy Fears into google, the 1st autocomplete is:
jeremy fears dirty plays

 

[Second place is 1st loser]

With the Spartan's lack of offense, it seems like we have to shoot poorly AND get outrebounded AND give up points in transition in order to lose.

All that happening seems very unlikely but weird things happen on the road.

Well, shooting poorly when shooting a bunch of threes can lead to points in transition. That can go hand in hand. We really thrive on long rebounds, but if we pull a 5 of 30, that can go in the other direction. We haven't had one of those brick sessions in a while. Let's hope that continues.

Live ball turnovers lead to points in transition. Drej is a huge violator here. Brad has had to sit him because of it. Points off turnovers is a concern.

Any foul trouble to Keaton puts us in a world of hurt. He's been remarkably good keeping clean there. If he's in charge of staying in front of Fears....that's dicey.

MSU brings a pretty athletic lineup to the table, but they are absolutely brutal shooting it. We don't want to see a lob fest to Coen Carr because we're getting beat off the bounce.

We have to control the defensive glass. Our bigs have to play big.

Izzo is a master manipulator and motivator. I could totally see him benching Fears, then have him coming off the bench as a spark. When he's not playing like a moron and doing dumb things, he's a real problem and I expect no less here.

MSU knows that this is their last stand with regards to winning the conference. If they lose this one, they're done. I anticipate an extremely raucous crowd and we're going to have to survive the first 5 to 7 minutes because we're going to take a huge punch.

If we can control the pace, we'll be fine. That will be put to the test.

 

[NarrowJ]

We’re +1.5 on the early spread. Not that it means much but thoughts?

I thought it would be more favorable to Illinois given the team’s current trajectories as well as MSU’s starting shooting guard looking doubtful

 

[Curbelo Fanboy]

you don't feel like that hit on Love this year evened the score?

Not even close. That was a football play that would not draw a flag prior to like 2010. The McMahon hit was one of the dirtiest plays in modern pro sports history.

 

[Rainier Wolfcastle]

If the conference and officiating consortium had any foresight on assignments, they’d put their most thick-skinned officials who are not swayed by a home crowd on this game.

This was a game that, 30 years ago, I’d be begging for Ed Hightower to call. I always thought he was one of the best at not letting the home crowd get to him. For a modern-day, NBA example, that official would be Scott Foster. Love him or hate him, he does not have a favorable home whistle.

To be clear, I don’t expect this. We’ll get Carstensen, Anderson, and some other guy and they’ll do what every official does at Breslin.

And be prepared for Little Larry Scirotto who has proven himself to be no fan of The Illini

 

[purcy51]

Izzo postgame presser. Questions re: Fears @ 01:55 and 10:20. I was honestly expecting to be more annoyed by his answers. Takes a bit of accountability.

A bit of accountability, but not enough.

 

[skyIdub]

You don't get caught up in this. You don't fight the bully on his terms. You use your strengths and your superior brain power to let him punch himself out of it. They will. Just like the Minny and scUM games.

They will throw elbows and leg whips.
They will jerk their heads back and flop on the floor.
They will swing and miss and get mad.

We will dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge as our elusive unicorn surgically removes their ugly souls.
We will distribute three point shots like Oprah hands out free sh!t.
We will giggle as steam rises off of Izzo's tomato red face as he stomps and gesticulates at his hired officials.

In the end you will have to chisel the smirkovic's off of our faces as we taunt the Izzone.

This team is ready.

 

[phats22]

You don't get caught up in this. You don't fight the bully on his terms. You use your strengths and your superior brain power to let him punch himself out of it. They will. Just like the Minny and scUM games.

They will throw elbows and leg whips.
They will jerk their heads back and flop on the floor.
They will swing and miss and get mad.

We will dodge, duck, dip, dive, and dodge as our elusive unicorn surgically removes their ugly souls.
We will distribute three point shots like Oprah hands out free sh!t.
We will giggle as steam rises off of Izzo's tomato red face as he stomps and gesticulates at his hired officials.

In the end you will have to chisel the smirkovic's off of our faces as we taunt the Izzone.

This team is ready.

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

Kind of a crazy stat I just thought of today, but it's wild that we have a winning record in Big Ten top 25 road matchups in the Underwood Era. These are theoretically the toughest games of the season, and we have shown up on these very bright stages at a rate a lot of programs would envy...

2025-2026
W 78-69 at #5 Nebraska (ILL #9)
W 88-82 at #4 Purdue (ILL #11)
W 75-69 at #19 Iowa (ILL #16)

2024-2025
L 78-80 at #12 Michigan State (ILL #19)
W 109-77 at #9 Oregon (ILL #22)

2023-2024
L 78-83 at #1 Purdue (ILL #9)

2022-2023
L 66-71 at #22 Maryland (ILL #16)

2021-2022
W 79-74 at #19 Michigan State (ILL #12)
L 68-64 at #3 Purdue (ILL #13)

2020-2021
W 73-68 at #7 Ohio State (ILL #4)
W 76-53 at #2 Michigan (ILL #4)
W 74-69 at #23 Wisconsin (ILL #5)
L 88-91 at #19 Rutgers (ILL #13)

2019-2020
L 63-71 at #19 Ohio State (ILL #23)
L 65-72 at #18 Iowa (ILL #19)

8-7 overall in such games and 8-4 since an 0-3 start. We are also 5-2 in these types of games against top 10 teams on the road, including winning 3 in a row ... and winning 3 of our last 5 against top 5 teams on the road. Just wild stuff.

Let's continue that trend on Saturday! #ROADWARRIORS!

 

[BBlock24]

MSU opens as a 1.5 point favorite per DK.

 

[illiniguy24]

MSU favored -1.5

Not gonna lie, I am kinda surprised.

Historically I only bet against Illinois on occasion (because I’m a sicko and hedge my emotions)…but I will not be placing any bets this time around. I expect to win.

Izzo will undoubtedly have his team fired up after the recent loss and bad press. I just don’t think they have the fire power to keep up.

 

[Fighter of the Nightman]

Oh, I'm well aware of that. However, they are Chicago's Big Ten team.

On that topic, I happened to notice a St. John's women's hoops game on an adjacent monitor as we were watching the Purdue game. Their court, named for Lou Carnesecca, has emblazoned along each baseline "WE ARE NEW YORK'S TEAM."

I thought to myself, per the Mildcats marketing, that if you have to proclaim such, you probably aren't.

Exactly, haha. There is a reason that it is the Northwestern, St. John's, Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, etc. schools that so adamantly self-proclaim titles of representing the cities they happen to be in or near. Everyone including those schools knows that there are more Illinois, Syracuse, Tennessee, Georgia, etc. fans for reasons that have nothing to do with geographic proximity. Even if some fan bases appear more dormant when they fall on hard times (e.g., Illinois football or Georgia basketball historically), they come out of the woodwork when they're good again, and they always had more fans in that MSA in terms of raw numbers.

On that note, I have always had a fascination with "arena takeovers" in such situations, and I try to tune in if there seems like there could be a game like these with an interesting crowd makeup. Back when the Gavitt Games were still around, I was always praying for Illinois to get an away game at DePaul, lol, that would have been an absolute invasion.