I'm not real sure they have any vigor to show. They are still NCAA Tournament talented, but it's bad there... The fan base essentially caused Mark Turgeon to throw his hands up and walk away. This is after he has been to 5 of the last 6 NCAA Tournaments and COVID ended the season when he had his best team. That place is nuts.
Pregame: Illinois at Maryland, Friday, January 21st, 6:00pm CT, FS1
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pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
I think it had more to do with Turgeon. He had our number.
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
So digging that new Curbelo video. Just shivers.
Can't wait until he's at full strength, though I'm sure the rest of the conference can. Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
Their entitlement is left over from their ACC days. Now that is an entitled group.
As a fan of 55 years, I believe that a FAMILY can constructively criticize the team, but I will defend OUR team to the end!
The frustrating part about Belo is how dialed in he is about being an Illini and how some people post before they think , at least that's what i hope , b/c if they really think Belo is as bad as they post..........wow....is all I can say......
Pundits nationwide and inside the B1G gave him glowing adjectives before the season started and hold him in high esteem in college BB......
Then he got hurt and his own fans started to poop poop his desire and ability......
I think i will take a vacation from the board for a while or at least limit my posts as this board has turned sour and dour more than it should........I was being totally honest in my post about the number of posters i put on ignore after the purdont game.....I know it probably doesn't matter as quite a few have me on their ignore list , but I come here every day to converse and share Illini sports.........Seems like it is becoming a lot more personal about the teams and even the posters......
.One poster stated yesterday that another poster needed to "" shut up , grow up and stop being so dumb ""...
Thats not what I come here for ........You can get that in your daily life pretty easily , but this board should be a family .....and families don't always agree but most families don't attack the jugular like here now........Makes me wonder how many trolls are amongst us.......
JMHO and in no way singling out anyone..
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
My buddy who's an ex-Terp player told me today that he expects "a bloodbath" but I'm not so sure. They were down 29-8 to Wisconsin at home a week ago last Sunday and lost by only 1. Were up 11 on Rutgers at the half at home and then didn't show up at all in the second half. And, of course, they gave the Illini all they could handle in the Hall for more than 30 mins.
They've got the horses and can make it a game. Ayala, Hart, and Russell, if they're shooting well, are a handful, as is Donta Scott on the baseline. They're getting 8 ppg and 6 rebs out of Wahab up front, too. Though Ayala and Scott combined for 41 last night against Michigan, Hart and Russell (30 mins per game and 10 and 14 ppg, respectively) had a terrible game (1 and 4 pts). Wahab had 1 reb and 4 pts. The Terps had no other meaningful offensive contributors last night other than Tea Bag Reese, who comes off the bench. I'm hoping that if/when he appears Friday Kofi will put him in his place quickly, frequently and with extreme prejudice.
As for the fan base, yes: they're nuts. They chose poorly when they ran Turgeon off the floor (literally), IMO. The team seems at an inflection point after the Rutgers and Michigan losses. If our boys come out with fire, focus, and relentless intensity they can break Maryland's will, which I would dearly love to witness on that court.
skyIdub
Winged Warrior
pruman91
- Paducah, Ky
Negative pruman, the pattern is full!
You "'Ice Man "" you...........jmho
I like this a lot. We all, as intense fans, critique, criticize, live and die with our team. However, if someone else dares to....I'll argue and fight until the bitter end for our squad. It's just part of fandom.
BillyBob1
- Champaign
Don’t play at Wisconsin this year.
I have to send out a big Mia Copa. 10 days ago I posted he would not play rest of the season due to health. Man oh man I'm glad to eat my words. I hope he stays healthy and he is monitored closely. Go Illini!!!!
So digging that new Curbelo video. Just shivers.
Having watched Mark Turgeon coach since his first days at WSU, he is an elite coach, IMHO, who is not overly enamored with dealing with a lot of recruits, especially the me first types. Maryland was lucky to have had him for so many years...and yes their fans are delusional. Also, having had a kid recruited by them, their athletic dept. will do almost anything. Not a school for student athletes with a conscience.
I just read the article from IlliniReport on Belo's impact. Man great in depth articles on basketball and football as always. His article on football scholarships and # of players on roster was spot on. Keep up the good work! "If I only had a brain" Wizard of Oz. If Belo ever develops a good/ not outstanding outside shot, Watch Out. Plus, it's AMAZING how he has rebounded the ball for a player 6 ft. tall.. Just phenomenal Instinct and ❤!!!! Kudos Mr. Curbelo!!!!
InDaAZ
- Eugene, Oregon
Might be a serviceable backup to Kofi… after she slays the national anthem.
As for Belo, he looked SO good after the layoff - really hoping for his sake and the team’s he has no further setbacks. He electrifies the arena, adds a unique dimension and makes everyone else better. I expect a triple-dub or two by season’s end if he stays healthy.
Curbelo with BBV was a surprisingly good combo. It makes sense though. Imagine having to guard Curbelo through or around a screen that wide. Definitely puts you in a bind.
If BBV had a little more bounce and confidence to finish at the rim, he’d be a serious problem. Interested to see how it looks with him next game when we need him and theres film on that combo being successful.
If BBV had a little more bounce and confidence to finish at the rim, he’d be a serious problem. Interested to see how it looks with him next game when we need him and theres film on that combo being successful.
FWIW, Strength of schedule the rest of the way, according to Torvik's rankings...
-Wisconsin has the easiest path in the conference
-We have the 3rd toughest path
-MSU has the toughest
-OSU has the 3rd easiest
-Purdue has the 5th toughest
So I guess I'm rooting for MSU against UW. Plus, I never like facing an Izzo team that feels desperate.
But I wouldn't take these SOS rankings too seriously. The coaches and players in this conference are too good...any game could be a loss. I think it's just as important to play a team at the right time. For example, Rutgers is trending up right now. Playing Rutgers in late February could be much tougher than playing them in December.
It's so cool how he doesn't seem to be moving very fast when he has the ball. He just keeps probing the defense, using screens, changing directions, finding openings, and all of a sudden............he has a path to the basket. It's like the defense just looses track of where he is and it eventually breaks down. I'll never get tired of watching him play.
So digging that new Curbelo video. Just shivers.
Retro62
- North Bethesda, Maryland
This is what I’m getting from the fans I know. One said he hasn’t missed a game for quite a while, but he’s skipping Friday because he just feels it isn’t worth going. But he claims to be a super fan…we all kept watching and going during the Groce era…now THAT is a super fan.
Exactly this!
The only reason I am nervous because this is the only game my daughter and I can go to and a loss would be the biggest letdown ever. Must win game in our family!
Torvik also predicts us to end up in the BIG @ 15-5 and win the conference.
Somehow I just have more Confidence in our beating WI than I do MSU and just dislike Izzy more. Rooting for WI.
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