Pregame: #9 Illinois vs #8 Michigan, Thursday, March 9th, 11:00am CT, BTN

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#26      

TownieMatt

T
CU Expat
Chicago
TownieMatt
breadman said:
This game is winnable. That's about all you can say. So just win it. And if so, the next game is not.
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Yea, if there's one team I don't think we're capable of beating - even at our best - it's Purdue. Just too much size.

Actually feel like we match up well against Michigan. The real issue will be getting our head's on straight after an embarrassing loss. Given the schizophrenic nature of this team, who knows how they'll react.
 
#27      

TCTORNADO

TCTORNADO
TCTORNADO
PlayAZ said:
Michigan 83 - Illinois 70...Walton dominates and Wagner gets double double....
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Plus Donnal scores 28 points and announces transfer to Illinois as a 5th year grad student.:)
 
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#28      

Illiniguy14

I
Illiniguy14
I'll be at every game the Illini are playing at in DC in the B10 tournament this year. Hoping for one last run from this Illinois team to make the NCAA tournament. Even with a #9 seed in the B10 tournament anything is possible. Back in 2011, UCONN had the #9 seed in the big east tournament and pulled off 5 wins in 5 days to win the Big East Tourney. Four of those wins coming against ranked teams. That same UCONN team went on to win the NCAA tournament.
 
#29      

IntenselyOrange

I
IntenselyOrange
Illiniguy14 said:
I'll be at every game the Illini are playing at in DC in the B10 tournament this year. Hoping for one last run from this Illinois team to make the NCAA tournament. Even with a #9 seed in the B10 tournament anything is possible. Back in 2011, UCONN had the #9 seed in the big east tournament and pulled off 5 wins in 5 days to win the Big East Tourney. Four of those wins coming against ranked teams. That same UCONN team went on to win the NCAA tournament.
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That they were the 9-seed in their conference tournament is where the similarities betwee that UConn team with this Illini team end.
 
#30      

TCTORNADO

TCTORNADO
TCTORNADO
2008 Illinois team finished the regular season 10th out of 11 teams with a 5-13 record and went on to win 3 BTT games and play Wisconsin fairly tough in the final. Plus Illinois in 1999 was dead last (11th) in the B1G and made it to the finals to BTT.
 
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#31      

TCTORNADO

TCTORNADO
TCTORNADO
In 19 years of the BTT, only 2 teams lower than a 3 seed have won the tourney. No team lower than a 6 seed has ever won it.
 
#32      

champaignchris

C
champaignchris
IntenselyOrange said:
That they were the 9-seed in their conference tournament is where the similarities betwee that UConn team with this Illini team end.
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Yeah. That UConn team only lost 9 games heading into the tourney and had future first round NBA draft picks as three of their top four scorers.
 
#34      

Calvin

C
Calvin
TCTORNADO said:
2008 Illinois team finished the regular season 10th out of 11 teams with a 5-13 record and went on to win 3 BTT games and play Wisconsin fairly tough in the final. Plus Illinois in 1999 was dead last (11th) in the B1G and made it to the finals to BTT.
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Fun fact: neither of these were under Groce.
 
#35      

TCTORNADO

TCTORNADO
TCTORNADO
Only 2 Illinois players to be All BTT twice are Brian Cook ('00 & '03) and Demetri McCamey ('08 & '010).
 
#37      

VA Illini Chief

V
VA Illini Chief
I will be there with two of my kids and we all we be in orange and cheering on a win against Michigan with HUGE hopes we can see one more game on Friday from this squad. At the very least we finally get to see a game in person out here on the east coast.
 
#38      

Adnarel

A
Adnarel
It's so weird to see tOSU as an 11 seed. Their fans can't be happy about that.
 
#44      

ChiCityIllini

C
ChiCityIllini
Rerun if 2015

This has rerun of 2015 BTT game against Mich written all over it.

Big time coaching mismatch.

Incredible stat- Beilein is 9-0 in opening BTT games...
 
#45      

Dan

Dan
Admin
Dan
[YOUTUBE]ccS6g1nEHEs[/YOUTUBE]
 
#46      

whovous

W
Washington, DC
whovous
VA Illini Chief said:
I will be there with two of my kids and we all we be in orange and cheering on a win against Michigan with HUGE hopes we can see one more game on Friday from this squad. At the very least we finally get to see a game in person out here on the east coast.
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Color me depressed. I live in DC and had very high hopes when this tournament was announced for the Verizon Center, but watched those hopes fade over the next few years. I've gone from planning to practically live at the Verizon Center this week to having a good seat for Thursday and only vague plans for how to get a seat if they play again on Friday.
 
#47      

dweebs19

dweebs19
dweebs19
I thought about going, but both times I've gone to watch the Illini this season, they have lost. So I will just hope that by staying home, I'm doing my part for the team to win.
 
#48      

GortTheRobot

G
North Bethesda, Maryland
GortTheRobot
Yeah, I really wanted to get downtown to watch the game, but I am busy all week. Sucks. How often do you think the BIG Tourney will come to DC. I was at the 2005 Tourney though, and I can sit back and remember that this weekend.
 
#49      

Soxfreak64

Soxfreak64
Bloomington
Soxfreak64
Not feeling too good about this one. Feels like Michigan is going to straight stomp us
 
#50      

Illiini

Illiini
In the land of the Nittany Lion
Illiini
dweebs19 said:
I thought about going, but both times I've gone to watch the Illini this season, they have lost. So I will just hope that by staying home, I'm doing my part for the team to win.
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Ditto here: Penn State and Rutgers. Went to Penn State last year, too. I feel like a real Joe Btfsplk.

Joe+Btfsplk.jpg
 
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