Pregame: Illinois at Penn State, Tuesday, February 14th, 6:00pm CT, ESPNU

SkyysNotFalling · Feb 11, 2023

I hate playing Penn State in basketball.

I've been a diehard illini fan since 2005 (I was in second grade, first team I ever got invest into. Mom went to school there, is from Peoria, sports family. Deron's shot is my first real sports memory that was amazing, as well as Roger Powell's put back dunk against Louisville in the F4, Dee poking Felton(?) in the eye in the national title and getting a flagrant etc.). And ya know what? I don't have fond memories in my fanhood of Penn State.

I remember watching Rich McBride just miss edging out a win against Penn State in 2006.

Talor Battle beating us with free throws in 08 after McCamey hit a 3 to take the lead just seconds prior.

Talor Battle hitting free throws in the worst game I've ever seen the following year to beat us 38-33. (I still tell my buddies about this occasionally and they never believe me until they look it up themselves)

Talor Battle hitting a driving layup to beat us right before time expired at home that same season that really ended the year on a sour note. That was my first "Yep I'm an Illinois fan" moment. We then split the BTT and got upset by Western Kentucky in the first round. I'll tell ya what, I bawled my eyes out during that game. That was the first time as an Illinois fan in my short memory where everything just kinda wasn't right. So for you new fans, long time fans, whatever, in my young mind thats when it happened. How could we lose to Western Kentucky? We're Illinois!

Anyways, to give a little more info, no one on this team would probably ever be able to recall that game, or that Illinois was about to fall into an all-time program abyss.

I remember watching Talor Battle put 26 on us in 2011 and upset us when we were ranked. (I'm going to be honest, I LOVED Talor Battle even though he killed us. When I was younger I'd shoot hoops by myself imagining I was him. Loved his game)

Then there was Tim Frazier. Great player. He beat us in 2012. Our team started Sam Maniscalco that season. No further comments on that. Oh, and remember what I said about the beginning of the abyss? We were ranked coming off of BP43, and we dropped this one next time out. We proceeded to win 2 more games the rest of the season to end 17-16 overall and Bruce was out.

Then fast forward to 2016 and they beat us at their place. Who cares right? We stunk that year. But Malcolm Hill dropped a career high 39, and we lost. They ruined one of my all-time favorite illini's greatest scoring nights. Ugh. (And i believe he hit a driving layup to send it to OT?)

we then lost 6 straight games against Penn State. Through 2016-2019 we were winless.

Our loss to them earlier in the year was the post game fart noise press conference game. The big game that we look back on this year where nothing was truly the same. Just a few weeks later Skyy is gone, and we turn things around shortly after having now won 8 of 10.

Let's beat em on Tuesday just like we did in 2021 when Ayo dropped 30 and we won by 20. Or I'd be fine with beating them the year prior where Ayo's heroics really propelled our season back into the stratosphere. Either way, this is a big game. Can't afford to lose it. Win this one we are 5-5 in Quad 1, another road win, and we can get some revenge on the team that punked us just a few weeks ago.

Boys...

Let's go lion huntin'.

Zorak · Feb 11, 2023

SkyysNotFalling said:
I hate playing Penn State in basketball.

I've been a diehard illini fan since 2005 (I was in second grade, first team I ever got invest into. Mom went to school there, is from Peoria, sports family. Deron's shot is my first real sports memory that was amazing, as well as Roger Powell's put back dunk against Louisville in the F4, Dee poking Felton(?) in the eye in the national title and getting a flagrant etc.). And ya know what? I don't have fond memories in my fanhood of Penn State.

I remember watching Rich McBride just miss edging out a win against Penn State in 2006.

Talor Battle beating us with free throws in 08 after McCamey hit a 3 to take the lead just seconds prior.

Talor Battle hitting free throws in the worst game I've ever seen the following year to beat us 38-33. (I still tell my buddies about this occasionally and they never believe me until they look it up themselves)

Talor Battle hitting a driving layup to beat us right before time expired at home that same season that really ended the year on a sour note. That was my first "Yep I'm an Illinois fan" moment. We then split the BTT and got upset by Western Kentucky in the first round. I'll tell ya what, I bawled my eyes out during that game. That was the first time as an Illinois fan in my short memory where everything just kinda wasn't right. So for you new fans, long time fans, whatever, in my young mind thats when it happened. How could we lose to Western Kentucky? We're Illinois!

