Illini Basketball 2017-2018

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#751      

battle

battle
battle
ChiefIllini said:
Final rankings last year have little correlation to what these teams will bring to the table. As Adnarel pointed out, Mizzou is/will not be a team outside the top 150 in CBB. Measuring based on their talent, I think they are easily a top 15 team, though their coach makes me wonder if they will be a top 25 at all. I'd put them a tick below WF, for now. NMSU and UNLV will be decent teams, probably between 60-80, which is where most would place us preseason. Depaul and Grand Canyon should be better, though definitely underdogs in our games against them.


Personally, I like this website when it comes to rankings. It has us at 61 FYI. Only Mizzou is above us, though I think he's got WF severely underrated.
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Site has all 14 BIG in top 100 with bottom 11-14 BIG as
61 Illini
67 OSU
78 Rutgers
95 Nebby
If outcomes are even close to that - would bode well for RPI and more than offset non-con

Also has all 14 SEC in top 100 and 6 in top 28.
9/10 BE in top 100 (all except Depaul at 108) with 7 in top 40
 
#752      

oskeewowwowboomtime

O
oskeewowwowboomtime
When you look at this roster under the visionary offensive coaching system of Coach Underwood, it is laughable to see them at 61. Really can'talk wait for this team to shock college basketball and end up in the Tournament this year with all the pressure on whoever they play. Can'the wait for the season to tip off for our ILLINI!
 
#754      

Illiniaaron

I
Geneseo, IL
Illiniaaron
IlliniJim20 said:
Why are we playing Augustana Nov. 22 rather than as an early/pre season game? DIII school so does not count toward win total. Usually works as a warm up game, not after four games?
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I have to agree with IlliniJim here. I live near the Quad Cities so I'm familiar with Augie (my dad and a nephew graduated there). I think they've been to the Div. III final four something like two out of the last three years but I'm scratching my head why this isn't an exhibition game.
 
#755      

Captain Bubbles

Captain Bubbles
Fairfield, IL
Captain Bubbles
Illini0114 said:
https://twitter.com/DPiperScout/status/893130541465305088

Good read. Q&A between Piper and KN.

Excited to see what he can do this year. Have the feeling he could be really impressive

Sent from my XT1635-01 using Tapatalk
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I think guys are more loose. I’ve noticed guys having more fun with the game. I think that’s why we have a chance to be really good. Everybody is embracing the work that we’re putting in. Everybody is embracing the extra work that you have to put in – whether it be by yourself or with a group of guys. Everybody is embracing the work and having fun.
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This answer stood out to me more than the others. Seems like Groce wouldn't let them run and enjoy the game. Glad to hear Underwood is letting the boys play loose and have fun while doing it. At the same time, continue to improve and get better at their craft.
 
#756      

Captain Bubbles

Captain Bubbles
Fairfield, IL
Captain Bubbles
Illiniaaron said:
I have to agree with IlliniJim here. I live near the Quad Cities so I'm familiar with Augie (my dad and a nephew graduated there). I think they've been to the Div. III final four something like two out of the last three years but I'm scratching my head why this isn't an exhibition game.
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It's their recent success. I believe they have beat D1 programs in the past, could be wrong if not.
 
#757      

FiveStar

F
FiveStar
If we're gonna play a d3 team can we get grinnell college on the schedule. That would be one entertaining game.
 
#758      

ChiefIllini

C
ChiefIllini
With regards to what Kipper says, I swear at least once every season someone says the team is "playing looser" than some time period before. While it may actually be true, it doesn't hold much water in my eyes.

It's just another buzz phrase.
 
#759      

SescIllini

SescIllini
SescIllini
Intetesting Kipper said DaMonte was top player in open gym last considering Wilkes was with him that day. Agrees with what the reporters said regarding that open gym.
 
#760      

HR217

H
HR217
SescIllini said:
Intetesting Kipper said DaMonte was top player in open gym last considering Wilkes was with him that day. Agrees with what the reporters said regarding that open gym.
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DMW was killing it before he got injured. I mean, he was a top 30 ish recruit.
 
#762      

FC Illiniman

F
FC Illiniman
HR217 said:
DMW was killing it before he got injured. I mean, he was a top 30 ish recruit.
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With his release from his injury, give Fletch a little bit of time to get his legs back, then work on his conditioning . Great for him, glad he's doing good, hope we see him 100% in early November;):illinois:
 
#763      

zpfled

Z
Logan Square, Chicago
zpfled
ChiefIllini said:
With regards to what Kipper says, I swear at least once every season someone says the team is "playing looser" than some time period before. While it may actually be true, it doesn't hold much water in my eyes.

