Illini Teams - Biggest Pleasant Surprise and Biggest Disappointment

I need to distract myself from this season for a bit, so the 2022-23 Illini are NOT an option for this topic. Over your time as a fan, what Illini team was the biggest pleasant surprise for you based on expectations? Additionally, what Illini team left you feeling the most disappointed compared to what you felt "could have been" for that group? My first real memory of watching the Illini with my dad was the Elite Eight loss to Arizona in 2001, so I will have to start with the 2001-02 season, myself:

Pleasant Surprise: 2019-20 ... We had just come off of two losing seasons, and all we really had was hope. After the Miami fake comeback loss at home and the heartbreaker at Maryland, we were 6-3 (0-1) with absolutely no good wins at all. We upset #5 Michigan in December, but later that month we lost to Mizzou in one of the worst performances I can remember, and we got absolutely destroyed in East Lansing to fall to 9-5 (1-2). At that point in January, I don't think many saw us making the Tournament. We then won 7 in a row and started the #RoadWarriors meme, lost four tough games in a row and turned around to win 4 out of 5 to end the year, beating the #18 Hawkeyes at home on the final day of the season to earn a double-bye (Kofi blocking Garza!).

Of course, then the season was cancelled due to COVID, so we never got to see the end. However, after years of misery, this TOUGH team gave us all hope again, and I really felt like they were just hitting their stride. We were probably cruising for anywhere from a #4 to #6 seed in the NCAAs, and I REALLY think we could have made a run.

Biggest Disappointment: 2010-11 ... This was supposed to be the year where the flashy new recruits blended with the old guard plus Weber's amazing coaching to bring us back. We were #13 preseason, and we were 10-1 and ranked #12 when we lost to UIC at the United Center ... even after that unforgivable loss, though, there was SO much season left, and we started off 3-0 in Big Ten play to move to 13-3 overall. We would then lose by two at Penn State due to Talor Battle's 26 points, prompting us to completely limp toward a 9-seed and a Second Round loss in the NCAAs.

And I'm not exaggerating with my word choice of limp ... from January 6th on (our last EIGHTEEN games!!!), we would not win more than one game in a row, and we would not lose more than two games in a row. The disastrous 2012 season would follow (ending in Weber's firing), and our descent into the depths of hell continued. Lol.

Maybe the worst thing about that 2011 team was the hope I had when they actually looked OK in the tournament. We cruised in the 8/9 game and then held their own against 1-seed Kansas. I remember thinking "maybe Weber really did turn things around" - then came 2012.

Edit: just checked for fun and that 2010-11 team had the 4th best KenPom rating of the last 20 seasons (barring a super great finish to this year).

Fighter of the Nightman said:

Pleasant Surprise: 2019-20 ... We had just come off of two losing seasons, and all we really had was hope. After the Miami fake comeback loss at home and the heartbreaker at Maryland, we were 6-3 (0-1) with absolutely no good wins at all. We upset #5 Michigan in December, but later that month we lost to Mizzou in one of the worst performances I can remember, and we got absolutely destroyed in East Lansing to fall to 9-5 (1-2). At that point in January, I don't think many saw us making the Tournament. We then won 7 in a row and started the #RoadWarriors meme, lost four tough games in a row and turned around to win 4 out of 5 to end the year, beating the #18 Hawkeyes at home on the final day of the season to earn a double-bye (Kofi blocking Garza!).

Of course, then the season was cancelled due to COVID, so we never got to see the end. However, after years of misery, this TOUGH team gave us all hope again, and I really felt like they were just hitting their stride. We were probably cruising for anywhere from a #4 to #6 seed in the NCAAs, and I REALLY think we could have made a run.

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One of my biggest "what ifs" is I wish that season had been able to conclude. That team was cooking. Maybe they get some tourney experience, and maybe they carry that over to the next year and go further.

(Alternatively, maybe Ayo performs well in the tournament and departs, then we don't get the joy of 2020-2021 until Loyola).

danielb927 said:

Maybe the worst thing about that 2011 team was the hope I had when they actually looked OK in the tournament. We cruised in the 8/9 game and then held their own against 1-seed Kansas. I remember thinking "maybe Weber really did turn things around" - then came 2012.

Edit: just checked for fun and that 2010-11 team had the 4th best KenPom rating of the last 20 seasons (barring a super great finish to this year).

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I think you can see two teams that are inconsistent in really different ways comparing that team to this current one. That team was 2-8 in close games which was one of the worst records in the country. The current team has only played in 5 (2-3 record) close games! The season is not over yet obviously but it's pretty crazy how allergic we are to close games. While that team struggled to finish, this current one either shows up or doesn't usually.

Pleasant surprise: 2013. Groce's first year. Didn't have high expectations going in but the team won Maui, started 12-0, reached the AP top 10 and came one bad call away from the s16.

