I agree with you. Those weren't bad losses, but we looked really bad in those losses. We weren't competitive in the last five minutes of either game. If you want to add Indiana to the list of "good" losses, we weren't competitive for 30 minutes of the game. On the whole, we're 17-7(8-5) and are in a logjam in conference. That's a good season to date and we're on a nice roll but, when talking about being on the national radar(top 25), I think we have to separate ourselves from the pack and put a few more quality wins in our back pockets. Everything else will take care of itself.
Bracketology
- Status
Yeah, bottom line, win and were fine. I also haven't really examined the teams in front of us to see how they compare. On the other hand, I'm not sure how I feel about judging lopsided losses vs. close losses. As your name suggests, it's a loss either way. Those lopsided games can be for various reasons, wrong person in foul trouble early, someone sick (like MM in the Indiana game), a run at some point in the game. Close losses show competitiveness, but in conference play, you get to redeem yourself. Hopefully we can prove that correct in these next two games, large margin losses at home to wins on the road. But both games will be tough.
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
I love your well-written posts, Sage, but please do not call our Illini ‘the Orange.’ The Orange is Syracuse. The Illini are the ‘Orange and Blue’…
I hear ‘ya, chief.
There are two reasons why I like to call the Illini ‘The Orange’. First, I don’t like to concede that color to any opponent.
The second reason has to do with the symbolic nature of colors themselves. ‘Orange’ is the color of enthusiasm and emotion.
There’s nothing wrong with ‘Blue’. But symbolically, Blue is the color of relaxing and being mellowed-out. Nothing wrong with relaxing... but not on the court of play. And we all know that ‘Feeling Blue’ is not something we want to do very often. Kind of sends the wrong message.
And one other thing is that saying ‘The Orange’ is kind of shorthand for ‘Orange and Blue’.
Anyway... that’s the reasoning here.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Except that it's shorthand for Syracuse.
Heading to that dreaded 8/9 seed in which a 1st round loss most likely happens.
OnlyOrange
- Belleville, IL
We're staring an 8 seed in the face assuming we close out the year with a few more Ls. Not good.
Calm down, dear god. We would have to collapse to get an 8 or 9 seed. Indiana will be tough, but we should worse get case to 20 wins if not 21
It's crazy to me how fast people's views will change to doom and gloom. We have a lot of talent and exciting young pieces for the future. We're positioned in a great spot to challenge for higher seeds in the tournament rather than just hope to have a chance to get in like during the Groce years. Sure, this isn't the 05 or 21 team, but this is a good Illini team with the talent and coaching needed to potentially make some things happen in march. This is the fun time of the year!
Is scUM done now?
When Illinois beats Michigan then they have my permission to be done
OnlyOrange
- Belleville, IL
Theoretically they could still get in, if they win out for example, but I have trouble seeing how they win at IU or at Rutgers.
Though I guess Nebraska did the latter last night.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
From a theoretical standpoint, both Nebraska and Minnesota can get in by winning out from 3/8 - 3/12.
For Michigan, they would likely need to win 4 out of 5 (maybe all of their remaining games) to close regular season and make it to B1G Championship game to feel pretty good; otherwise, they are in the same boat as Nebraska and Minnesota (needing magic at the UC).
I think you forgot a team in the bolded...they play at Illinois before the IU game. I expect the Illini should be able to jump on them.
IMO, even more important than seeding, is matchups and style of play. With our Illini all over the place, it's been hard to figure out what type of teams we play well against. But the PSU, Iowa, and IU games have given us our answer. We can't win shoutouts. We do much better in the ugly, dirty, slower paced games. Think Rutgers, MSU, and Wisconsin.
So some of the top seeds we could really matchup well with are Tennessee, St Mary's, UCLA, Iowa St, etc. Teams that are defensive minded and/or play really slow.
Teams to stay away from....Bama, Arizona, Gonzaga, Marquette, UConn, etc. These teams rely on their scoring, getting into the 80's and above, and many of them also play fast.
So some of the top seeds we could really matchup well with are Tennessee, St Mary's, UCLA, Iowa St, etc. Teams that are defensive minded and/or play really slow.
Teams to stay away from....Bama, Arizona, Gonzaga, Marquette, UConn, etc. These teams rely on their scoring, getting into the 80's and above, and many of them also play fast.
Do at-large bids even go that high?
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Thankfully, StL radio stations aren't on the selection committee.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
lol. That's essentially an earworm for Miznoz Nation.
Torvik projects a 7-seed this morning. ~97% of a tourney bid; ~6% chance of an automatic bid.
All indications aside the sky isn't falling. But these young gentlemen would be well served to begin showing up on D on a regular basis. It's somewhat disgraceful to shoot 50% on the road against a middling team and lose.
hmmm. 48 teams ahead of us? Do they normally talk about sports with an actual audience?
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Little Brother Syndrome is real.
Very rarely. I was looking at this a few weeks back. P5 teams have like 2 12 seeds in 20 years. iirc. Other conferences have a few.
I think the one thing our loses have in common this year is a decent to great player going off on us
Pickett 41
Perkins 32
TJD 35
Kobe Brown 31
Audige 21 + Boo 15
Young 24
UVA is only lost where an opposing player did not score 20+.
If we are going to win multiple games if we can’t limit a good/great player
Don’t want to face Abams at ORU
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
I can't imagine so. The "last 4 in" play to become 11 seeds in the tournament. Sounds like the host on that St. Louis radio station would be a perfect fit for 670 the Score if they decided to move to Chicago.
OnlyOrange
- Belleville, IL
We were a 12 in that game against Va Tech eons ago, weren't we? I thought that was the 5-12.
We are starting two essentially freshman players. At guard and center. Teams with experienced, senior scorers at those positions have shown the ability to exploit that.
- Status