Pregame: Illinois vs UConn, Saturday, March 30th, 5:09pm CT, TBS

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#226      

altgeld88

altgeld88
Arlington, Virginia
altgeld88
I got to bed at ~ 2 ET and got up at 10:30 having taken the morning as a vacation half-day. Made my coffee and some grub and just savored last night's victory. A lot going on in life this week and it's a luxury to have had this distraction. Thanks to the team, and all of you, for this place to gather, bond, and celebrate. I'm really glad I watched the video of the students swarming Alma Mater last night before I turned in. The joy, youth, promise, sense of community. It made me delighted for all of them, and all of us.

I'm old enough that one beer over an entire basketball game plus ~ four hours delay to my normal bedtime makes me feel somewhat hungover. But I'm really going to enjoy what's left of Friday, all of Saturday, and then Easter. (For those who may be currently observing Ramadan, I'm mindful of the blessing of tip times after sunset so you're not frazzled and famished!)

This team that Brad assembled is, of course, beyond special. They have their deficiencies but they want it badly and have the size, talent, maturity and cohesion to get it done. After so many seasons of disappointment and frustration it's a joy to be here again the past several seasons, where late February and March truly matter to the Beloved.

Twelve left standing this morning. Only eight will be here tomorrow morning. We'll be one of them. This is ours. Life is good, my brothers and sisters. Life is good.

:illinois: :alma-mater:
 
#228      

InDaAZ

InDaAZ
Eugene, Oregon
InDaAZ
sacraig said:
I see some of the UConn. Posters have found their way to these boards and have started screenshotting messages.

Hi, Huskies fans!
Click to expand...
Hey, Huskivites! Here is your insider scouting report…

Illinois is so overrated; look ahead to your F4 matchup
You can relax and set up your D when Illinois gets the defensive board
Foul Shannon hard when he drives - he’ll quit and settle for long twos
You’re good not guarding Hawkins past the 3-pt line
Go ahead and double Domask as soon as he turns his back to the basket
Leave Dainja whenever another guy drives the lane
Put your center on Rodgers - it works every time

Enjoy your easy beatdown!

Seth Meyers Lol GIF by Late Night with Seth Meyers
 
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#229      

Doogie94

D
Doogie94
Though I didn't particularly like it at the time, one of the best things that could have happened to this team was having Morehead State go up 9-0 in the first couple minutes of the first game. That immediate adversity brought us back to reality after the high of winning the Big Ten tourney.
Morehead State had nothing to lose, so they were playing loose. By forcing us to dig deep in that game, it prepared us for the challenges ahead.
Overcoming that adversity set us on the path so that in spite of our worst performance (at least in some facets to be sure) in our most recent run of 8 games against the #5 team in the nation and legitimate #1 seed candidate, we were in control (for the most part) for the entire game.
That's a subtle but hopefully very important advantage we have going for us as we square off with UConn.
 
#230      

ChiefGritty

ChiefGritty
Chicago, IL
ChiefGritty
AirNeazy said:
Fun fact, and take from it what you will but we'll be tied for the highest seed UConn has faced in both last years title run and this year's tourney.

They have been *extremely* fortunate with their draws.
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The unfortunate counter-takeaway: their most difficult tourney game the last two years was playing 3rd seeded and KenPom #1 offense in the country Gonzaga in the Elite Eight last year and they absolutely destroyed them.
 
#231      

Illinell

Illinell
'03 IMPE All Star
Bridgeport, Chicago
Illinell
Not sure if this is allowed or the right place, but I recently opened a music venue, brewery, and restaurant in Bridgeport called Ramova Theatre.

We have a 10 foot by 20 foot video wall that will have the Illini game jamming. Feel free to stop by, say hello, and I'll try to buy ya a beer!
 
#233      

CleverHandle1

C
CleverHandle1
Mobi said:
Clingan is not a 30-40 pt guy. They often feed him the ball to post up and then pass out for three when you help. We can try Coleman one on one but need to be careful don't get him into foul trouble. The other option is of course Dain. It has to be a combination and find out which one is more effective.
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No three-pointers. So, let Clingan do his one-on-one with CH. At strategic times, when he is about to shoot or get in position to shoot, send someone in there to distract him. The Illini did this against Iowa in Iowa and it worked very well for them.
 
