Pregame: Illinois vs UConn, Saturday, April 4th, 5:09pm CT, TBS

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#326      
chudaman
Illini B-Ball Fan said:
A stroll down memory lane on 11/28/2025:

UConn 74, Illinois 61 Postgame at MSG​

https://www.illinoisloyalty.com/post/uconn-74-illinois-61-postgame.40524/

UConn vs Illinois Boxscore at MSG​


https://fightingillini.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats/2025-26/uconn/boxscore/28025
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Some real nuggets in that postgame thread like:

Negatives:

- Mirk: Love the type of game he plays, but his immaturity showed today. Some of those 3s were just bad shot selection and he’s got to understand those breaks to not do it all himself
- Andrej: Looked like he didn’t want to be on the floor
- Wagler: Like Mirk, his immaturity showed today. Totally liability on defense. Don’t want to see him play significant minutes the rest of the year.
- Petrovic: Tried to do too much today. Needs to get better at finishing at the rim. Distribution was still good.
- Pick and Roll Offense: KICK IT TO TOMI WHEN HE’S OPEN
 
#327      
lstewart53x3
Fly Illini Fly! said:
My philosophy has always been to root for the worse team.

UNC vs VCU = VCU

IOWA vs FLA = Iowa

IOWA vs NEB = Iowa

DUKE vs UCONN = UCONN

So, my answer is whoever’s the worse team and/or gives us the better chance of winning (even if by the slightest of extents).
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I’m honestly not sure which one would be easier.

On the season, KenPom now has Michigan #1 and Arizona #2

IMG_0534.jpeg


And against Q1 teams in the tournament Michigan is #1 and Arizona is #2:

IMG_0533.jpeg


Either team is going to be unbelievably difficult to beat.

On the bright side, against Q1 teams in the tournament, we have the #1 defense in the country and we’re #3 overall. So we’re right in there.
 
#329      
illini510
BoiseBaller said:
I don’t think his hand has anything to do with his defense. He was two steps slow and often out of position last night vs Iowa. Brad sat him multiple times for it.
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I think Brad also realized that Stojakovic was doing a better job defending Stirtz. Definitely bothered Stirtz with his length
 
#330      
illini510
I didn't care at all who won between Duke-UConn. Even though we lost very early in the season to UConn, I haven't seen anything from either of those two teams that made me think we don't have a great chance to win and go to the National Championship game. We were a much different, less mature, less cohesive team when we lost to UConn, and at that time, I thought we lost the game; I wasn't convinced UConn actually won the game. We are hitting the second and potentially much higher peak this season that I was confident we would see. To top it off, we have a pretty good track record against teams who just overcame a 19-point deficit. I am really looking forward to our Fighting Illini putting Dan Hurley in his place, which is not at the top.
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He has been at the top twice so how can you say that Dan Hurley's place is not at the top lol? He is insufferable but you can't exactly argue with the results in 2023+2024
 
#331      
jumpingjack
chudaman said:
Some real nuggets in that postgame thread like:

Negatives:

- Mirk: Love the type of game he plays, but his immaturity showed today. Some of those 3s were just bad shot selection and he’s got to understand those breaks to not do it all himself
- Andrej: Looked like he didn’t want to be on the floor
- Wagler: Like Mirk, his immaturity showed today. Totally liability on defense. Don’t want to see him play significant minutes the rest of the year.
- Petrovic: Tried to do too much today. Needs to get better at finishing at the rim. Distribution was still good.
- Pick and Roll Offense: KICK IT TO TOMI WHEN HE’S OPEN
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There was a prediction that we were a bottom half B1G team, along with some other fun stuff
 
#334      
jumpingjack
Combo said:
This is ridiculous. I think most would agree that they are the two most powerful teams, and they accordingly have the best odds. But the most powerful team doesn't always win. Illinois or UConn winning it all would be way less shocking than Villanova in 1985 (8 seed) NC State in 1983 (6 seed), or even UConn in 2014 (7 seed).

Anything can happen on a given day.
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It's 40 minutes of the best focus and ability you can give in one of the top 4 team sporting and cultural circuses in the world (Sorry, Stanley Cup,). You have to play the game. I think we have better than a punchers chance, especially if we somehow draw Michigan.
 
#335      
illini510
MidwesternCowboy said:
It's not a certainty that we win this game at all. Far from it. But let's say that we do. Let's say that we pull it off and beat UConn.

Would you rather face Michigan or Arizona for the title?

