I think he meant the statement is a “placeholder.” Not calling people “placeholder fans.”
Pregame: Illinois vs Michigan, Friday, February 27th, 7:00pm CT, FOX
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I think he meant the statement is a “placeholder.” Not calling people “placeholder fans.”
Illinois can lose this game and still get a 2 seed. If they lose a close game to Michigan, win their last two, and make the finals of the Big Ten tourney, they are almost certainly a 2. Their NET is #4 still, and 2-1 in their last 3 won't hurt it much if at all (unless the loss is massive). Only two Big 12 teams can make their final, and someone is going to lose prior to that, too (Iowa ST plays Arizona and Texas Tech, Arizona plays Kansas and Iowa State, and Houston plays Kansas). So there is a good chance they'll pass Purdue and at least one of those Big 12 teams finishing 4-1 from here on out (plus whatever happens in the Big Ten tourney championship, which won't count). And the committee uses the net more than the voters.
If Illinois can somehow beat MI, they'll jump right back up to #6-#8, depending on what else happens this week.
If Illinois can somehow beat MI, they'll jump right back up to #6-#8, depending on what else happens this week.
Here’s what I don’t get about the 3pt argument: when we did miss the shot, we went and got it back, AND THEN ended up capitalizing. Illinois scored 26 second chance points.
You mention free throws…. Illinois literally shot 31 (THIRTY ONE!) free throws in the game.
Seems like just a case of not being able to identify the true reason we lost.
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Agree that we match up better with Michigan than UCLA. Disagree on Ben starting ... although Ben has been a monster on D this year and should play plenty of minutes, I think Bam gets the start on Yaxel. Yaxel is the type of player that Bam actually does best against, like a Mark Mitchell or Cooper Flagg or Nick Martinelli, i.e. bigger player that prefers to drive rather than shoot, and Bam gets up into him and uses his strong lower body to keep him out of the lane.
I do think this is the game for AS to start over Jake, and he gets the Cadeau assignment from the tip.
Mirk v Morez will be fascinating to watch. Morez will very badly want to make a three in this game ... let's see if he makes his 7th total on the year!
Haven’t rewatched the game, but I feel like the reoccurring theme was that our initial shot was often a missed three pointer.
But AFTER we got the offensive rebound - we were able to draw fouls, get to the rim. It’s just the first, initial shot that people are wildly focused on.
We found a way to score (a lot) regardless, which is all that matters.
But AFTER we got the offensive rebound - we were able to draw fouls, get to the rim. It’s just the first, initial shot that people are wildly focused on.
We found a way to score (a lot) regardless, which is all that matters.
Let's hope Morez shoots some 3s. I know he hit one against Duke but there was a reason Duke did not guard him that far out. Illinois should also attack Morez on defense. Get him in foul trouble. I wouldn't count on Mara getting in foul trouble though as the Ivesics are not really drivers.
I don't really care about Morez transferring either. But I am curious how he ended up at Michigan. Did Morez's family contact Dusty? Did Dusty contact Morez first? I am also curious how Dusty poached Mara. If Brad wants to emulate Dusty I think Illinois should go after Jordan Scott of Sparty, McKinney from Michigan and I also like the Dailey player from UCLA. Eric Dailey has one more year of eligibility and is also a former Okie State player. Xavier Booker of UCLA also has one more year of eligibility but he is inconsistent. But he played great against Illinois. Trent Perry of UCLA might be another player Illinois can poach from UCLA. Top 50 player out of high school and Illinois is losing both Wagler & Boswell next year. Unless Wagler stays one more year but I doubt he will stay.
Hard disagree on this. There are 8 really good teams this year (including us). You want to do everything possible to not be in a bracket that has 3 of those teams.
i have read/listened to/watched a fair amount of content that says otherwise. If you have spaced shooters, instead of a defense collapsed in on a drive, there is more space for the other 4 players crashing the glass. And generally longer rebounds from longer shots. There are plenty of good examples that illustrate this from this years team, and at least 2 really good examples in that UCLA game where we got multiple offensive rebounds on one possession, and probably would not have gotten if the initial shot was a deep drive with help compressing.
We are coming off a loss, and will clearly be motivated to get that taste out of our mouth.
We have plenty of time to rest and prepare before the game.
We are at home.