Anyways, to give a little more info, no one on this team would probably ever be able to recall that game, or that Illinois was about to fall into an all-time program abyss.

I remember watching Talor Battle put 26 on us in 2011 and upset us when we were ranked. (I'm going to be honest, I LOVED Talor Battle even though he killed us. When I was younger I'd shoot hoops by myself imagining I was him. Loved his game)

Then there was Tim Frazier. Great player. He beat us in 2012. Our team started Sam Maniscalco that season. No further comments on that. Oh, and remember what I said about the beginning of the abyss? We were ranked coming off of BP43, and we dropped this one next time out. We proceeded to win 2 more games the rest of the season to end 17-16 overall and Bruce was out.

Then fast forward to 2016 and they beat us at their place. Who cares right? We stunk that year. But Malcolm Hill dropped a career high 39, and we lost. They ruined one of my all-time favorite illini's greatest scoring nights. Ugh. (And i believe he hit a driving layup to send it to OT?)

we then lost 6 straight games against Penn State. Through 2016-2019 we were winless.

Our loss to them earlier in the year was the post game fart noise press conference game. The big game that we look back on this year where nothing was truly the same. Just a few weeks later Skyy is gone, and we turn things around shortly after having now won 8 of 10.

Let's beat em on Tuesday just like we did in 2021 when Ayo dropped 30 and we won by 20. Or I'd be fine with beating them the year prior where Ayo's heroics really propelled our season back into the stratosphere. Either way, this is a big game. Can't afford to lose it. Win this one we are 5-5 in Quad 1, another road win, and we can get some revenge on the team that punked us just a few weeks ago.

Boys...

Let's go lion huntin'.

That 38-33 loss was my first Illini basketball in person. Started at the bottom

Tacomallini · Feb 11, 2023

Who guards Pickett?

IllinialuminAZ · Feb 11, 2023

Zorak said:
That 38-33 loss was my first Illini basketball in person. Started at the bottom

Yikes!

It can only get better from there.

dwpittman · Feb 11, 2023

Zorak said:
That 38-33 loss was my first Illini basketball in person. Started at the bottom

I was there. Painful.

FinallyMadeAnAccount · Feb 11, 2023

Tacomallini said:
Who guards Pickett?

My guess would be Shannon

RabidDawgClassic · Feb 11, 2023

Zorak said:
That 38-33 loss was my first Illini basketball in person. Started at the bottom

First time I ever went into a casino I won a hundred bucks. Had I lost I might never have gone back into a casino again.

Likewise, had this been my first ever in person illini game, I might never have gone back into the Assembly Hall/SFC again.

21ChampaignSt · Feb 11, 2023

Zorak said:
That 38-33 loss was my first Illini basketball in person. Started at the bottom

I was in high school at the time. My girlfriend called into a radio station and won us tickets as my Valentines Day gift. The game was really a sign of things to come for me. We broke up a couple months later. Young love just can't endure that type of ugliness.

Zorak · Feb 12, 2023

RabidDawgClassic said:
First time I ever went into a casino I won a hundred bucks. Had I lost I might never have gone back into a casino again.

Likewise, had this been my first ever in person illini game, I might never have gone back into the Assembly Hall/SFC again.

I had to go back to get that taste out of my mouth.

aaeismacgychel · Feb 12, 2023

Tacomallini said:
Who guards Pickett?

CoHawk as primary defender all game. Ty will likely get some time as well. Dain actually may be an option to me if Njie isn't on the court and we need to get him some minutes as well. This is one of the few games where Dain can get picked on bad if he needs to chase people around the perimeter. Pickett is more strong than fast so it might be an okay option as I don't think Pickett is fast enough to burn him off the dribble, and while he hits threes at a decent rate, he also doesn't set the world on fire there either, so it may work in doses. That said, Pickett going for 25 isn't good but likely won't put the nail in the coffin, but if we let their very high volume 45%, 41%, and 38% 3pt shooters in Lundy, Funk, and Dread or their 47% spot shooter in Henn get open looks, we'll be in a world of hurt. So gotta give Dain sheltered minutes in this one in my opinion, going with him when he has a good defensive matchup and sitting him when he doesn't. Other than that, just gotta guard the perimeter hard and use the length and athleticism to force them into bad looks and then keep taking it to the hole on the offensive end- force them to stop the penetration without fouling.

