Pregame: Illinois vs Arizona, Saturday, December 11th, 4:00pm CT, FOX

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#27      

Chad Fleck

Eureka, IL
Will be at the game with my fiancé and family. My parents haven’t been to a game since 2016 or so, my sister hasn’t been since the renovation and her boyfriend has never been to SFC/Assembly Hall. Hoping the atmosphere is as good as it should be! Krush needs to watch a video of the Wake Forest game and bring it like the old days!!
I'm going for the first time in 7 years or so, I think.
 
#28      
Bringing my SO out to Illinois for the first time to see this game and enjoy a horseshoe - anybody that wants to go on the SFC court afterwards to shoot baskets, DM me before noon today and I'll see what I can do.
 
#31      
Anybody actually watch Arizona yet this year? Looks like they have some size...2 guys at 6'11 and another at 7'1. The stats show they play 9-10 deep, they like to play fast, and they have 4 guys in double figure scoring.

Akinjo looks like the guy to stop. He's averaging 15 pts 5 asts so I'm guessing if Trent can lock him down we have a good shot.

Arizona plays Wyoming tomorrow at 10 ET on PAC12 if anyone gets that network.
 
#32      
Anybody actually watch Arizona yet this year? Looks like they have some size...2 guys at 6'11 and another at 7'1. The stats show they play 9-10 deep, they like to play fast, and they have 4 guys in double figure scoring.

Akinjo looks like the guy to stop. He's averaging 15 pts 5 asts so I'm guessing if Trent can lock him down we have a good shot.

Arizona plays Wyoming tomorrow at 10 ET on PAC12 if anyone gets that network.
Akinjo is at Baylor
 
#33      

sacraig

The desert
Anybody actually watch Arizona yet this year? Looks like they have some size...2 guys at 6'11 and another at 7'1. The stats show they play 9-10 deep, they like to play fast, and they have 4 guys in double figure scoring.

Akinjo looks like the guy to stop. He's averaging 15 pts 5 asts so I'm guessing if Trent can lock him down we have a good shot.

Arizona plays Wyoming tomorrow at 10 ET on PAC12 if anyone gets that network.
We don't even get that here in Tucson. It's a joke.
 
#34      

texillwek

🔶🔹🔸🔷
Anybody actually watch Arizona yet this year? Looks like they have some size...2 guys at 6'11 and another at 7'1. The stats show they play 9-10 deep, they like to play fast, and they have 4 guys in double figure scoring.

Akinjo looks like the guy to stop. He's averaging 15 pts 5 asts so I'm guessing if Trent can lock him down we have a good shot.

Arizona plays Wyoming tomorrow at 10 ET on PAC12 if anyone gets that network.
How's their press? 😏
 
#35      
If anyone watched Arizona beat Michigan you would have seen them run, run, run. Their half court game wasn't good but they beat Michigan down the floor repeatedly.
 
#36      
If anyone watched Arizona beat Michigan you would have seen them run, run, run. Their half court game wasn't good but they beat Michigan down the floor repeatedly.
I feel like that probably won't play against us, or at least not effectively. Kofi runs great for his size and BU preaches effort.
 
#39      
Akinjo is at Baylor

Yikes I was looking at last years stats. Now that I'm looking at the right stats.....their 3 leading scorers are 6'7, 6'11, and 7'1.

I am watching the Michigan Arizona highlights now. Arizona tries to push the ball every time. They like the high low in their half court sets. If we can make them play a half court game and force them into jumpers we will win.

Wouldn't be surprised if BU is prepping to play some combo of Kofi, BBV, or Omar together. Arizona's PF, Tubelis, is a typical European big man. Strong and very crafty around the rim. I think Hawkins will struggle with him this game. BBV might be the secret weapon we need to lock him down while Kofi handles the other big Koloko, who is very long and athletic.
 
#40      
Anybody actually watch Arizona yet this year? Looks like they have some size...2 guys at 6'11 and another at 7'1. The stats show they play 9-10 deep, they like to play fast, and they have 4 guys in double figure scoring.

Akinjo looks like the guy to stop. He's averaging 15 pts 5 asts so I'm guessing if Trent can lock him down we have a good shot.

Arizona plays Wyoming tomorrow at 10 ET on PAC12 if anyone gets that network.
I watched almost their entire game against my Oregon State Beavers. They start two bigs — Koloko and Tubelis — and do a lot of high low action. Based on the game I saw, I would expect to see Kofi guard Koloko (the shot blocker) and Hawk on Tubelis (European-style big). Their leading scorer and star of the game I saw was Malthurn. He scored 29 points from all 3 levels. Announcers kept saying he was a catch and shoot player last year, but he was much more than that this weekend — though still did hit 4 triples. Listed at 6-6, 210, I’d expect he will be DMW’s assignment.

