15 Conf tourn and 21 NCAAT games to our 10 & 9
Illini Basketball 2025-2026
- Status
For #1- Better postseason performance, not just March Madness but also conference tournament.
89illini
- Grand Rapids, MI
Mirk story. Hope the link works. Tribune can be greedy.
This team has really likable players and coaches. Just really good people. And even though it feels like we're limping in to the NCAA's, we're still a top 10-15 team in the nation. And we've got Keaton Wagler. I am so totally gonna root so hard for them to make every shot, throw every extra pass, collect every rebound, chase down every loose ball, and win every game!
This should be pinned imo.
PizzaHutParkingLot
- Vodice, Croatia
Someone optimistic instill belief that Brad will have this team ready to go come Tournament time
People need to Chill out! It comes down to players making plays! Go watch the last 2 minutes of the ISU Zona game and tell me the coaches had anything to do with the outcome. Players gonna make plays. Not sure if we have the players but we about to find out!
Greenberg with a chance to dig at the program? Geez that never happens.
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Ooooh that's gonna piss Brad off. Good.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Like he is going to care what an old Wisconsin reporter says. In other news, water is wet.
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
He might not publicly but I'm sure a front page headline like that is embarrassing on some level. If it gives him some more ammo to motivate this team that's a good thing.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
There are larger issues if these headlines are needed to light a fire. Losing three very winnable games with double digit leads should be enough.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I'll choose to believe this incredibly positive spin about where we are headed and what it means for March Madness. I think most of us probably felt like we were a well oiled machine after the USC win and into the beginning of the UCLA game, and many have noticed a somewhat obvious difference beginning with the collapse at UCLA. Here is how I'll attempt to spin that into a reason for optimism.
1) UCLA might be projected to be a #7 or #8 seed, but they certainly seem to be playing like something closer to a #4 or #5 seed. They did have one slipup at Minnesota, but they have otherwise won 6 of their last 7, including 3 wins vs. top 10 teams. Losing to them in OT by one point could be closer to going down in the Elite Eight to a hot #4 seed (that knocked off a #1) than it is to losing to a #6 or #7 seed in the Second Round, especially considering it was on the road.
2) Michigan needs no explanation. They're a National Title contender, period, but especially how they played us in Champaign. That is like losing handily to a #1 seed in the Elite Eight, and everyone here should be happy with an Elite Eight.
3) Oregon is bad, but we did what we should do to a bad team and obliterated them. The Ducks are #99 in KenPom, which is materially better than the type of #14 seed team we are likely to face in the First Round (currently a KenPom range of #113-186 for projected #14 seeds on Bracket Matrix). That is akin to coming out next Thursday/Friday and easily taking care of business and marching forward.
4) Maryland is also bad and we did struggle there, but it was a road game and we won. At this time of year, it's survive and advance and we did what we needed to late to avoid a loss. Sometimes, even good teams have to do that vs. bad teams in March Madness.
5) Similarly to UCLA except even more extreme, Wisconsin might be projected as a #5 or #6 seed, but from my POV they are playing at the level of a #2 seed (although admittedly somewhat inconsistent). They just took Michigan to the wire after a draining OT game vs. us, and they look every bit the part of a team who can take down most anyone if their guards bring it. Any #3 seed who wound up with Wisconsin as a #6 would consider themselves to have been screwed over pretty hard by the Committee, IMO. I think yesterday's loss was closer to choking away a lead in OT in the Sweet Sixteen than it was to choking away our chance to get out of the First Weekend.
With all that in mind, you can make the case that we OBVIOUSLY have issues to fix with the defense and sustaining focus/effort all game, but perhaps these issues are being conflated with catching a few teams at the wrong time and inaccurately comparing some of these losses to what could be a Second Round loss rather than a Sweet Sixteen loss ... and while we all want a Final Four, those are obviously very, very different for a #3 seed. I'm cautiously optimistic that the focus in practice this week will be on cultivating a sense of urgency and intensity and hammering home that these guys are only ever guaranteed one more game wearing an Illini uniform together ... it's survive and advance. Let's start another winning streak, preferably six games!!
1) UCLA might be projected to be a #7 or #8 seed, but they certainly seem to be playing like something closer to a #4 or #5 seed. They did have one slipup at Minnesota, but they have otherwise won 6 of their last 7, including 3 wins vs. top 10 teams. Losing to them in OT by one point could be closer to going down in the Elite Eight to a hot #4 seed (that knocked off a #1) than it is to losing to a #6 or #7 seed in the Second Round, especially considering it was on the road.
