The Final Four

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#151      
Fighter of the Nightman
OnlyOrange said:
Highly unpopular opinion, but I do hope they win it if the Beloved doesn't. I use the term "hope" very loosely, as my interest becomes nearly nil if we get eliminated.

I don't have the same hatred for Michigan basketball that I do for Michigan football.

The conference NEEDS a natty to quiet the haters.
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I would agree with you if it were a Big Ten team either clearly below us historically (e.g., Penn State or Nebraska) or clearly above us historically (e.g., Michigan State). However, Michigan is close enough to us both historically and in recent history that they're a verified threat to our continued existence as a national contender. Combine that with the somewhat irregular bad blood we've had with them since Hunter Dickinsen couldn't keep his mouth shut and Morez transferring there, and I just don't think this can be chalked up to "they're from the Big Ten."

If we play Michigan in the NC game and lose, the narrative could be that while we are obviously a very good program, they are just a step better - 2 National Championships to our zero - and Morez was smart enough to see that. If we win the National Championship (against Michigan is great, but why risk it??), the narrative is all of a sudden we are equally elite programs - we both have one National Championship and Final Fours are an immaterial 6 vs. 7 - and we currently hold the clear bragging rights, having won 10 of the last 11, leading the all-time series handily and having Morez ditch his home state team that was on its way to cutting down the nets.

I hardly think it is some huge deal if we don't win the literal National Championship ... we've put together an amazing season, and making the Final Four was a STATEMENT. However, I don't think it can be denied that Michigan getting the notoriety of cutting down the nets is infinitely worse for us in the long run than either Arizona or UConn doing it. The Big Ten will break its title drought eventually, and frankly I have stopped caring about that at all.
 
#154      
jumpingjack
Hotel room booked, now I'm just playing the waiting game on my ticket for Saturday. Anyone else identified the right spot for pregame activities?
 
#155      
OrangeBlue98
Illini2010-11 said:
2005 Illinois vs Lousville Final 4 replay on BTN at 8 PM CT.

Have not seen this game since 2005. The Elite 8 comeback somewhat overshadows this dominant win (probably why this game has not been shown before).
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I attended this game, but have never watched it on TV.
 
#156      
Mobi
LOL, read that first as top 20 players, and was thinking 'wow, Jake Davis made this list?'. Then I re-read the header.
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Jake Davis is the 20th best college basketball player in the country. LoL!
 
#157      
Altuve27
#158      
JKR
Altuve27 said:
We have to get something from Kylan Saturday. He had no baskets in the games in Houston.

I am sure the banged up hand is making shooting difficult, but he has to look to drive and put pressure on the defense. Draw a few fouls.

Right now teams don’t really have to guard him. Has to bring some “gravity” to the game.
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He scored 25 points and had 9 rebounds when we played UConn back in November. Would be nice to have anything close to that this weekend.
 
#160      
RockyMtnIllini81
Curbelo Fanboy said:
I was a high school senior in 1989. That team was THE BEST team in the country by a solid margin when fully healthy. All regular season losses were while Kendall Gill was out with a foot injury & in the semi final Kenny Battle was hobbled a bit with a sprained ankle.

I will say forever that if we escape Michigan, we were taking Seton Hall to the woodshed in the final. There is no way in the world we were losing that game.

I'd say that 1989 team on it's best day was a solid double digits better than anyone else. Just a little off at the wrong time.
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I don't think the 1989 team underperformed. I think they had a bit of bad luck because they faced a very motivated and emotional Michigan team in the Final Four. During the regular season, Illinois had beaten Michigan twice - by double digits. Just before the Tournament began, head coach Bill Frieder took the same job at Arizona State, planning to coach Michigan in the tournament on his way out. Athletic Director Bo Schembechler told him he could leave now and famously said “A Michigan man will coach Michigan.” Assistant Steve Fisher was named interim coach. The 3 seed Wolverines played over their heads and the Illini lost a heartbreaker in Final Four. If Illinois had pulled it off, they most certainly would have beaten Seton Hall in the final.
 
#161      
RabidDawgClassic
I was watching the highlights of the 2005 game against Arizona and realized that Dee Brown pulled a Cayden Boozer at the end of regulation. Fortunately, Luther Head prevented a Braylon Mullins. 😬

giphy.gif
 
#162      
mysterio2525
Illini2010-11 said:
2005 Illinois vs Lousville Final 4 replay on BTN at 8 PM CT.

