That Wake Forest game, man what a good memory. I want to say the loudest I ever heard Assembly Hall was the Eric Gordon game. The ending still makes me sick, but man, that crowd was cranked past 11 all game. Might be fun to do a Top 5 crowd games from memory thread. Most recently that 2022 Illinois-Iowa for the B10 Title was fantastic.
Pregame: Illinois at Purdue, Saturday, January 24th, 2:00pm CT, FOX
- Status
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Doing the math...some current students were not even born when the Chief was retired. I was a freshman when he was retired. Sad to see him go, but it is definitely time to move on. It feels like "losing the Chief" is a default excuse for anything that goes wrong in the AD.
Unfortunately, I think the line is more -7.5. Have to come prepared and ready to play one of the hardest games all year.
If Creed can't get the people going then it's time to give up on SFC being a raucous environment.
Kenpom has this a 3 point win for purdue
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
In honor of tomorrow's matchup, I feel it's appropriate to appreciate how similar of a history Purdue and Illinois have had ... both two proud programs that have provided their fans with a lot of winning basketball to watch but unfortunately no National Title. People can debate if Purdue or Illinois is the best program to never win a National Championship, but I would argue few people would come up with a different contender. So, an all-time comparison!
Final Fours: ILL 5, PUR 3
Elite Eights: ILL 10, PUR 6
Sweet Sixteens: PUR 15, ILL 14
NCAA Tournament Appearances: ILL 35, PUR 35
Big Ten Championships: PUR 26, ILL 18
BTT Championships: ILL 4, PUR 2
BTT Title Game Appearances: ILL 8, PUR 6
All-Time Winning Percentage: PUR .648, ILL .643
Weeks in AP Poll: ILL 530, PUR 464
AP Top 25 Finishes: ILL 30, PUR 27
30-Win Seasons: ILL 2, PUR 2
25-Win Seasons: PUR 18, ILL 10
20-Win Seasons: ILL 38, PUR 33
Losing Seasons*: ILL 6, PUR 6
So while I get that some fans here hate Purdue and I am certainly sick of losing to them too often during this great post-2020 stretch, I will always have a more friendly attitude toward them than toward other rivals like Iowa or Indiana (the latter of whom we both hate, so maybe the enemy of our enemy can at least make us watered down enemies??
). Both programs probably deserve to have cut down the nets by now, and I will take Purdue being toward the top of the league any day over Indiana.
With that said ... I hope we smoke 'em on Saturday.
* To avoid counting years where a team went 8-9 in the 1920s, I started counting losing seasons after 1980 ... arbitrary, sure.
Final Fours: ILL 5, PUR 3
Elite Eights: ILL 10, PUR 6
Sweet Sixteens: PUR 15, ILL 14
NCAA Tournament Appearances: ILL 35, PUR 35
Big Ten Championships: PUR 26, ILL 18
BTT Championships: ILL 4, PUR 2
BTT Title Game Appearances: ILL 8, PUR 6
All-Time Winning Percentage: PUR .648, ILL .643
Weeks in AP Poll: ILL 530, PUR 464
AP Top 25 Finishes: ILL 30, PUR 27
30-Win Seasons: ILL 2, PUR 2
25-Win Seasons: PUR 18, ILL 10
20-Win Seasons: ILL 38, PUR 33
Losing Seasons*: ILL 6, PUR 6
So while I get that some fans here hate Purdue and I am certainly sick of losing to them too often during this great post-2020 stretch, I will always have a more friendly attitude toward them than toward other rivals like Iowa or Indiana (the latter of whom we both hate, so maybe the enemy of our enemy can at least make us watered down enemies??
). Both programs probably deserve to have cut down the nets by now, and I will take Purdue being toward the top of the league any day over Indiana.With that said ... I hope we smoke 'em on Saturday.
* To avoid counting years where a team went 8-9 in the 1920s, I started counting losing seasons after 1980 ... arbitrary, sure.
Kenpom does not account for real-time player availability in their game predictions though. Does not include/consider KB missing the game.
ESPN Analytics really likes Purdue here:
Battle89
- Cary-Grove, the better Trojan team
Not singling you out Fighter, just replying that the parallels between this thread and the many with the 'optimists vs pessimists' are telling.
Everybody fans differently, and everyone has different personalities. Not that I endorse the behavior of the crazy-glasses lady above, that's just rude in any environment. But one man's apathy is another man's deep concentration on the game. Let people fan as they want.