It's just another buzz phrase.
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Groce's teams always started the season playing loose. He was Mr. November for a few years.

We just need the players to stay loose through January and February, that was always the problem.
 
#764      

illinitiger

I
illinitiger
zpfled said:
Groce's teams always started the season playing loose. He was Mr. November for a few years.

We just need the players to stay loose through January and February, that was always the problem.
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yeah I remember 14-15 we averaged 90+ through the first 5 games.
 
#765      

Illiini

Illiini
In the land of the Nittany Lion
Illiini
I simply want to pound Rutgers into their own hardwood. I was at that game last year and had to endure all the smirks as we walked out wearing our Orange and Blue. Vengeance may belong to the Lord, but I want revenge.
 
#766      

mdonsbach

M
mdonsbach
Illiini said:
I simply want to pound Rutgers into their own hardwood. I was at that game last year and had to endure all the smirks as we walked out wearing our Orange and Blue. Vengeance may belong to the Lord, but I want revenge.
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Must you remind me.

I can still heard a college kid tell someone on the phone that "We just knocked Illinois out of the tournament"

Brutal. May it never be that way again.
 
#767      

illinitiger

I
illinitiger
mdonsbach said:
Must you remind me.

I can still heard a college kid tell someone on the phone that "We just knocked Illinois out of the tournament"

Brutal. May it never be that way again.
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A good quote to counter Rutgers memories:
"Once you hit rock bottom, that's where you perfectly stand; That's your chance of restarting, but restarting the right way."
J. Kanayurak
 
#768      

CoalCity

C
St Paul, MN
CoalCity
Illiini said:
I simply want to pound Rutgers into their own hardwood. I was at that game last year and had to endure all the smirks as we walked out wearing our Orange and Blue. Vengeance may belong to the Lord, but I want revenge.
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I want to buy them all a drink for doing us a HUGE favor. Had we made the tournament last year chances are we wouldn't have this dynamic new head coach and staff that's got a much better chance of turning this program around than the last two head coaches.

After the toasts are done, THEN pound them into submission. :chief: :illinois:
 
#769      

Adnarel

A
Adnarel
I agree. Whitman talks about having his mind made up before, or whatever, but I think if we had won Rutgers and snuck into the NCAA tournament, then Whitman would have held off to avoid the PR gaffe. And we'd have an "upward trajectory" with Jeremiah Tilmon on the roster, but nowhere near the amount of hope as fans and nowhere near the competence on the staff. We owe Rutgers for gutting one out.

And next season we will remind them what the B1G pecking order is. =P
 
#770      

Combo

C
Combo
ballislife17 said:
He was at one point, I think he was around 100 when he got injured


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That is correct. For whatever reason, he had dropped quite a bit in the 6 months or so before he got injured. I do think he's very talented. I just hope he doesn't push things too much in coming back.
 
#771      

Ga65

G
Ga65
Lots of things up in the air.

DW comeback from injury
AJ improvement and fit to system
MS ability to play BIG defense
TJL shooting improvement
Greg E learning curve
MF defense at 5
Etc.

Will be disappointed if we don't have a winning record in BIG, but not predicted for us.
 
#772      

grue

G
grue
grue said:
This pre-season schedule seems to be more toward the middle strength opponents than in the past (~175 is the mid-point). There is one fewer strong opponent and two fewer pre-frosted cupcakes. I personally would like to get rid of all the pre-frosted games.

Here are the pre-season games sorted by last years final Sagarin Ratings. I was surprised at where some of the teams fell on the list.

Real games:
39 Wake Forest
80 NMST

Should win games that are solid warm ups:
136 Marshall
143 MIZZ
152 Grand Canyon
168 NC Central

Cupcakes:
192 Depaul
199 Tennesee-Martin
228 UNLV

Pre-Frosted Cupcakes:
293 Austin Peay
317 Southern
346 Longwood
xxx Augustana
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As others have pointed out, past performance is no guarantee of future results. I should have explicitly stated this. I should also have either omitted the section headings, or moved MIZZ and UNLV into the appropriate sections (real game, and should win respectively).

All I was trying to point out is that while others are bemoaning the extremely weak non-conference schedule, it may actually be stronger than in the past. We seem to have exchanged a few games in the 250+ range, for a few in the ~150 ballpark.
 
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