Pregame: Illinois at Ohio State, Saturday, March 6th, 3:00pm CT, ESPN

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#177      

pruman91

Paducah, Ky

By Matthew Flaten Decatur Herald & Review
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The 87-81 loss to Ohio State at the State Farm Center on Jan. 16 seems like ancient history to the Illinois men’s basketball team.
The Illini have won 10 of their 11 games since then and have climbed to No. 4 in the latest Associated Press poll. They have won three in a row without player of the year candidate Ayo Dosunmu, and handed No. 2 Michigan a historic defeat on Tuesday.
“That game was very different. That wasn’t us right now. That was a team that wasn’t very connected,” Illini junior Giorgi Bezhanishvili said. “We have improved so much in all kind of aspects. I feel like this game tomorrow will be very different.”

“It takes a certain personality player to be able to step into an alpha. Not everyone can be Batman and that is really hard to do,” Underwood said. “We have had guys who have done that. They have had to take that step and not fear the moment. You have to have a personality to that, not just the ability, and that’s what I enjoyed seeing.”

“I didn’t have any doubt that we would play a full schedule,” Bezhanishvili said. “I knew there was a chance that we could catch COVID and test positive, but I feel like our guys we’re so committed to each other, to the team and to themselves to not be the first guy to catch COVID and stop us from our goals. We are really locked in on the goal and the bigger picture. It shows how they care about the team and not just about themselves.”

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The last paragraph above says it all for me......

LOCKED and LOADED....

Illini 80
osu 77
 
#178      
OSU vs Mich...
Saw a lot of 1:1 ball. Hurt us the first matchup, MSU was able to score like this as well.
Liddell shot a lot on the outside vs Dickensian and Kofi. Didn’t see much post up. Would play pick and roll to cover Liddell at 3 pt line, or run him off. Long 2s I’d be happy with.
Like Duane Washiington game. Very 1:1 though. Stay with ahrens.
I would think ILL will be focused for this game.
 
#180      
I'm feeling like Ayo plays today. Probably doesn't reach his season average in minutes, but Tuesday tells us that's okay.
 
#183      

altgeld88

Arlington, Virginia
I really enjoyed listening to Chris Holtmann's press conference. He seems like a good dude.
Agreed. One of the best recent conference hires. The BT has some excellent recently-hired coaches who seem like solid guys: BU, Holtmann, Hoiberg, Howard, Pikiell come to mind.

Then there's Fran ;) But he's not a "recent hire."
 
#185      

altgeld88

Arlington, Virginia
Oh the horror! How will Ohio State ever recover from such egregious name calling?!
By referring to our team as "The Biting Illini", as they called our allegedly dirty-aggressive football teams in the '80s.
 
#186      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
A poster called them the Suckeyes, I don't believe any of there players deserve the disrespect.
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#187      
By referring to our team as "The Biting Illini", as they called our allegedly dirty-aggressive football teams in the '80s.
The 1980 NU football team was referred to as the Mild Cats. They turned that around. Nebraska the 🌽 jerkers, IU the Loohsiers, Maryland the Turdpens etc.. Life goes on
 
#190      
OSU vs Mich...
Saw a lot of 1:1 ball. Hurt us the first matchup, MSU was able to score like this as well.
Liddell shot a lot on the outside vs Dickensian and Kofi. Didn’t see much post up. Would play pick and roll to cover Liddell at 3 pt line, or run him off. Long 2s I’d be happy with.
Like Duane Washiington game. Very 1:1 though. Stay with ahrens.
I would think ILL will be focused for this game.

Liddell has only hit 18 threes on the season, and 4 of them came in our first matchup against the Buckeyes. Would be shocked if he burned us from 3 again, but he’s certainly capable of knocking them down if we let him shoot it. Think our first matchup against them was one of our worst defensive performances of the season, so hopefully this one goes a lot better for us.
 
#191      
Seems like we have owned Michigan but OSU has owned us with lesser talent.
 
#193      
Nope, and he should not be. Let the team continue to grow, and Ayo heal. Big ten tourney at the earliest. Nothing changes with a W or L in Columbus.
A #1 seed in the tourney? According to all the analyst Illinois, Ohio state, and Iowa are still in the conversation for a #1 seed battle with us! Depending on the remaining games and the B10 tourney! I need W's throughout! And based on the brackets right now we shouldn't be really tested until the elite 8! But don't take any opponent lightly or we'll be going home early!
 
#194      
Any official word on Ayo?

Go ILLINI!

:hailtotheorange:
 
#199      
Nope, and he should not be. Let the team continue to grow, and Ayo heal. Big ten tourney at the earliest. Nothing changes with a W or L in Columbus.
Plus if we were to lose without ayo theb we would likely remain a one seed in the tourney, if ayo plays and we lose we would fall to a 2
 
#200      
Plus if we were to lose without ayo theb we would likely remain a one seed in the tourney, if ayo plays and we lose we would fall to a 2
you may be right, but I think if ayo is cleared which is what it sounds like he should/will play. I think regardless we stay a one, but we will likely need to make the semis or finals in the btt
 
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