They've won 8 of their last 9.
Youth in key roles. It's taken a bit but they're clicking.
Pregame: Illinois at Indiana, Saturday, February 18th 11:00am CT, ESPN
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Youth in key roles. It's taken a bit but they're clicking.
USAFILLINI
- Florida
I'm hoping they come out and prove me wrong, but starting to settle into this is an average, middle of the pack team. Bright spot is the freshman are getting quality minutes for next year. The biggest disappointment is they have the talent to be special, but just cant seem to put it together.
I think this team is top 4 big ten. The PSU loss doesn’t move the needle for me much, any team has a player go off for 40 and regardless of what the rest of that team does they’re most likely winning.
We were competitive given the circumstances. Frankly that’s all I’m asking out of the Indiana game. Keep it a winnable game under 5 left and I’ll be happy.
2 things: it’s hard to win on the road in the big ten against anyone (Purdue OT at Neb). This teams is miles ahead of their December version.
We need to win. You need to move!
I anticipate a much closer game than the initial matchup in Champaign. Underwood will have a much better defensive strategy that prevents TJD from going for 15-19 in mostly single coverage. There's speculation that Xavier Jonson will return for this game, which will give IU their best perimeter defender/slasher offensively. However, there could be some growing pains with him getting acclimated to playing a secondary option to JHS that Illinois could benefit from and steal a W on the road.
I felt we would lose to PSU as well. At the same time. Don’t feel good about IU. I think IU is the last game of the regular season we lose
Seems odd to only have two games all year closer than 9 points. Unless I missed one, Iowa and Texas. We tend to either show up and play well or or not so much.
Wait so we’re winning AT Purdue? I’ll take it as much as I can’t stand Indiana.
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
Any team that has one great player is pretty much an automatic L. PSU, IU, PU.
Retro62
- North Bethesda, Maryland
Would not surprise me if we were to win at IU. I'm not saying we will, but the basketball world has been all over the place this year. Who would have picked Nebraska at the RAC for the most recent example? We are all over the place as a team, so we'll just see what happens...what comes together and what doesn't. I would at least like us to play a full 40 of solid ball even if we lose. Honestly, if we were to even play close to a 40 minutes of solid ball, I don't think we will lose. Take last night's Pickett and replace him with just a really good Pickett who goes off for twenty-something, and we win at PSU. Hopefully, we can slow down TJD to just the aforementioned really good level, instead of season's best performance.
Roger that.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
we lost to the terps by 5 on the road.....
Illinisteve25
- Champaign
Would be cool if we had a player go off for 30+ for once....
Yeah, missed that one. Thanks
Illini in Indiana
- Indiana
It's time to realize who we are.
We are a tourney team that can lose/win against any top 40 team. The B10 season champ hopes are done, and if we play our best we can get to 12-8 in the B10 and have a shot at a double bye.
We don't have Trent or Ayo anymore. We can still beat anyone if we hit shots, and IMO we have a 25% of getting to the sweet 16. Man this still sounds like a great place to be compared to 5 years ago.
We are a tourney team that can lose/win against any top 40 team. The B10 season champ hopes are done, and if we play our best we can get to 12-8 in the B10 and have a shot at a double bye.
We don't have Trent or Ayo anymore. We can still beat anyone if we hit shots, and IMO we have a 25% of getting to the sweet 16. Man this still sounds like a great place to be compared to 5 years ago.
Somehow I am feeling pretty good about our chances on Saturday. We are playing better offensively. Comes down to Dain vs TJD. We gotta double TJD anytime he gets the ball. Additionally, our press was pretty efficient against IU last time out so I wouldn’t mind seeing that wrinkle incorporated in the small doses
If any of our players could get to… say, 29, I bet we’d be good enough to beat UCLA.
GallopingGhost
- Denver, CO
Seeing as we got spanked in our own gym by then already, I’d be shocked if we make this competitive.
I think we win 3 of our remaining games but this one probably won’t be one.
I think we win 3 of our remaining games but this one probably won’t be one.
Illinifan533
- Normal, Illinois
If years like this are going to be "rebuilding" years I'll take it over what we endured during the Weber and Groce eras.
This would be the perfect game for our Indiana kid to go crazy from 3.
This will sound pretty negative so I apologize in advance, but we let the Penn State’s Pickett torch us in both games with them. Why would we adjust to TJD?
That was one thing that was effective in stopping PSU. When we finally pressed, we turned them over some before they got into the half court, and low and behold, they didn't score.
Turn OSU over in the back court, and it doesn't matter if TJD never misses.
illini80
- Forgottonia
Thank you. I suddenly feel much better!
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