Dissapointment: tie between 2003 and 2021. We know what happened in '21. '03 was Cook's senior year. Dee, Deron, Augie's freshman year. AP top 10 ten team, B1G freshman of the year and player of the year, BTT champs, and then got beat by ND pretty handily in the second round...which just happened to be the first game I ever attended in person.

Yes, '03 and '21 are still objectively very good seasons. But there's something about the pain of an abrupt, unexpected ending that stays with a person.

21ChampaignSt said:

Pleasant surprise: 2013. Groce's first year. Didn't have high expectations going in but the team won Maui, started 12-0, reached the AP top 10 and came one bad call away from the s16.

Dissapointment: tie between 2003 and 2021. We know what happened in '21. '03 was Cook's senior year. Dee, Deron, Augie's freshman year. AP top 10 ten team, B1G freshman of the year and player of the year, BTT champs, and then got beat by ND pretty handily in the second round...which just happened to be the first game I ever attended in person.

Yes, '03 and '21 are still objectively very good seasons. But there's something about the pain of an abrupt, unexpected ending that stays with a person.

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Yeah, I chose not to look at the seasons in question exactly like you did, but 2003 especially really disappointed me. We were a last second foul away from being Big Ten champs for the third straight year (a streak that, with that win, could have eventually reached SIX straight years after 2005!), and our loss to Notre Dame was just SUCH a bummer. IIRC, we also didn't look so great in our First Round win.

2021 was almost so shocking to me that I just felt numb. There really wasn't a moment where I truly thought we were going to lose to Loyola until reality smacked me in the face that time had run out. UGH, I had to take my last final of my MBA program online after that game, and it was the worst grade I got in the entire 2-year program by far, I was so distracted.

21ChampaignSt said:

Pleasant surprise: 2013. Groce's first year. Didn't have high expectations going in but the team won Maui, started 12-0, reached the AP top 10 and came one bad call away from the s16.

Dissapointment: tie between 2003 and 2021. We know what happened in '21. '03 was Cook's senior year. Dee, Deron, Augie's freshman year. AP top 10 ten team, B1G freshman of the year and player of the year, BTT champs, and then got beat by ND pretty handily in the second round...which just happened to be the first game I ever attended in person.

Yes, '03 and '21 are still objectively very good seasons. But there's something about the pain of an abrupt, unexpected ending that stays with a person.

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One of the big takeaways I remember from the 2003 tournament is how the freshmen (Dee and Deron, specifically) came into the first game with fancy new hairdos. I remember being concerned at the time that maybe they were more concerned about looking good on the big stage as opposed to playing good. After having a so-so game in a win in the first round, they were flattened by Notre Dame.

The following year, the now-sophomores didn't come to the tournament with new styles. Instead, they came ready to play and ended up smashing Cincinatti in the mouth (ironically enough after one of the Bearcats called Williams "too pretty.") They were even more businesslike the following year and marched to the Championship game.

So I'll be interested to see if the freshmen go to this year's dance are more insterested in flash or in substance. A stylish new look may not mean they're not ready to play... but it could be a red flag.

Surprise-I'd say 08-09? We were 5-13 in Big Ten year before, then go 11-7

Disappointment- 10-11 started 13th and was all downhill

RabidDawgClassic said:

One of the big takeaways I remember from the 2003 tournament is how the freshmen (Dee and Deron, specifically) came into the first game with fancy new hairdos. I remember being concerned at the time that maybe they were more concerned about looking good on the big stage as opposed to playing good. After having a so-so game in a win in the first round, they were flattened by Notre Dame.

The following year, the now-sophomores didn't come to the tournament with new styles. Instead, they came ready to play and ended up smashing Cincinatti in the mouth (ironically enough after one of the Bearcats called Williams "too pretty.") They were even more businesslike the following year and marched to the Championship game.

So I'll be interested to see if the freshmen go to this year's dance are more insterested in flash or in substance. A stylish new look may not mean they're not ready to play... but it could be a red flag.

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I will gladly trade a new hairdo this season for a championship game appearance two seasons from now.

89 Flyin Illini is the greatest Illini team I have ever seen. I say they were better than 05. They had a couple of injuries or I think they bring home the National Championship. My wife and I flew to Hawaii to see them in the tourney. I called my brother and said this team is unbelievable.
The biggest disappoint is 22-23. This team was so hyped, expectations were so high. I was really looking forward to the season to begin. I like many others have been so frustrated with them. Now I just hope this frustration will be short lived with a quick out of tourney play!

Vinegarben said:

89 Flyin Illini is the greatest Illini team I have ever seen. I say they were better than 05. They had a couple of injuries or I think they bring home the National Championship. My wife and I flew to Hawaii to see them in the tourney. I called my brother and said this team is unbelievable.
The biggest disappoint is 22-23. This team was so hyped, expectations were so high. I was really looking forward to the season to begin. I like many others have been so frustrated with them. Now I just hope this frustration will be short lived with a quick out of tourney play!

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This years team also hits difference because with Trent/Kofi/Damonte/Ayo - we were so consistent every game to this team.

