Illini Basketball 2026-2027

Status
Not open for further replies.
#376      
BalloonsTheElephant
blackdog said:
I think the idea is that the TTU athletic department is supporting someone that gambled on his own teams and wanting to overturn his suspension. Thats bad business for college athletics across the board.
Click to expand...
After watching travel baseball for the last several years, it stil amazes me what grown adults will do and say to win a banner and some rings.

What similar men would do for millions of dollars and nearly unlimited power in their institutions is much less surprising.
 
#377      
Combo
BalloonsTheElephant said:
After watching travel baseball for the last several years, it stil amazes me what grown adults will do and say to win a banner and some rings.

What similar men would do for millions of dollars and nearly unlimited power in their institutions is much less surprising.
Click to expand...
Yup. Texas Tech's boosters have shoveled a ridiculously amount of NIL cash into their football and basketball teams. I doubt any AD has the balls to tell them the money they gave for their 2026 team was for naught.
 
#378      
Fly Illini Fly!
I think Williams has a relatively clear path to #9thMan playing time.

The reason Petro didn't work out is because he didn't give you the things the team needed. The 9th man is all about providing what the top 8 lacks. On this roster, it's defense AND size paired with athlecism (we have size, but not paired with athlecism).

You could make the argument Lincoln's walking in as the second best perimeter defender. At worst 3rd, behind Stojakovic and Coleman.

Remember how freshman Sencire would get the crowd into it with defense? That's his path to PT (albeit on a better team). And I do think he's a better prospect given the size and athletic profile (and hopefully, a little bit of a better shooter and scorer).
 
Last edited:
#379      
Combo
Fly Illini Fly! said:
I think Williams has a relatively clear path to #9thMan playing time.

The reason Petro didn't work out is because he didn't give you the things the team needed. The 9th man is all about providing what the top 8 lacks. On this roster, it's defense AND size paired with athlecism (we have size, but not paired with athlecism).

You could make the argument Lincoln's walking in as the second best perimeter defender. At worst 3rd, behind Stojakovic and Coleman.

Remember how freshman Sencire would get the crowd into it with defense? That's his path to PT (albeit on a better team). And I do think he's a better prospect given the size and athletic profile (and hopefully, a little bit of a better shooter and scorer).
Click to expand...
I'm starting to think the same. An athletic wing wasn't what I had in mind when it was being hinted we'd add another player. But I'm starting to like the addition - he seems he's as likely as anyone to be our (much coveted) 4th guy off the bench.
 
#380      
chrisRunner7
Joel Goodson said:
heck, yeah!
https://twitter.com/x/status/2064159144874025131
Click to expand...
I have not been checking the board much lately so I may have missed the news...

Is Vaaks still expected to play for Estonia in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers on July 3rd and July 6th?
Is Mirkovic still playing for Montenegro on July 2nd and July 5th?

Andrej commented a while back that he would have discussions with the Serbia and Greece national teams... but I never heard anything further about that. I imagine "discussions" were as far as things got for now given the talent on those teams.
 
#384      
PizzaHutParkingLot
chrisRunner7 said:
I have not been checking the board much lately so I may have missed the news...

Is Vaaks still expected to play for Estonia in the FIBA World Cup qualifiers on July 3rd and July 6th?
Is Mirkovic still playing for Montenegro on July 2nd and July 5th?

Andrej commented a while back that he would have discussions with the Serbia and Greece national teams... but I never heard anything further about that. I imagine "discussions" were as far as things got for now given the talent on those teams.
Click to expand...
Jokić lobs to Stojaković would feed families
 
#387      
lstewart53x3
Bigtex said:
@istewart53x3 My response.... has Illinois ever had 3 guys average 30 min/game? 4 guys? Hard to believe 5 guys
Click to expand...
A couple of things:

1. I wasn’t talking about their season long average. I was talking about true, non blowout games, that happen in the heart of the season. Cupcakes bring down a star players season average.

2. My post wasn’t meant to be a minutes breakdown post. My point was that because this team is well established there won’t be a whole lot of minutes available for the 9th man. Sure, Vaaks might average 32 and Coleman, as an example, might average 28, but that still leaves the same amount minutes available for the 9th man.

3. Last year, we had 3. Mirk played 29.5 on the season and way more than that in close games. I imagine we would have had 4 had Andrej been fully healthy. He played 26.5 on the season and mentioned that he wasn’t fully healthy until the tournament.

4. I later corrected myself that Tomi likely wouldn’t get there.
 
#392      
NarrowJ
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
Casey Jacobson does the fox rankings. He currently has Illinois 2.

I personally, don't think it's very realistic to claim we're better than Duke or Florida
Click to expand...

Having us #1 isn't a hot take when we've been #1 in multiple national publications was the entire point

hall of fame game missed the point GIF


He has Illinois 2 spots ahead of Duke... so also just sorta funny you point to his ranking to note Florida being ahead of Illinois, but his rankings must also simultaneously be trash since he has Duke at 4
 
#394      
PleaseMakeABowlGame
NarrowJ said:
Having us #1 isn't a hot take when we've been #1 in multiple national publications was the entire point

hall of fame game missed the point GIF


He has Illinois 2 spots ahead of Duke... so also just sorta funny you point to his ranking to note Florida being ahead of Illinois, but his rankings must also simultaneously be trash since he has Duke at 4
Click to expand...
It's called blue blood boredom.

They're by far the deepest and most talented team. Torvik projects them as the top defense AND top offense.

If they hit on their pieces, they could mirror the 2015 UK squad. Having them 4th is pretty silly.
 
#396      
NarrowJ
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
It's called blue blood boredom.

They're by far the deepest and most talented team. Torvik projects them as the top defense AND top offense.

If they hit on their pieces, they could mirror the 2015 UK squad. Having them 4th is pretty silly.
Click to expand...

If my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle

They're ranked 4th by FOX Sports, I guess you'll have to just deal with that idk

EDIT: Sports Illustrated has them 6th :)
 
Last edited:
#397      
wc_illini
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
It's called blue blood boredom.

They're by far the deepest and most talented team. Torvik projects them as the top defense AND top offense.

If they hit on their pieces, they could mirror the 2015 UK squad. Having them 4th is pretty silly.
Click to expand...
Torvik updated things recently- now we're projected to have the #1 offense and Duke is #3. But Duke is still projected #1 overall in a tier by themselves, and we're #4
 
#398      
NarrowJ
I feel the trepidation with Duke is overall is:

- Roster inexperience and having less continuity than other top teams
- Freshmen are good but highly unlikely any of them matches Cam Boozer's production
- Their #1 Torvik rank seems based on having a projected ADJDE that is nearly 2 points higher than anyone else (unlikely that plays out)
- Evans > Blackwell, other two transfers are pretty meh
 
#399      
steelmen72
PleaseMakeABowlGame said:
Casey Jacobson does the fox rankings. He currently has Illinois 2.

I personally, don't think it's very realistic to claim we're better than Duke or Florida
Click to expand...
Duke lost way too much and to expect these freshman to be good every year is unrealistic. I don't see this Duke team having another Flagg or Boozer. Duke should win the weak !!! ACC. Florida had there same big guys return from the National Championship team and they lose in the second round. I'm not impressed with Boogie Fland or their other backcourt pieces. Michigan has lost way too much. Illinois should be the prohibitive #1 team in the country.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back