Illini Basketball 2023-2024

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#1      

Dan

Dan
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Dan
Welcome to the Illini Basketball & College Basketball thread :illinois:

Preseason
10-day foreign trip to Spain (details are to be determined, these trips are typically taken in early August).

Schedule (subject to change)
Illinois vs Eastern Illinois, Mon., Nov. 6th
Illinois vs Oakland, Fri., Nov. 10th
Illinois vs Marquette (Gavitt Games), Tue., Nov. 14th
Illinois MTE (multi-team event) vs 3 teams, Nov. 17-25
Illinois vs Colgate, Mon., Nov. 27th
Illinois vs Florida Atlantic (Jimmy V Classic in NYC), Tue., Dec. 5th
Illinois at Tennessee, Sat., Dec. 9th
Illinois vs Missouri (Braggin' Rights in St. Louis), date TBD
Illinois vs FDU, Fri., Dec. 29th

Illinois' schedule rotation for the 20-game league 2023-2024 Big Ten season:

Home Only – Indiana, Minnesota, Nebraska
Away Only – Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin
Home & Away – Iowa, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, Purdue, Rutgers
 
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#6      
theNewGuy
PG
TJ
Domask
Guerrier
Hawkins

Dain
Rodgers
Goode
Harmon
Harris
Hansberry
Gibbs-Lawhorn
Moretti

I think we will have 10 guys put up significant minutes and maybe 11 if Hansberry is better than advertised.
On any given night tho, I think it will be closer to 8 (especially with RayJ). This team is so deep that Brad can make lineups for every matchup and play the hot hands.
 
#10      
sacraig
redwingillini11 said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1664280187016744967

The Battle for who gets to claim Kendrick Nunn.
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brooklyn GIF
 
#11      
Fighter of the Nightman
illiniguy24 said:
https://twitter.com/x/status/1664255480036990976

Illini at 20, pre RayJ decision. I’ll take that
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Yeah, and that is what we should focus on! Regardless of what happens with RayJ, I'm confident we can at least fill the PG void with someone servicible to keep that number around 20. And if you are a top 20 team, you are theoretically a 5-seed or above, and you give yourself more than a fighter's chance at the Second Weekend. We have a very talented roster, and one HAS to assume that cohesiveness and team chemistry will be much improved, if for no other reason than we lost two players who were very clearly unhappy (Skyy and Epps) and returned a core of experienced players that seem to truly want to be here and bleed Orange and Blue (specifically TSJ, Coleman and Goode). We should all be extremely excited about this group anyway, and RayJ would be icing on that cake.
 
#13      
Thebigillini
Honestly… I think we are staring down a 6-9th place big ten finish. Which isn’t bad. Just not what we are paying for as a school.
 
#17      
Ransom Stoddard
Thebigillini said:
We finished 6th last year. I don’t see how we improved. We are gonna be middle of the pack. I’ll bet Vegas has us at 5.5.
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1. Compare the proportion of scoring returning this year vs what returned last year
2. Sophomore Harris & Rodgers (this right here is a reason to think we could be top 3 or 4)
3. A full season of Luke Goode
4. Dainja knows his role now
5. New players won't be expected to carry the team
6. Some addition by subtraction

Honestly, IMO we should be challenging for the conference title. This team is fairly old and pretty loaded with Shannon and Hawkins back.
 
#22      
fatboyslim
Thebigillini said:
Indiana
Maryland
Ohio state
Purdue
Michigan state

Same tier as Wisconsin, Michigan and northwestern
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MSU and Purdue yeah sure. Indiana, Maryland, and Ohio St are shaky at best. Those teams lost a lot more than we did.

Furthermore it has shown especially in the B10 that finishing high or winning the conference means little to nothing in March. Honestly I'm not that concerned about where we finish in the B10 as long as it's enough to get us a favorable matchup in the tournament. If this team is consistent throughout the season then I like our chances in the tournament.
 
#23      
Ga65
Thebigillini said:
We finished 6th last year. I don’t see how we improved. We are gonna be middle of the pack. I’ll bet Vegas has us at 5.5.
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Lost Mayer, Epps, RJ
Gained Domask, Guerrier, and Harmon (Huge plus IMO.)
Year of experience for Hawk, Dain, Ty, and Sencire
Full year of Goode and addition of Hansberry
Harmon would be better PG than Epps if we don’t get a more experienced PG
Not giving us a championship but there is no way that this isn’t a better team. Do think BIG in total will be better.
 
#24      
NJJ871
fatboyslim said:
MSU and Purdue yeah sure. Indiana, Maryland, and Ohio St are shaky at best. Those teams lost a lot more than we did.

Furthermore it has shown especially in the B10 that finishing high or winning the conference means little to nothing in March. Honestly I'm not that concerned about where we finish in the B10 as long as it's enough to get us a favorable matchup in the tournament. If this team is consistent throughout the season then I like our chances in the tournament.
Click to expand...

Very true (bolded)...win the Big Ten, win the Big Ten tournament, finish 6th, doesn't matter - out first weekend of NCAA's.
 
#25      
21ChampaignSt
Ransom Stoddard said:
1. Compare the proportion of scoring returning this year vs what returned last year
2. Sophomore Harris & Rodgers (this right here is a reason to think we could be top 3 or 4)
3. A full season of Luke Goode
4. Dainja knows his role now
5. New players won't be expected to carry the team
6. Some addition by subtraction

Honestly, IMO we should be challenging for the conference title. This team is fairly old and pretty loaded with Shannon and Hawkins back.
Click to expand...
Torvik has us as the 3rd highest rated team in the B1G behind Purdue and MSU (#1 and #7 overall) and just ahead of Indiana, Wisconsin, and Northwestern. So I would say you're both right. We should challenge for top 3 but we're also not clearly a tier above teams projected 4 - 6.

I have literally no idea what to expect because I've never seen half our players play basketball before.

*Torvik has some weirdness in his projections like Dain, Luke, and Ty being 6th, 7th, and 8th in minutes. Just used it because it's probably the best real time ranking available right now.
 
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