If both teams play well, we win.
Pregame: Illinois at Michigan State, Sunday, January 19th, 11:00am CT, CBS
- Status
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
Yep. If we are able to hit our top speed, there's no way they can keep up with us. But if they successfully muck it up, then it's anyone's game.
Noblesville Illini
- Nappanee, IN
Gentlemen, fwliw, the game is at 12. so there is that . Us Eastern std guys never think ‘central’ because the last time I lived in central time was 1996!
I think this will get chippy and we might even see a couple technicals. At the top of everyone's scouting report is going to be how hard we crash the glass. And you know Izzo is going to be hammering home how physical they need to play. Plus Kohler likes to throw his body around so him and Morez should be fun to watch down low.
Izzo will be hammering home to the stripes how physical we are. Extremely nervous for Morez
I believe his heart exploded after one too many energy drinks.
I'll take the under...I think it 2 long whines - 1 20 minutes long in first half & 2nd 20 minute long whine in second.
-1 to -2.5 MSU
That's just a good investment right there
I think we will be ready for MSU, we have played really well as of late in our toughest games, the letdowns have been been in lesser games. There is no reason not to be up for the team that is leading the conference.
Rebounding will be critical...we lead the big in rebounding margin, but MSU is second.
Play solid and we are the better team, but MSU will be ready & isn't going to roll over, it is in their house, & they have something to prove...we need to play 40 minutes, get ahead, push the pedal to the floor, & step on their throats. I think we will.
Illinois by 15...
Rebounding will be critical...we lead the big in rebounding margin, but MSU is second.
Play solid and we are the better team, but MSU will be ready & isn't going to roll over, it is in their house, & they have something to prove...we need to play 40 minutes, get ahead, push the pedal to the floor, & step on their throats. I think we will.
Illinois by 15...
Puff Johnson got hurt. Ace had a terrible back and we didn't have KASPARAS
I thought this was one of MSUs least talented teams at the beginning of the year, not sure this is the case.
Izzo doing a great job of coaching. When I saw them earlier, seemed like losing last years starting guards would cause major problems.
If we get the Indiana/Oregon/Arkansas version of Illinois we win. If we get the USC/Northwestern version we likely lose.
Izzo doing a great job of coaching. When I saw them earlier, seemed like losing last years starting guards would cause major problems.
If we get the Indiana/Oregon/Arkansas version of Illinois we win. If we get the USC/Northwestern version we likely lose.
Last edited:
I think a big problem with our 11am tip slow start issues stems from a combination of the early start itself, a low energy crowd, and an opponent we take too lightly.
The three prime examples we love to point to are December of 2022 against Penn State, January of 2024 against Maryland and last week against USC.
Penn State ended up being a really good team, but at that time they were looked at as an east opponent especially at home and clearly the Illini players thought so too after a big win over Texas at MSG. The game was December 10th so the students were there but it's close to winter break so they may have not been as invested, especially against an unranked, non-rival opponent. Obviously there was the Coleman Hawkins birthday outing from the night before that just made things worse as well.
Against Maryland last January, we were still missing TSJ and did not know if we would ever be back. No traditional student section because of winter break and once again we were facing a team that had been struggling, and we were riding high off a big home win over Michigan State a couple nights before. Unlike the other two examples, we actually got off to a great start but the final 30 minutes were really rough.
USC had a similar reputation to Penn State and Maryland in terms of being a lower tier team that we should handle without much trouble especially after dominating Penn State a few days prior. An overconfident group without their best player in front of a quiet crowd without a full student section led to another early tip disaster.
But this game against MSU does not have any of the same trappings outside of the fact that it is an early tip off. The Spartans are ranked higher than us and we are on the road in a legendary building against a Hall of Fame coach on CBS, so the team knows they will need to play their best.
Confidence is high after a big road win in a tough place to play at Assembly Hall, but a one game win streak is not going to make them overconfident. The USC letdown should be fresh on their minds.
And the Breslin crowd is going to be loud and full of energy, which will hopefully translate into getting our guys fired up to quiet them down a la Trent Frazier.
None of this means we will win. We could even end up losing by double digits like we did last week, but I would be shocked if we look as low energy and disinterested as we did in any of those previous three early tip defeats. I'm excited for this one!
The three prime examples we love to point to are December of 2022 against Penn State, January of 2024 against Maryland and last week against USC.
Penn State ended up being a really good team, but at that time they were looked at as an east opponent especially at home and clearly the Illini players thought so too after a big win over Texas at MSG. The game was December 10th so the students were there but it's close to winter break so they may have not been as invested, especially against an unranked, non-rival opponent. Obviously there was the Coleman Hawkins birthday outing from the night before that just made things worse as well.
Against Maryland last January, we were still missing TSJ and did not know if we would ever be back. No traditional student section because of winter break and once again we were facing a team that had been struggling, and we were riding high off a big home win over Michigan State a couple nights before. Unlike the other two examples, we actually got off to a great start but the final 30 minutes were really rough.
USC had a similar reputation to Penn State and Maryland in terms of being a lower tier team that we should handle without much trouble especially after dominating Penn State a few days prior. An overconfident group without their best player in front of a quiet crowd without a full student section led to another early tip disaster.
But this game against MSU does not have any of the same trappings outside of the fact that it is an early tip off. The Spartans are ranked higher than us and we are on the road in a legendary building against a Hall of Fame coach on CBS, so the team knows they will need to play their best.
Confidence is high after a big road win in a tough place to play at Assembly Hall, but a one game win streak is not going to make them overconfident. The USC letdown should be fresh on their minds.
And the Breslin crowd is going to be loud and full of energy, which will hopefully translate into getting our guys fired up to quiet them down a la Trent Frazier.
None of this means we will win. We could even end up losing by double digits like we did last week, but I would be shocked if we look as low energy and disinterested as we did in any of those previous three early tip defeats. I'm excited for this one!
My prediction is Morez averages 1 foul for every 2 minutes he plays - i.e he fouls out in 10 mins of game play. I hope I'm wrong. I love watching him - reminds me of all the favorite effort guys - same heart as DMFW (and I recognize how high of praise that is) with 6" in extra height.
Zapala shoots 62% at the charity stripe, do we use hack-a-shaq?
I just expect some dirty stuff, somebody hits or grabs kj by the wrist. Along with the usual troll crying on the refs shoulder, too short? Crying on refs waist
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Never addressed in the "11 a.m. tip-offs are too early for the Illini" is why they seem, contrarily, highly energizing for the substandard opponents who thrash us.
Plus, East Lansing is in the Eastern time zone. It's a noon tip. I'm sure that, and not the high quality of the opponent, will make all the difference this time.
RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
I sure hope you’re right.
Bold prediction.
Yes. If we shoot 40% from 3 we will win.
- Status