We have beaten Michigan like a cheap rug forever (John Beilein was coaching MI the last time they beat us).
We owe Morez some revenge.
We have the entire team basically healthy (excepting Ty).
We are favored by the analytics.
We have the length on the frontcourt to match MI.
We can do with Mara what we did to Clump.
We can post up Cadeau.
I am not sure why the negativity. Sure we could lose. Morez could go 5 of 6 from 3. But I think our guys are going to be ready, and I think we have the advantage.)
We have plenty of time to rest and prepare before the game.
We are at home.
We have beaten Michigan like a cheap rug forever (John Beilein was coaching MI the last time they beat us).
We owe Morez some revenge.
We have the entire team basically healthy (excepting Ty).
We are favored by the analytics.
We have the length on the frontcourt to match MI.
We can do with Mara what we did to Clump.
We can post up Cadeau.
I am not sure why the negativity. Sure we could lose. Morez could go 5 of 6 from 3. But I think our guys are going to be ready, and I think we have the advantage.)
Huge game and opportunity. Win Friday and you are pretty close to being locked into a 2 seed.
Lose it and you can still get to the 2 line, but you would have to win the last two regular season games, and then, who knows, maybe get to the title game of the BTT?
Just a wild guess. By the way, if our last two games aren’t convincing wins, this board is going to get very dark.
Lose it and you can still get to the 2 line, but you would have to win the last two regular season games, and then, who knows, maybe get to the title game of the BTT?
Just a wild guess. By the way, if our last two games aren’t convincing wins, this board is going to get very dark.
Theponyred
- Mattoon, IL. from Decatur, IL
I’m hoping for a win, but praying we don’t get embarrassed at home. I think the refs will screw us and we will lose any momentum because of that
MLT talked about how the biggest problem with the D is that our guards have not been good in screen navigation.
Oh no, never go full Tim Beckman.
I wonder how much of that is due to the Bam injury and guys not playing together as well.
UCLA had absolutely out of body shot making from about the 10 minute mark of the first half to the 10 minute mark of the second half. That’s basketball and it sucks that it happened the way that it did. We missed shots that we usually make. This team will be fine and we are still very very good. Get a grip.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
I’m guessing everybody understood that except one person.
I'm curious as to why you say there are only 8 really good teams.
I can kind of guess why, but some might include one or two more. For example, we are in the top 8 in the NET rankings, but Iowa State and UConn are 9 and 10, respectively. Do you consider those two teams to be overrated? Iowa State beat Houston (#8 in the NET) but just lost to BYU. I know UConn lost to Creighton.
Germanboxers
- Fort Wayne, IN
Apathy is better for sure…unfortunately, I don’t think fans have it in them.
My biggest hope is that David isn’t concussed and actually plays. So sick of getting dinged up before our biggest games.
Win or lose just want to see how we measure up when we have a full roster.
Win or lose just want to see how we measure up when we have a full roster.
Nuts! I've been drinking on the rocks!
I'll take care of that from here on out.
Not to be facetious, but we got to see what this team looked like healthy against usc and ucla. Of course some injuries (albeit hopefully minor) occurred in that game. But the fact is every team in America is dealing with injuries, it’s a part of the game.
I think part of being a great team is playing without your best players at a high level. (Now there’s plenty of room for interpretation here but…) look at Miami oh. They lost arguably their best player early in the season and are undefeated. In the past Illinois teams have had some fantastic games without star players like Ayo and Kofi.
Many times games are won in the margins. The team was clearly either disengaged or gassed in the ucla game. Props to the bruins, but we didn’t bring it past the 10 minute mark. Gotta have the 5 out their giving it their all. With a team as talented as ours that is enough for us to beat any one, any night.
Michigan is beatable.
I see that a certain group of people is still talking down to anyone who doesn't have some kind of blind positivity that we're gonna beat every team on our schedule and win the title.
You clowns probably thought we'd beat Uconn, too, didn't you?
You clowns probably thought we'd beat Uconn, too, didn't you?
Illinois won at Purdue without a starting guard. And at Nebraska. They won without 2 starters.
All teams deal with injuries but someone a week or so back showed data on games missed by starters during the season. Illinois had a way higher number than say Michigan did. Call it an excuse but that matters. Conference titles are often won by the teams that have the best luck staying healthy.
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