Personally, I'd take Arizona in a heartbeat. Michigan is the only team all year that made us look like we didn't even belong. Straight-up domination. Have to admit that that game made me terrified of having to face them, again. I know Arizona would hardly be any easier, but I'd take the unknown over what we already saw.
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I think either scenario is actually terrifying. I believe Arizona and Michigan are on another level. I honestly feel they should re-seed the Final 4(would not be helpful to us) but it feels a little odd that the two best teams all year are playing each other in the semifinals. It's a pick'em vs UCONN but has the potential to be a massacre against either Michigan or Arizona. Arizona made mince meat of Purdue and Michigan embarrassed a pretty strong Tennessee team. Those two teams are in a different stratosphere. Those teams remind me of the 2005 Illini with how dominant they have looked and been
 
#336      
illini510
Second place is 1st loser said:
Question. Are the Big Ten coaches close enough to where they share notes? UCONN having played MSU three days ago, will Izzo share thoughts to our staff?
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Doubtful. Izzo+Cronin+Hurley have a message chat ongoing. I think he stays out of it. He respects Brad but appears to also be close with Hurley
 
#337      
illini510
Michigan gives us the better chance of winning. We’ve already faced them and know the challenges they present.

Plus they have a key injury in Carson.
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That didn't stop them from beating the ever living daylights out of Tennessee today. The Cason injury hurts them but not enough to lose to ILL. But, it may hurt them vs Arizona
 
#338      
Zorak
Where’s that graphic ranking the S16 coaches that had Brad 15 out of 16. How many of those ahead of him are still in?
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No more than 3 lol
 
#339      
lstewart53x3
number1IlliniFan said:
Look at this game summary regarding minutes from our game at MSG in November. We are a completely different team from that time. Not sure how different UConn might be vs then.
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Minutes comparison.

UConn vs our most recent game against Iowa:

Boswell: 39 / 26 (-13)
Wagler: 13 / 38 (+25)
Mirk: 17 / 38 (+21)
Tomi: 24 / 27 (+3)
Andrej: 24 / 27 (+3)
Ben: 25 / 20 (-5)
Z: 16 / 11 (-5)
Davis: 8 / 13 (+5)
Petro: 17 / 0 (-17)
Lee: 11 / 0 (-11)

5 players with a change of playing time of 10 minutes or more.
 
#344      
AirTran
This is ridiculous. I think most would agree that they are the two most powerful teams, and they accordingly have the best odds. But the most powerful team doesn't always win. Illinois or UConn winning it all would be way less shocking than Villanova in 1985 (8 seed) NC State in 1983 (6 seed), or even UConn in 2014 (7 seed).

Anything can happen on a given day.
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If anything we have learned since NIL took control of college sports its that what transpired prior to 2021 is more or less part of history, but not relevant to this weekend's or next weekend's competitiion. There are European professional players in the final 4 and there are Freshman with skills we have seldom seen out of high school. That really wasn't happening until the NIL money became the key driver of roster management.

There are also 3 very good college coaches and 1 elite college coach still in the tournament. Given the level of talent that now exists at the NCAA level - great coaching has more impact on outcome. And in championship games coaching becomes even more important.

So regardless of the arm chair perspective that all of us have, Dan Hurley is at a different level than Brad Underwood, Dusty May, Tommy Lloyd.

I have tried to remain silent on "Whom would you rather play?" because in truth it didn't matter. But let's not kid ourselves Duke got outcoached (for a second year in a row). I would have preferred to play Duke for that reason.

As to which of the 4 teams is better? None of us is going to find out until they take floor and match up against each other. However, unless there is clear talent or physical difference between the teams, its more likely the coaching will be the difference next weekend.
 
#349      
AirTran
Heres some more hope for this game.

In 2024, when we got smoked by UConn, they were 11.90 points better according to KenPom:

View attachment 49070

This year, we are 5.30 point better:

View attachment 49071
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I have commented on this prior. Kenpom has a slightly negative correlation over the 4,200 game NCAA D-1 season. Meaning his rankings/point spreads are wrong more often than they are right.

We will see how we match up on @ 6:09 EDT Saturday.
 
#350      
Fly Illini Fly!
Combo said:
This is ridiculous. I think most would agree that they are the two most powerful teams, and they accordingly have the best odds. But the most powerful team doesn't always win. Illinois or UConn winning it all would be way less shocking than Villanova in 1985 (8 seed) NC State in 1983 (6 seed), or even UConn in 2014 (7 seed).

Anything can happen on a given day.
Click to expand...
https://twitter.com/x/status/2038426125613867501
 
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