No real point here, but I wanted to look at how we did in the same general date range in previous seasons compared to this current 2-4 stretch.
2026
Feb. 7 - L 82-85 in OT at #10 Michigan State
Feb. 10 - L 90-92 in OT vs. Wisconsin
Feb. 15 - W 71-51 vs. Indiana
Feb. 18 - W 101-65 at USC
Feb. 21 - L 94-95 in OT at UCLA
Feb. 27 - L 70-84 vs. #3 Michigan
2025
Feb. 5 - L 73-82 at Rutgers
Feb. 8 - W 95-74 at Minnesota
Feb. 11 - W 83-78 vs. UCLA
Feb. 15 - L 65-79 vs. #11 Michigan State
Feb. 18 - L 74-95 at #11 Wisconsin
Feb. 22 - L 67-110 vs. #3 Duke (New York, NY)
Feb. 25 - W 81-61 vs. Iowa
2024
Feb. 4 - W 87-84 in OT vs. Nebraska
Feb. 10 - L 80-88 at Michigan State
Feb. 13 - W 97-68 vs. Michigan
Feb. 17 - W 85-80 at Maryland
Feb. 21 - L 89-90 at Penn State
Feb. 24 - W 95-85 vs. Iowa
Feb. 28 - W 105-97 vs. Minnesota
2023
Feb. 4 - L 79-81 at Iowa
Feb. 11 - W 69-60 vs. #24 Rutgers
Feb. 14 - L 81-93 at Penn State
Feb. 18 - L 68-71 at #14 Indiana
Feb. 20 - W 78-69 vs. Minnesota
Feb. 23 - W 66-62 vs. #21 Northwestern
Feb. 26 - L 60-72 at Ohio State
2022
Feb. 5 - W 74-57 at Indiana
Feb. 8 - L 68-84 at #3 Purdue
Feb. 13 - W 73-66 vs. Northwestern
Feb. 16 - L 59-70 at Rutgers
Feb. 19 - W 79-74 at #19 Michigan State
Feb. 24 - L 83-86 vs. #22 Ohio State
Feb. 27 - W 93-85 at Michigan
2021
Feb. 6 - W 75-60 vs. #19 Wisconsin
Feb. 12 - W 77-72 in OT at Nebraska
Feb. 16 - W 73-66 vs. Northwestern
Feb. 20 - W 94-63 at Minnesota
Feb. 23 - L 72-81 at Michigan State
Feb. 25 - W 86-70 vs. Nebraska
It goes without saying that every season is different and these schedules are obviously not apples to apples by any means, so take this all worth a grain of salt. However, I do find it interesting that each team (at least IMO) had one loss that sort of threw the goal we were on track for up in the air. Here are my subjective picks for those losses.
2021
Feb. 23 - L 72-81 at Michigan State
2022
Feb. 16 - L 59-70 at Rutgers
2023
Feb. 14 - L 81-93 at Penn State
2024
Feb. 21 - L 89-90 at Penn State
2025
Feb. 15 - L 65-79 vs. #11 Michigan State
2026
Feb. 21 - L 94-95 in OT at UCLA
- In 2021, the MSU loss made me wonder if we'd still be able to finish a top 10 team with a top 2 seed given that Ayo was out ... needless to say, we finished the year with an epic run and got a #1 seed and BTT championship banner. The Loyola loss was a stunner, of course, but this group showed remarkable toughness down the stretch and played like an angry team that was hungry to prove itself.
- In 2022, that Rutgers loss made me question if our ranking was too based off of "what we returned" and if this squad was more of a #6 seed-type team. Other than a heartbreaking loss to OSU, we finished the regular season strong and won a Big Ten championship and earned a #4 seed. We were a bit banged up by the NCAA Tournament, but overall I think they responded quite well to the "backs against the wall" situation.
- In 2023, the loss at PSU (a totally uninspiring effort vs. a team who had punked us in Champaign earlier that year) officially had me questioning if we had any hope of ending up above the dreaded #8/#9 seed line. We would have a few good games down the stretch, but we proved who we really were in earning our #9 seed and First Round exit. The loss at PSU effectively lit zero fire, and it was just salt in the wound that we lost to them in our first BTT game toe seal our fate as a #8/#9 seed.
- In 2024, I remember SO distinctly turning to my wife after that epic collapse at PSU and saying, "I think we just played ourselves into being a #4 seed" ... and any Illini fan is rightfully a bit traumatized by the #4 seed path, given our history. Thankfully, the team responded incredibly well and wound up winning a BTT championship and earning a #3 seed that led to an Elite Eight run.
- Lastly, in 2025, I hoped that that home loss to MSU where we absolutely FOLDED down the stretch was going to FINALLY be the thing that fired these guys up to the point that we could regain our level of play from earlier in the year like when we smoked Oregon and Indiana on the road. There were some bright spots down the stretch like finally beating Purdue and smoking Michigan in Ann Arbor, but you always knew that "back to Earth" game was coming, and it came vs. Maryland in the BTT and Kentucky in the NCAAs.
So, while I understand I might be spinning a narrative where there isn't one here, I am a little disappointed that the UCLA loss didn't lead to a particularly extra-hyped Illini effort vs. Michigan. The Wolverines looked fantastic, but our effort was part of the problem. Our two most successful teams (2021 and 2024) both reached a point where I would argue their mental outlook/sense of urgency and motivation regarding the home stretch of the season received a fundamental boost ... and if this team is going to go on the run we are all hoping for, I think we will see a return to form as far as intensity and focus in next couple games. If we come out and beat Oregon but look pretty "meh" doing it, I don't think anyone should criticize posters for being worried. We need to get in March Madness form quickly.
