Pregame: Illinois at Purdue, Friday, January 5th, 7:30pm CT, FS1
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I was there 2 years ago when Ayo and Kofi played. It was the loudest and most intense atmosphere I've ever been in. Hostile environment is an understatement. I still have my money on our boys! Go Illini.
If Edey guards Rodgers, Rodgers will definitely get him in foul trouble just by getting him in space and driving on him, IMO.
ginabackes00
CrazedUIFan
I'm going to state the obvious here, but we need to hit the open shots from the paremeter to give us the ability to spread the floor to allow booty ball to be effective. Domask and Ty reads are crucial.
sacraig
- The desert
Rodgers is pretty good at getting the ball and quickly transitioning into a ball screen (after immediately swinging the ball) or DHO that punishes teams for playing off of him. It's the draymond green playbook
Easy now. The fan base must stay connected.
Dain won't see the floor at all when Edey is in, and I doubt he'll play much in the 10 mins that Edey will sit. Only way he gets more than 3-4 mins is if Coleman gets into foul trouble. Don't think it'll be a problem, we understand that we just have to let Edey get his without fouling and lock down hard on everyone else.
Foul Edey 30 times this game. Just don’t let them beat us from 3.
Just consider:
This Illini team, minus its best player, is facing the #1 team in the country on the road and our fanbase (including me) thinks we have a decent shot at knocking them off.
Inhale deeply boys and girls. This is what being a nationally relevant winning program is about. Savor it.
This is what we hoped Brad had in him. And where we’d get back to being.
Enjoy the view from up here. We waited forever to get back.
Lets go get em Friday and win or lose keep playing lights out team ball and enjoy the fact we’re playing great as a nationally relevant team again, really we have been since 2020.
Go Illini!
This Illini team, minus its best player, is facing the #1 team in the country on the road and our fanbase (including me) thinks we have a decent shot at knocking them off.
Inhale deeply boys and girls. This is what being a nationally relevant winning program is about. Savor it.
This is what we hoped Brad had in him. And where we’d get back to being.
Enjoy the view from up here. We waited forever to get back.
Lets go get em Friday and win or lose keep playing lights out team ball and enjoy the fact we’re playing great as a nationally relevant team again, really we have been since 2020.
Go Illini!
If I’m Painter I would make Hawk beat PU from three. Smith and Loyer will get eaten alive without Edey down low. My choice of poison would be the three. Be interesting to see their strategy, ours is pretty clear. Pressure their guards relentlessly. TJ would be a big help in that regard.
Yep. This is the game to show NBA that CH is a shooter.
I don’t think Painter will let Coleman shoot wide open rhythm threes. I’d bet he’d rather let the booty ball happen and live with the tough twos.
Hawkins was playing drop coverage, which is why going under screens was hurting the Illini early, but obviously Hawkins can and did guard a lot more people than Dain.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
Yeah, but that will only last so long once Domask exploits mismatches. Then they bring weak side help and leave cutters (QC) and shooters (LG, CH, JH) wide open.
This team is pick your poison now. And when TSJ returns...we'll have a monster to shove it down your throat.
Coleman pulls Edey out, opens everything and takes away Purdues biggest defensive weapon. Like in chess, you rarely want your queen out ahead of the cavalry meandering out in no-mans-land.
If QG and Luke are hitting catch and shoot 3’s off drive kick outs i believe we have a very fair shot to win this game.
Oh, and TY will be an absolute dawg for 40 minutes straight.
If QG and Luke are hitting catch and shoot 3’s off drive kick outs i believe we have a very fair shot to win this game.
Oh, and TY will be an absolute dawg for 40 minutes straight.
Joel Goodson
- respect my decision™
Threes from where? While Cohawk did take one NBA 3 last game, he also did seem much more conscious of where the college line is. If he plays like that again, I think we win. If he's taking NBA 3's, I think Painter let's him have them, and I fear we lose.
drsmitty74
- Rochester
Gotta love the dig at Purdon't using DGL in this.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Gotta stick with the orange throwbacks for this one!
While we're going to need a great game from Coleman, if Purdue decides to leave Ty unguarded (have Edey technically guarding him while staying in the paint), I think Guerrier will be our key to victory. You have Ty drive to the paint, which Edey will have to recognize and you have Guerrier hard cut to the paint for the dish and bucket as Zach tries to recover. As well, we're going to need Quincy to bang on the boards defensively and hold his own as Purdue is a fantastic offensive rebounding team as well. The second chance points they get are killer.
I would not be surprised if Amani gets high value tick in this one, especially if we get into foul trouble, similar to what Lieb did last year. I also could see Dain getting time when Edey is on the bench.
As for defending Purdue, we need to run them off the 3pt line for sure as they are loaded with sharpshooters. No easy threes. However, when they throw the ball into Edey, he does have struggles with turnovers against help defenders shooting in for quick double teams. While Justin Harmon scares me defensively against 3pt shooters, he has quick enough hands to pester Edey, so when he's on the court, he should pick his spots for quick doubles and force Edey to try to recognize it and pass out before turning the ball over. Overall, going to need a good game from everyone to take this down. Hope we can do it
I would not be surprised if Amani gets high value tick in this one, especially if we get into foul trouble, similar to what Lieb did last year. I also could see Dain getting time when Edey is on the bench.
As for defending Purdue, we need to run them off the 3pt line for sure as they are loaded with sharpshooters. No easy threes. However, when they throw the ball into Edey, he does have struggles with turnovers against help defenders shooting in for quick double teams. While Justin Harmon scares me defensively against 3pt shooters, he has quick enough hands to pester Edey, so when he's on the court, he should pick his spots for quick doubles and force Edey to try to recognize it and pass out before turning the ball over. Overall, going to need a good game from everyone to take this down. Hope we can do it
Question and maybe I'm just forgetting.....but does Illinois have any "Darknight" type uniforms? Like mostly black but yet the Illinois symbol and letters be in orange ? I just think it would be cool to have a uniform that somewhat makes a statement as well to others. Thoughts? I know you enjoy discussing uniforms a lil more than some
I'm a little embarrassed. I thought that Fighter was your first name and Nightman your last.
Congratulations anyway. Unasked for and hopefully unnecessary advice. Spend tons of time on the floor with the little ones, lots of lap and shoulder time, while you can. Nothing better than walking in the door, and having them excitedly yell "Daddy's home!!!!" and run to you with their arms up to be carried. Plus they get too big to carry way too soon.
This team is showing that you can build a team of guys that are invested in each other and play for each other even in the new transfer world we find ourselves in. Last year's team gave us all reason to question whether it was possible to bring in guys for a single season and get them to gel. This year's team is showing us it's all about the type of guys you bring in.
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