Have not seen this game since 2005. The Elite 8 comeback somewhat overshadows this dominant win (probably why this game has not been shown before).
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watched this and didn't realize how much closer it was than I remembered. forgot Louisville took the lead in the second half a few times. Illinois did clamp down on then last 9 minutes to extend that lead.
 
#163      
Fighter of the Nightman
mysterio2525 said:
watched this and didn't realize how much closer it was than I remembered. forgot Louisville took the lead in the second half a few times. Illinois did clamp down on then last 9 minutes to extend that lead.
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Again (mentioned this up-thread), I was just a seventh grader, but that was so the 2005 team … we let plenty of teams hang around but it never had the feel that we were lacking or anything. It had the vibe that we were like psychopathically methodical, haha. I literally never entertained the idea that team would lose a game besides the depths of the Arizona deficit and the VERY, tragic end of the Championship Game. :/

TL;DR is that that UL Final Four game didn’t seem as close because it never felt like we weren’t going to put the dagger in them the second they let their guard down. That was what was so special about that group!
 
#165      
RabidDawgClassic
mysterio2525 said:
watched this and didn't realize how much closer it was than I remembered. forgot Louisville took the lead in the second half a few times. Illinois did clamp down on then last 9 minutes to extend that lead.
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It was kinda like our recent game with Iowa, only with a much easier flow on offense. 21 year from now we’ll recall blowing out the Hawkeyes from the start. 😂
 
#167      
Zorak
OnlyOrange said:
Highly unpopular opinion, but I do hope they win it if the Beloved doesn't. I use the term "hope" very loosely, as my interest becomes nearly nil if we get eliminated.

I don't have the same hatred for Michigan basketball that I do for Michigan football.

The conference NEEDS a natty to quiet the haters.
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Highly unpopular is right.

I'm not saying I want Michigan to lose more than I want Illinois to win, but it is so incredibly close.
 
#168      
Bucktown
RockyMtnIllini81 said:
I don't think the 1989 team underperformed. I think they had a bit of bad luck because they faced a very motivated and emotional Michigan team in the Final Four. During the regular season, Illinois had beaten Michigan twice - by double digits. Just before the Tournament began, head coach Bill Frieder took the same job at Arizona State, planning to coach Michigan in the tournament on his way out. Athletic Director Bo Schembechler told him he could leave now and famously said “A Michigan man will coach Michigan.” Assistant Steve Fisher was named interim coach. The 3 seed Wolverines played over their heads and the Illini lost a heartbreaker in Final Four. If Illinois had pulled it off, they most certainly would have beaten Seton Hall in the final.
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Michigan was very good and had very highly ranked recruits as well.

Glenn Rice was the real deal.
 
#169      
Oldskoolkoach
Just another article proving how irrelevant and incompetent ESPN is. In what world is Jake Davis more important than Andre Stojakovic? Edit: I guess it does say starter, but I stand on the irrelevant and incompetent statement...

www.espn.com

Ranking every starter in the men's Final Four

Arizona, Michigan, UConn and Illinois each have a representative in the top five -- but one semifinalist has two.
www.espn.com www.espn.com
 
#170      
EyeoftheIllini
No good place to put this, so I’ll try here. Maybe it has already been posted about elsewhere. Does Mick Cronin have a bone to pick with Illinois? Saw an interview on Twitter (not sure what show/podcast it originated on) where he was talking about the F4 teams. I believe the only team he mentioned in the context of NIL was Illini. Was talking about how first matchup with UConn was completely different with Petrovic getting more minutes that Wagler, then said something like Petrovic is getting paid a couple of million and now hardly even plays. Then made another comment about what an Illini player or players are being paid.

Seemed strange for him to single out Illinois in this way. I was wondering if there was something behind it other than him being a cry baby and putz in general?
 
#172      
SuperMetroid
OnlyOrange said:
Highly unpopular opinion, but I do hope they win it if the Beloved doesn't. I use the term "hope" very loosely, as my interest becomes nearly nil if we get eliminated.

I don't have the same hatred for Michigan basketball that I do for Michigan football.

The conference NEEDS a natty to quiet the haters.
Click to expand...
Michigan is pure evil and no one should root for them under any circumstances
 
#173      
Illini in Indiana
Seems to me that our Illini are the "forgotten" team and the one that few press want to talk about. We're kind of flying under the radar, and they think our story ends with a Final 4 was a great result.

I think we have a great chance to shock the world Saturday, and become the forgot team again for the Championship.

Personally I'd love to beat UConn, then beat Michigan and get our revenge for earlier losses.

Go Illini!
 
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