Countdown continues, in only 3 weeks Southern will be at the SFC for game #1.
Yeah, this line gave me pause. Given Underwood's past and time at Western, I think he really does appreciate that Illinois is a powder keg of a basketball school overdue for another blast. He's certainly doing his part in sprinkling lighter fluid around by landing Smith + Dosunmu. Get a solid big and we're really going to turn heads starting in '18-'19 (if we haven't already done so this year, which I still think is not just possible, but likely)."We're a powder keg, and the fuse has been lit." :thumb:
The preseason pick means nothing right now. We have waaaaaay too many new faces and unknowns for anybody to state with confidence where we're going to finish.
That said, at this moment, this is my hunch for how I see it playing out:
2017-18: We go 20-12 (or something like that) and finish somewhere around #8 in the Big Ten. We'll be squarely on the bubble.
If everybody then returns.....
2018-19: We are a preseason top-25 team (somewhere around #20 or #21), and go something like 24-9 and finish around #4 or #5 in the Big Ten. Get into the tourney as a 4 or 5 seed.
Yeah, this line gave me pause. Given Underwood's past and time at Western, I think he really does appreciate that Illinois is a powder keg of a basketball school overdue for another blast. He's certainly doing his part in sprinkling lighter fluid around by landing Smith + Dosunmu. Get a solid big and we're really going to turn heads starting in '18-'19 (if we haven't already done so this year, which I still think is not just possible, but likely).
at Vanderbilt on Sunday, Oct. 29th
Maybe the Rev can suit up one more time for the O&B
According to the seating chart the visiting bench is around section 105-106. Tickets are on sale at the WF ticket site now but not sure if you can get tix there, might have to try alternatives such as stubhub, vividseats, etc. And you could always ask the Illini ticket office if they have any available from their allotment behind the bench, which I believe is rare but worth a shot.Here I am, a misplaced Midwesterner, looking for tickets for the B1G/ACC Challenge Illinois/Wake Forest game in Winston-Salem on November 28. Is there any way to insure that I am buying tickets that will have me sitting with like-minded folks?
Thanks
Jon Rothstein names Mark Smith one of the 20 nationally freshman that are under the radar. Goodwin and Garza are on the list too. Geo Baker of Rutgers is on it, also.
https://www.fanragsports.com/20-under-the-radar-freshmen-to-watch-for-in-17-18-cbb-season/
Illini Closed Scrimmages:
vs Indiana State on Sunday, Oct. 22nd
at Vanderbilt on Sunday, Oct. 29th
https://scout.com/college/illinois/...g-Indiana-State-in-closed-scrimmage-109078214
https://twitter.com/GoodmanESPN/status/921352498618748929
I know this is a silly question but its a closed scrimmage which means it probably wont be streamed anywhere?
It will not be streamed. There is a very good chance we won't hear any results at all, although rumors can always leak.
And results don’t mean much in these anyway. They are usually not full games. There are starts and stops with coaching going on. There are specific situations set up for teams to work on. No real substitution patterns. A “score” may leak out, but it may not mean a lot. We beat West Virginia(iirc) badly in one of these and it had little bearing on the season for either team.
Combes
I just want to know if the freshman belong and can they play in the B10 even with the starting and stopping there will be a clear pic of who belongs and who doesn't...ISU is a mid major and there should be like okay ISU is just out classed...
I know for a fact these (2) scrimmages will provide a clear picture of who can play at this level...Alstork included
Scrimmages never prove anything. Just like playing cupcakes in the non-con, all they can do is show a players potential. Jaylen Tate is proof. He looked like he "belonged" in so many non-con games. We all know what happened once conference play started.
Combes
I just want to know if the freshman belong and can they play in the B10 even with the starting and stopping there will be a clear pic of who belongs and who doesn't...ISU is a mid major and there should be like okay ISU is just out classed...
I know for a fact these (2) scrimmages will provide a clear picture of who can play at this level...Alstork included
I saw a practice this week and the freshman bigs have a way to go. Matic looked exhausted mentally and physically with an hour left in practice. Greg struggled with the mental side; defensive assignments, offensive plays/reads, being able to take hard coaching. The freshman guards looked better for sure, but still had some mistakes. Underwood said he won't do anything to prepare specifically for the scrimmage, but that it's just a chance to run stuff against guys who don't know what's coming.
So the one thing that still bothers me.......
We're picked to finish 12th (bottom three in Big Ten) this year. I believe that prediction from the Big 10 coaches. Presumably they know the conference talent better than anyone else. They also know that Underwood is our new coach.
Alstork leaves and Ayo replaces him in a year. How much better than 12th will we be in 2018-19?
Obviously, there needs to be a "giant leap" at some point. Hoping maybe that leap occurs this year!