One final thing- bad chucked threes with long rebounds will be killers in this one as they will likely end in open threes for Penn State, so need to be smart about that, take good shots, get on our jets back on D, and man them the hell up.

Ga65 · Feb 12, 2023

Tacomallini said:
Who guards Pickett?

First start for Ty Rodgers in place of Dain. Great matchup.

Mr. Tibbs · Feb 12, 2023

Tacomallini said:
Who guards Pickett?

we need him to get called for a charge

NorthShoreIllini · Feb 12, 2023

This is the type of late season road game we have won over the past 3 years. Expect nothing less.

john1952 · Feb 12, 2023

kyillinifan said:
Just stop Picket from backing a defender down to right in front of the rim.

In a number of games we have been vulnerable in the paint.
That was not the case in the second half of the Rutgers game.

I am not sure if that was our defense or Rutgers just had a meltdown?

Seagee · Feb 12, 2023

dwpittman said:
I was there. Painful.

Me too. So brutal. I was pissed for a very long time…

Godard · Feb 12, 2023

I once met Mike Walker's dad at the Big Ten Tournament. He was a class act.

Illini8420 · Feb 12, 2023

I think Rodgers can guard Pickett. Also last time around Pickett took advantage of Skyy and our dysfunctional switching D. Not gonna be a factor this time.

OrangeAndBlueBlooded · Feb 12, 2023

Mr. Tibbs said:
we need him to get called for a charge

Could not agree more. This was my post in the Penn St game thread.

IlliniwekKDR · Feb 12, 2023

Zorak said:
That 38-33 loss was my first Illini basketball in person. Started at the bottom

The Final Four game against Louisville was my first in person experience. Polar opposites.

I was at the the 38-33 game though. I had an exam scheduled at the same time. I talked my professor into letting me take the exam early so I could go to the game. (He said he appreciated my honesty when I told him the reason lol). The game was way more painful than taking a test.

RabidDawgClassic · Feb 12, 2023

IlliniwekKDR said:
The Final Four game against Louisville was my first in person experience. Polar opposites.

I was at the the 38-33 game though. I had an exam scheduled at the same time. I talked my professor into letting me take the exam early so I could go to the game. (He said he appreciated my honesty when I told him the reason lol). The game was way more painful than taking a test.

Can I assume that two nights later you experienced your first and, to date, most crushing in-person loss?

One Man Fast Break · Feb 12, 2023

Any word on if Melendez is expected to be available to play?

SescIllini · Feb 12, 2023

We are a different team than first game. No Skyy, more Dainja, Ty, Epps, and Sincere. Less switching on defense. Imagine Pickett might be backing into Dainja instead of a guard this time.

Hambone61 · Feb 12, 2023

Unless we beat PSU we have virtually no chance for the double bye in the Big Ten tournament. If we beat them and lose away at Indiana and Purdue, we wind up with 13 wins. Unless Rutgers lose at PSU both Rutgers and Indiana will have 14 wins. This would leave Illinois and Maryland (unless they lose either at NU or at PSU) tied with 13 wins. Since Maryland beat Illinois in the head to head, they get the double bye. If Illinois beats Indiana away, then Indiana enters into a 3 way tie. Once again, Illinois loses the tie breaker as they would have lost to both Maryland and Indiana.

Doesn't look good, but there is still some hope if we beat PSU ( if Indiana loses to both Illinois (at home) and MSU (on the road).

illini0440 · Feb 12, 2023

One Man Fast Break said:
Any word on if Melendez is expected to be available to play?

Up to Brad. Won’t know until he checks into the game.

Fighter of the Nightman · Feb 12, 2023

RabidDawgClassic said:
Can I assume that two nights later you experienced your first and, to date, most crushing in-person loss?

I was there for neither and only in seventh grade, but the UNC loss actually wasn't quite as crushing as some others, in the moment. I remember my dad trying to make me feel better and saying "We'll be back, buddy." And I had 100% faith he was right. Who knew what dark years were in our near future, and it feels so good to at least be clawing back to the point where getting back is a possibility again. I know we haven't gotten out of the Second Round yet in two tries, but we have won a Big Ten championship and gotten a #1 seed ... those are the things you do if you want to consistently put your teams in a position to make a run in March - it'll come!