Interesting to think how you’d view this team if it was 4 years ago coming off bad years and being just happy to be in the tourney.

Speaks to how well BU has built the program.

Illinicpa14 said:

Interesting to think how you’d view this team if it was 4 years ago coming off bad years and being just happy to be in the tourney.

Speaks to how well BU has built the program.

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Thisx100

1943. Walloped Nebraska 69-27 and Mizzou 51-30 in a couple of non-con matchups, closed out a 12-0 conference run with a 92-25 dismantling of the University of Chicago, and awarded the National Championship via the Premo-Porretta Power Poll.

Of course my pleasant surprise at this is all completely in retrospect, and the 1915 Natty comes in a close second after that.

Illinicpa14 said:

This years team also hits difference because with Trent/Kofi/Damonte/Ayo - we were so consistent every game to this team.

Interesting to think how you’d view this team if it was 4 years ago coming off bad years and being just happy to be in the tourney.

Speaks to how well BU has built the program.

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Love this. You're 100% right. When expectations have been raised to the point where making the tournament is the lowest possible bar, you're doing something right.

Fighter of the Nightman said:

2021 was almost so shocking to me that I just felt numb. There really wasn't a moment where I truly thought we were going to lose to Loyola until reality smacked me in the face that time had run out.

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Biggest disappointment? The years when Trent and Ayo and Kofi and our Glue Guy were together and The Beloved could not go deep into The Dance. Not saying they were Final Four locks... but the premature exits and poor showing remains puzzling. The talent level shown on the floor shown during the seasons did not translate into good tournament showings.

While we are trying to figure out where the current Illini team’s offense has gone... we still can’t figure out what happened under the bright tourney lights the last few seasons.

What they did do was play tight each year and often with the look of panic. And those same looks have reappeared in recent Illini poor efforts.

This has been a general feature of NCAA touraments. There are always a few talented teams that just don’t look right out there and they flame out before their time. And there are other teams with mediocre records that just look like they belong out there and they scare people and advance deeper into the tournament than their season records would let on. The good tournament teams have cracked the code and found the secret sauce.

Some teams just look comfortable at tournament time while others look like they wish they were anywhere else. This does add a level of excitement to The Dance. And it also adds a layer of fear for teams who do not go into March looking like themselves or living up to their true potential.

Anyone who remembers when De Paul was a national power in the late 70s and 80s knows that look of a team in tournament panic. They did have one year with a great run. But for several other years they were drawing in top recruits and compiled flashy season records and then quickly washed out in the Dance. And then the Great Old Coach retired and the program quickly slid into oblivion. And they still aren't anywhere near where they used to be all these years later.

It’s critical to the Illini program to make a good showing this time around. Not setting a particular tournament win-level here (although Sweet Sixteen has a real nice ring to it for their current talent level)... just referring to the Eye Test of how they look compared to the last few years.

1987 losing in the first round as a 3 seed is a disappointing way to end the season.

2020 is on of the biggest surprises and I wish they could have played the tournament. Ended the streak of bad years

For real, though, 91-92 was like getting all 4 tires flat at once. After having 5 really good to great seasons in a row, the loss of Andy Kaufmann to injury and the complete travesty of the NCAA believing Bruce Pearl's fabricated nonsense took all momentum away from the program. Lou got them back to the tournament the next year, but the damage was done and what was starting to look like a dynasty in the making turned into just another good team in the Big Ten.

For me, my most pleasant surprise was the '98-'99 season. Nobody knew what to expect as our entire starting lineup from the year prior graduated and we handed the keys over to a Sophomore Serge and a bunch of freshmen other than a lot of growing pains. And while there were growing pains, seeing a young Cory Bradford, Robert Archibald, Lucas Johnson, and Damir Krupalija develop was a wonder (By the way, it's pretty funny how many forget that amazing 2001 Self team was actually a team entirely of Kruger's recruits). And man, that BTT run to the championship game as the 11 seed was something I still will never forget. We won what, something like 3 conference games the whole season, but it ended in so much promise. I knew we were onto something huge.

As for biggest disappointment, man... From an entire season perspective, the 10-11 Jereme Richmond season which most have mentioned takes the cake. That was a tough tough season, that really is remarkably similar to the one we're having (talented roster, big non-con wins and early season success, players not playing in a manner the coach wants/tuning out, a lot of off-court drama, really inconsistent play with players not being on the same page or moving off-ball to get higher quality shots, and a coach at his wits end in a presser). Rough rough season.

But the individual moment that hurt the most for me was the Jamar Smith incident. Not only was it absolutely awful it was the moment that was the beginning of the end of a truly golden era. To this day, I still wonder what might have been had he and Carlwell not stepped into that car that night and had he not suffered from alcoholism. Kid had the most beautiful looking stroke I've ever seen. Imagine that 2009 team with Jamar Smith still on it and Chester Frazier not breaking his hand right before the tourney... Ugh...