Their other main 3-pointer player was Kriisa. Interesting story is he is named after Steve Kerr and actually wears his first name on the back of his jersey. Dalen Terry is the final starter. Backcourt height/length could be a problem for Illini. Kriisa is 6-3 and Terry is 6-7. Off the bench they have a Ballo (the heaviest of the seven footers at 260), Larsson (former teammate of Plummer), Kier, and Aiken. All of them had their moments in game I saw.

All that height and length makes their full court press pretty effective. I don’t think they pressed as much as the Hawkeyes did last night, but remember at least a few steals as a result of the press. They forced 13 steals and 22 TOs in all against the Beavers. Gonna be a tough test for Illini.
 
#41      

BlindLoyalty

FartNoiseMotivation
Arizona leads the nation in assists/game (23) is 6th in nation blocked shots/game (7) 3rd in nation in defensive rebounds/game (31.86). Those numbers are a recipe for a good defensive team. They play fast, they pass the ball and all 5 on the court can score the ball. This is not Sean Miller's offense. Mathurin will be difficult to guard, he is supremely talented and fun to watch. Lack of height/size at the guard position may be a challenge on D. Illinois had 19 offensive rebounds vs Iowa...AZ is one of the best in the nation at limiting offensive rebounds...should be a fun battle on the glass. Reunion for Plummer and Pelle Larsson who were backcourt mates at Utah. This should be one of the better up and down games of the year.

 
#44      
Just wish the single tickets that remain were at reasonable prices (that goes for all games). $60 for nosebleed seats? That's a tough sell IMO.
eh honestly, there isn't a bad seat in the place. I bought season ticket mobile pass deal and I am usually in section 211 or around there. Pretty good deal for the most part especially if you do it with friends and family.
 
#45      
eh honestly, there isn't a bad seat in the place. I bought season ticket mobile pass deal and I am usually in section 211 or around there. Pretty good deal for the most part especially if you do it with friends and family.
This. I have one and one way or another, those tickets get used.
 
#46      
In getting excited for this game, I was thinking this should be the best home court atmosphere since Iowa, Maryland (which I attended) or MSU in 2019-20, but I think it takes time to create atmosphere again by getting the fans to buy in. Those games got loud in big moments, but they lacked buzz at times … that nervous quietness of fans afraid we’d blow it. Same problem with other huge crowds like upsetting #1 IU in 2013.

Looking back at the last several years, I tried to find times that (1) we had a sold out crowd, (2) we had a nationally ranked opponent in town and (3) we genuinely had the chance to score a HUGE win for the program’s reputation and our fans actually had hope we could do it. Using that criteria, this might honestly be the biggest home game since Wake Forest in 2005. Yeah, I said it.
 
#47      

texillwek

🔶🔹🔸🔷
In getting excited for this game, I was thinking this should be the best home court atmosphere since Iowa, Maryland (which I attended) or MSU in 2019-20, but I think it takes time to create atmosphere again by getting the fans to buy in. Those games got loud in big moments, but they lacked buzz at times … that nervous quietness of fans afraid we’d blow it. Same problem with other huge crowds like upsetting #1 IU in 2013.

Looking back at the last several years, I tried to find times that (1) we had a sold out crowd, (2) we had a nationally ranked opponent in town and (3) we genuinely had the chance to score a HUGE win for the program’s reputation and our fans actually had hope we could do it. Using that criteria, this might honestly be the biggest home game since Wake Forest in 2005. Yeah, I said it.
houston rockets basketball GIF by NBPA
 
#48      
Arizona has quite the international flair. 6 of their top 7 scorers are foreign born players.
As an Arizona alum, and a rabid Illini hoops fan for over 65 years, this is not a match up I relish. I would not dare be seen at SFC for this game, but I will be wearing Illini gear while watching what I hope is an Illini victory. It is nice to see the Cats competitive after a dark and questionable period under Sean Miller, one that caused me to lose all interest in the program. I only hope and pray that AD Dave Heeke and Coach Tommy Lloyd can build the program based on integrity and compliance....while getting used to occasional but consistent disappointing losses to the Illini.
 
#49      
No idea, but if I’m the staff, it makes way more sense for him to ease into things during the stretch following the Arizona game because those should be pretty easy W’s if the guys are locked in.
Or perhaps it's all a ploy to make Arizona prepare for no Belo and then come tip off we see our playmaker saunter on to the floor as part of the starting 5...I've also been speculating that there could be some violation of team rules happening but think if that were the case then he wouldn't of traveled to Iowa last night so perhaps it is still medically related?
 
#50      
Or perhaps it's all a ploy to make Arizona prepare for no Belo and then come tip off we see our playmaker saunter on to the floor as part of the starting 5...I've also been speculating that there could be some violation of team rules happening but think if that were the case then he wouldn't of traveled to Iowa last night so perhaps it is still medically related?
I was thinking that too or something else he did wrong but the way he and Underwood interact all the time makes me believe it is something different entirely. He is right in the middle of the celebrations, last night he was pointing out things happening on the floor and kind of being an extra coach. He is engaged and I feel like he is all-in but something is just wrong.
 
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