2) Michigan needs no explanation. They're a National Title contender, period, but especially how they played us in Champaign. That is like losing handily to a #1 seed in the Elite Eight, and everyone here should be happy with an Elite Eight.
3) Oregon is bad, but we did what we should do to a bad team and obliterated them. The Ducks are #99 in KenPom, which is materially better than the type of #14 seed team we are likely to face in the First Round (currently a KenPom range of #113-186 for projected #14 seeds on Bracket Matrix). That is akin to coming out next Thursday/Friday and easily taking care of business and marching forward.
4) Maryland is also bad and we did struggle there, but it was a road game and we won. At this time of year, it's survive and advance and we did what we needed to late to avoid a loss. Sometimes, even good teams have to do that vs. bad teams in March Madness.
5) Similarly to UCLA except even more extreme, Wisconsin might be projected as a #5 or #6 seed, but from my POV they are playing at the level of a #2 seed (although admittedly somewhat inconsistent). They just took Michigan to the wire after a draining OT game vs. us, and they look every bit the part of a team who can take down most anyone if their guards bring it. Any #3 seed who wound up with Wisconsin as a #6 would consider themselves to have been screwed over pretty hard by the Committee, IMO. I think yesterday's loss was closer to choking away a lead in OT in the Sweet Sixteen than it was to choking away our chance to get out of the First Weekend.
With all that in mind, you can make the case that we OBVIOUSLY have issues to fix with the defense and sustaining focus/effort all game, but perhaps these issues are being conflated with catching a few teams at the wrong time and inaccurately comparing some of these losses to what could be a Second Round loss rather than a Sweet Sixteen loss ... and while we all want a Final Four, those are obviously very, very different for a #3 seed. I'm cautiously optimistic that the focus in practice this week will be on cultivating a sense of urgency and intensity and hammering home that these guys are only ever guaranteed one more game wearing an Illini uniform together ... it's survive and advance. Let's start another winning streak, preferably six games!!
Any chance Ty Rodgers plays in the tournament? Would be awesome and would help give us some extra bite on defense and rebounding. Also a player that can get inside and score at will.
I just posted a version of this in the Wisc Post-game thread, but it probably belongs here.
I have defended our late season performance since our overall metrics have remained relatively strong. But after looking at our metrics against good teams, I've changed my mind. Here's our defensive efficiency ranking against all opponents and against Q1 opponents by year:
Year: AdjD rank vs all, AdjD rank vs Q1
2019/20: #36, #54
2020/21: #10, #44
2021/22: #25, #81
2022/23: #33, #150
2023/24: #91, #113
2024/25: #41, #75
2025/26: #24, #101
2019/20-now: #19, #51
We really need BU to figure this out. A #101 defense against top teams will require a lot of good luck to make a deep run in the tournament.
There’s zero chance. He would give up a year of eligibility I assume. And trying to integrate a new player during one and done type of tournament seems very unwise.
Can I get an honest take from our long time Illini fans. What era of Illini basketball got you more excited? This era from 2019-present era or 1999-2006 era? I was a teenager during the early 00s era but genuinely, that era excited me more b/c it just felt like those teams were more dominant and more consistent than some of our current era teams have been. I think that upset loss to Loyola as a 1 seed still stings and until Brad gets this team to a Final Four, it will not feel like this era of Illini basketball was better than that era from 25 yrs ago
With that being said, I am very grateful that Underwood got us out of the gutter that John Groce/Mike Thomas got us in and think he is a good recruiter and solid coach but not sure he is in the upper echelon of coaches in the country(I think that's an opinion that many of us share)
With that being said, I am very grateful that Underwood got us out of the gutter that John Groce/Mike Thomas got us in and think he is a good recruiter and solid coach but not sure he is in the upper echelon of coaches in the country(I think that's an opinion that many of us share)
Didn't know the Sun-Times was still around. Aren't they the folks always sending out emails begging for donations?
My prized possession from this season is Mirk and Coach O's autographs on my Mirk.jersey at the Nebraska game. Two very high IQ guys. I can't imagine what Mirk 2.0 could look like next year.
Mirk story. Hope the link works. Tribune can be greedy.
DICKnaggie
- Champaign
Why would he burn an entire year of eligibility to play a couple of games with a group he has never been in an actual game with?
They are who they are.Over the last several weeks Underwood has already tried every motivating, pleading, win one for the Gipper speech he has in the repertoire. They are possibly a Sweet 16 or Rd of 32 participant. With a lucky match up or opponent injuries long shot Elite8. Posters are in the denial stage of death. Brad has some difficult questions in the off season to tackle with the heavy Euro roster construction philosophy. What changes will be made to get more athletic, quicker,and better defensively without significantly compromising their offensive efficiency
- Status