pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Pregame: Illinois at Maryland, Friday, January 21st, 6:00pm CT, FS1
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Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
The ~fan~ in me is super nervous for this one (I honestly hate these games where the pressure is more on avoiding the loss than nabbing a great win), but I also can't help but feel like this guys are hitting their strides and are going to come out similarly to the Minnesota game ... certainly hope so!! Here are the B1G standings after last night:
1. Illinois: 6-1
1. Wisconsin: 6-1
2. Michigan State: 5-1
3. Ohio State: 5-2
4. Purdue: 4-2
4. Rutgers: 4-2
5. Indiana: 4-3
6. Iowa: 3-3
Tonight's RU/Iowa game isn't that meaningful to us, honestly. However, as much as it ABSOLUTELY sucks ... I think we want IU to knock off Purdue tomorrow night. IU at 5-3 doesn't scare me as a contender, but Purdue two losses behind us would be an incredible blessing as we close in on the end of January.
Friday's MSU/UW game in Madison seems like a lose-lose for us, as of now. Assuming we can beat Maryland (as we must!), UW will keep pace with us if they win and MSU will be just behind us if they do. I guess we want MSU, as UW looks a bit better to me, and it would be nice for MSU to be ranked even higher when they come to Champaign next week? The rest of the weekend's games don't mean much, either. If every team that is favored wins, these will be the standings as MSU comes to Champaign next Tuesday:
Illinois: 7-1
Wisconsin: 7-1
Ohio State: 6-2
Purdue: 6-2
Michigan State: 5-2
Iowa: 5-3
Indiana: 5-4
Rutgers: 4-4
Bottom line is, of course, that we just need to keep winning. We are in the driver's seat and playing as well as we have all year, with a brand new weapon back in our arsenal. I can't be the only one who came away more optimistic specifically because we played so well without Kofi ... teams that rely on a player or two can be doomed quickly come March Madness. I think we come out on Friday and keep this train rollin'!
#17 ILLINOIS 81
MARYLAND 70
1. Illinois: 6-1
1. Wisconsin: 6-1
2. Michigan State: 5-1
3. Ohio State: 5-2
4. Purdue: 4-2
4. Rutgers: 4-2
5. Indiana: 4-3
6. Iowa: 3-3
Tonight's RU/Iowa game isn't that meaningful to us, honestly. However, as much as it ABSOLUTELY sucks ... I think we want IU to knock off Purdue tomorrow night. IU at 5-3 doesn't scare me as a contender, but Purdue two losses behind us would be an incredible blessing as we close in on the end of January.
Friday's MSU/UW game in Madison seems like a lose-lose for us, as of now. Assuming we can beat Maryland (as we must!), UW will keep pace with us if they win and MSU will be just behind us if they do. I guess we want MSU, as UW looks a bit better to me, and it would be nice for MSU to be ranked even higher when they come to Champaign next week? The rest of the weekend's games don't mean much, either. If every team that is favored wins, these will be the standings as MSU comes to Champaign next Tuesday:
Illinois: 7-1
Wisconsin: 7-1
Ohio State: 6-2
Purdue: 6-2
Michigan State: 5-2
Iowa: 5-3
Indiana: 5-4
Rutgers: 4-4
Bottom line is, of course, that we just need to keep winning. We are in the driver's seat and playing as well as we have all year, with a brand new weapon back in our arsenal. I can't be the only one who came away more optimistic specifically because we played so well without Kofi ... teams that rely on a player or two can be doomed quickly come March Madness. I think we come out on Friday and keep this train rollin'!
#17 ILLINOIS 81
MARYLAND 70
We always seem to struggle against Maryland but remember that we played them round 1 on one day of rest because the Minnesota game was rescheduled. I think we come out a bit sharper and Kofi may steal some poor Maryland player’s soul with a dunk.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Maryland is teetering on "dumpster fire" status lately but I imagine that they'll come out Friday at home with some vigor. I agree with the preceding poster who pointed out that we got them on less than 48 hours of rest after the MN game (which was, in turn, our first game out after the COVID hiatus) so perhaps the margin of victory would have been greater otherwise.
As for IU-PU, definitely prefer IU to prevail. I'll agree that's a painful stance. I'm reminded of Henry Kissinger's observation about the Iran-Iraq War: such a pity that both sides can't lose.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
As far as our game against the twerps , I will wait for the annoucement of the refs with bated breath..................................
Please Ancient's , no more dj bald head , lil Bo peepee or Larry S******d for our games...............
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Is that Jack in Easy Rider?! "Oh, I've got a helmet!" (and, IIRC, it's a Michigan helmet, so, you know, Pru and I aren't too far off-topic.)
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
and neither of us were being Snarky............................
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Oh, if anything I am embarrassingly earnest in (many of ) my posts for a gentleman of my advanced years.
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Oh, if anything I am embarrassingly earnest in (many of ) my posts for a gentleman of my advanced years.
It's Earnest T.
Nothing constructive to add, just wanted to express my admiration for the Kissinger reference. That's slinging it old school right there.
Elastic waistbands come around 1938. Not sure when we adopted them.
Tacomallini
- Washington State
I don't like him. Too much Purdue attire for my liking. /s
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
Just got tickets. My first in-person game in a loooong time. Pretty darn excited. Bring on the turtles.
PSA: Can the Illini bench find a more gentle method of showing props to Belo after he impresses on the court and heads to the sideline? Enthusiastically flinging or boppin his head has got to be no bueno for concussion recovery, especially if he's not bracing for impact--he'll get enough of that from the opposition--he needs healing! Go Illini!!!
Nice, I was going to get to see them play in Destin fl last year in an early season tournament but got canceled due to covid.
Chad Fleck
- Eureka, IL
Probably not any worse than what will happen to him all the time when he goes spinning into the lane like he so often does.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
I do what I can to make up for my woeful lack of insight on recruiting and officiating.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Yep. It’s akin to what proliferates when antisocial behavior can’t be taxed.
/s also. Well, kinda.
Retro62
- North Bethesda, Maryland
Geez…I just got sober right then
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
As you should.........I do what I can to make up for my woeful lack of insight on recruiting and officiating.
But you spin beautiful prose.....
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