Okay, here is a realistic prediction for the rest of the season IMO:
Tue, Dec 6 IUPUI: W. Anything less than a 20 point win will lead to a meltdown in the post game thread.
Sat, Dec 10 Central Michigan: W. Same thing as the previous game.
Sat, Dec 17 BYU: W. No chance that the staff doesn't have the guys ready for this one. Especially with NW playing before us.
Wed, Dec 21 Mizzou: W. Mizzou is still bad but will be ready for this one. So will we. The Braggin Rights Trophy stays in it's rightful home for a fourth straight year. A loss here would also lead to a message board meltdown.
Tue, Dec 27 @Maryland : L. I still am not sold on MD being a serious contender, but they've found a way to win games in non conference. We have no answer for Trimble, and I think Cowan and Dodd can create problems for us as well. I think MD wins a close one here.
Sun, Jan 1 Ohio State: W. I'm still not sold on tOSU being a dark horse B1G contender. Very minimal depth off their bench, and I still believe that the only starting position that I can objectively say they are stronger than us at is PG. We are stronger at the 2-5 spots. Thank the Lord that Daniel Giddens transferred. He was the difference in both of our close losses to them last year.
Sat, Jan 7 @Indiana: L. No chance here. Not at their place. Hopefully we can keep it in single digits.
Wed, Jan 11 Michigan: W. They haven't seemed as strong as I thought they'd be so far this year. This is one that we should win being at home.
Sat, Jan 14 Maryland: W. Again, not sold on them. They've got some pieces to match up with us, but this is one we should win at home.
Tue, Jan 17 @Purdue L. We've got pieces to match up well with them. We definitely overmatch them at the guards and wings, but I see us losing because Purdue just plays at a different level at Mackey.
Sat, Jan 21 @Michigan: L. Again, haven't been impressed with them so far, but I think Belein has them ready for this one. We lose in a close one.
Wed, Jan 25 Iowa: W. By double digits. They've struggled so far this year.
Sat, Jan 28 @Penn State: L. We are always good for one win that we should have lost and one loss where we should have won. Our bad loss comes here. Penn State's talented young guys go off in this game and they win a close one. BTN then continues to hype up ILL/PSU as a hot rivalry. (barf)
Tue, Jan 31 Wisconsin: L. I think we have the talent to match up with them this year, but I'll be safe here and say we lose in a close one.
Sat, Feb 4 Minnesota: W. Minny is improved, but not good enough to beat us. This should be a double digit win for us.
Tue, Feb 7 @Northwestern: W. I've seen posters talk about how good NW is this year. I think Groce and staff are aware of this and there's no way they don't have the guys ready for this one. We always bring several fans to their place and our injury depleted team barely lost to them last year in Evanston. We win a close one here.
Sat, Feb 11 Penn State: W. They've got the talent to make some runs on us, but I think we pull away in this one late for a double digit win.
Sat, Feb 18 @Iowa: W. I see it being close because it's in Iowa City, but we should win this one.
Tue, Feb 21 Northwestern: W. I think it's closer than most fans would like, but we will be ready to go against little brother.
Sun, Feb 26 @Nebraska: W. I see them as a weaker version of Penn State this year. Young talent is there with Watson and Morrow, but not enough to get over the hump against us. I could see this one being closer than fans would like, but at the end of the day, we pull out the W.
Wed, Mar 1 Michigan State: W. Here is our game we are supposed to lose but we win. I'm not sold at all by MSUs slow start this year. I see them pulling a total MSU move by getting into the dance as a 6-7 seed and then making a FF run. They always play their best at the end of the year. Fortunately, all of Groce's teams except year three also played their best at the end of the year. This is senior night and there's no way our 6 seniors go out at home with anything other than a W.
Sat, Mar 4 @Rutgers: W. By double digits and in regulation.
Final record: 12-6 B1G 22-9 overall. Safely in the tournament, but closer to the bubble than we may think, because our only quality conference wins would be over UM and MSU. Our wins over MD and tOSU would probably only be considered okay wins.
Pessimists, don't be offended by the conference record. It's more attainable than you think. We play each of the pre-season top four B1G teams once this year.
I have UI going 1-3 against those teams. Our ceiling IMO is finishing anywhere from 4th-6th in the B1G with our floor finishing anywhere from 8th-10th.
Feel free to comment with your own predictions. Go Illini!