#234      

OrangeBlue98

OrangeBlue98
Des Moines, IA
OrangeBlue98
InDaAZ said:
Hey, Huskivites! Here is your insider scouting report…

Illinois is so overrated; look ahead to your F4 matchup
You can relax and set up your D when Illinois gets the defensive board
Foul Shannon hard when he drives - he’ll quit and settle for long twos
You’re good not guarding Hawkins past the 3-pt line
Go ahead and double Domask as soon as he turns his back to the basket
Leave Dainja whenever another guy drives the lane
Put your center on Rodgers - it works every time

Enjoy your easy beatdown!

Seth Meyers Lol GIF by Late Night with Seth Meyers
Click to expand...
I’m sure a couple of mine are there.

Oh well. Truth hurts.
 
#235      

altgeld88

altgeld88
Arlington, Virginia
altgeld88
Combo said:
Exactly! We've already gone further than expected. We got nothing to lose.

I wouldn't bet on us winning. But who bet on Villanova in 1985 or NC State in 1982? Sometimes David beats Goliath.
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That, IMO, is what is going to make the next ~32 hours So. Much. Freaking. Fun. The boys will leave it ALL on the Garden floor. Nothing to lose, everything to gain.
 
#236      

ChiTown

ChiTown
ChiTown
Illinell said:
Not sure if this is allowed or the right place, but I recently opened a music venue, brewery, and restaurant in Bridgeport called Ramova Theatre.

We have a 10 foot by 20 foot video wall that will have the Illini game jamming. Feel free to stop by, say hello, and I'll try to buy ya a beer!
Click to expand...
You will try or you will buy me a beer…..just asking for a friend.
 
#239      

CleverHandle1

C
CleverHandle1
For me, Illinois can win this game by:

1. Playing without a worry; the pressure is on UCONN--not the Illini.
2. Against ISU, every pass Illinois made seemed to have a purpose. Do the same against UCONN.
3. Don't double team Clingan all the time--no easy three-pointers! At times, though, send a player in there when he's about to shoot or setting up, but it needs to be perfectly timed, so disruption can be effective.
4. Go after Clingan when Dain is in there--make him work. Don't be afraid to go after him at times.
5. Similar to #4, don't rely on three-pointers all the time, just because UCONN has good interior defense.
6. Make your FTs!!!!!!
 
#240      

ChiefGritty

ChiefGritty
Chicago, IL
ChiefGritty
My initial scouting report thoughts on the game is that both of these teams aren't used to facing an opponent as big and athletic as they are. Them handling that worse than us is the path to making them look more ordinary than usual.

But also, with the way UConn cuts and passes and attacks their way into the paint, and our bad habit of being passive and foul-averse in those situations, it's not immediately clear how we're going to stop them from scoring a zillion points in this game.
 
#242      

sacraig

sacraig
The desert
sacraig
ChiefGritty said:
My initial scouting report thoughts on the game is that both of these teams aren't used to facing an opponent as big and athletic as they are. Them handling that worse than us is the path to making them look more ordinary than usual.

But also, with the way UConn cuts and passes and attacks their way into the paint, and our bad habit of being passive and foul-averse in those situations, it's not immediately clear how we're going to stop them from scoring a zillion points in this game.
Click to expand...
I guess we will have to score 1 zillion and 1 points.

ILL - 1027
UConn - 1026
 
#243      

Combo

C
Combo
ChiefGritty said:
The unfortunate counter-takeaway: their most difficult tourney game the last two years was playing 3rd seeded and KenPom #1 offense in the country Gonzaga in the Elite Eight last year and they absolutely destroyed them.
Click to expand...
Their closest margin of victory in last year's Tourney was 13 points! They were that dominant. And this year's version looks like it might be as good.
 
#245      

Combo

C
Combo
Illinell said:
Not sure if this is allowed or the right place, but I recently opened a music venue, brewery, and restaurant in Bridgeport called Ramova Theatre.

We have a 10 foot by 20 foot video wall that will have the Illini game jamming. Feel free to stop by, say hello, and I'll try to buy ya a beer!
Click to expand...
Thanks. Always good to know a new option.
 
#246      

Johnny Lawrence

Johnny Lawrence
Johnny Lawrence
#247      

ginabackes00

G
CrazedUIFan
ginabackes00
How refreshing it‘s been to see this team be all on the same page from the coaching staff to the players. It says a lot about how small things matter to be successful. Obviously it takes talent, but it’s the buy-in and trust for coaches and players, knowing and accepting your role, playing for each other, holding each other accountable, and using the pieces you have and putting them in the right spots to be successful. I believe the team can win because of that formula. If they don’t, it’s still been a great ride.
 
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