As to the ticket cost, that inspires more parallels to the threads with the "play Petro and his big NIL more" vs "play the best players, NIL is a sunk cost" debates. What I paid for the tickets (which was obscene in Evanston last year, but was a Xmas gift from Mrs. Battle89) does not change how I fan - which for the record, sounds a lot like you, somewhat reserved but definitely up in the big moments.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I am definitely in the camp that this will be a tall order, and I essentially view us as playing with house money. However, I am cautiously optimistic that we will get an effort similar to our 2024 squad going into Mackey with no TSJ. We of course lost that game and actually made the score even closer than the game really was at the end, but the point is we came out with good energy and a chip on our shoulder. I think we will see that on Saturday.
What I'm hoping the difference is this time? I think 2026 Purdue is worse than 2024 Purdue, and I think 2026 Illinois has a lot more non-Boswell fire power than 2024 Illinois had non-TSJ fire power. Again, it will take a special effort ... pretty much a Keaton-at-Iowa effort, an Andrej-vs.-Maryland effort and everyone else rising up to play exceptionally on the defensive end. However, that is not impossible with this squad, and I personally feel a hell of a lot better about this one than I did about going to play #2 Michigan in 2021 without Ayo. Sure, that game was without fans ... but there is an argument to be made that an empty Mackey is more intimidating than a packed Crisler, so who cares?
My head says we lead at half, play well and eventually can't get the stops (or possibly the calls...) we need to come out on top. Purdue pulls away with some late free throws, but we are "in the game" with 2-3 minutes to go, even if it seems like we are not a threat to actually win it in the final minutes...
#11 Illinois 74
#4 Purdue 83
... but my heart says this!! We come out inspired and take a 6-point lead into the locker room. Purdue chips away at the lead super slowly in the second half, and the Boilermakers make their inevitable run to take a 6-point lead around the 8:00 mark. With the crowd going wild and fans ready to wave the white flag, however, the guys remain composed and tie it up with a few minutes to go. Keaton channels the ice in his veins and gets us the W with a huge shot in the final minute.
#11 Illinois 81
#4 Purdue 79
mattcoldagelli
- Script Illinois Enthusiast
Being back at the UC this year really put this into sharp relief - that's the largest arena in the NBA and it was f'ng electric for that Bama game. You can't just chalk all of that up to quality of match up and the fact that absence made the heart grow fonder for Chicago area Illini fans. It took me back to that time we played Zona there and Lute lost his mind.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Hey, I am totally fine with a fan chilling out at a game in isolation. My issues would more be:
1) There are clear moments when even the most reserved among us should stand with the rest of the crowd and at least maintain a passive clap, haha. No need to yell or jump or get crazy, but that's a small ask.
2) Just playing the odds here, such a fan (of which I would definitely consider my dad one, and I love taking him to games!!) shouldn't comprise like 70% of the crowd as they seem to at our home games!
I posted a lot about this after the 'Bama game, but I also couldn't believe how great the atmosphere was. People can say certain arenas like Mackey are more inherently set up to be loud, and that might be true! However, at the end of the day, it's the fans in the building who will make the atmosphere. I have seen a ton of games in both Assembly Hall/SFC and Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Carver would have the "built-in" advantage in just about every way. While both stadiums have similar capacities, Carver has a much steeper slope of its stands and a totally flat roof compared to the dome in Champaign. But guess what? That only helps "in the margins" or whatever ... the loudest crowds I have heard at SFC still dwarf the loudest crowds I've heard at Carver.
The United Center, as you noted, is a really big basketball arena that can feel cavernous. And yet, on that night it was one of the loudest arenas I have been in, and it felt like the crowd was right on top of the players. There was this rowdiness among the fans in attendance that surpassed even the festive vibe of Braggin' Rights for me ... it was truly awesome. I'm praying we get a Saturday game next year, because I am honestly going to try to get everyone I know to attend, haha. We brought one non-Illini fan (Washington grad from the Portland MSA who couldn't really care less about college sports), and she was blown away.
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Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Also, semi-related question here, and I'm honestly just asking - I have never been to Mackey. Is its "built-in" advantages really that material compared to SFC? The roof appears lower, but it's still a dome. The slope appears a little less gradual in the lower bowl but honestly not by that much. I tried to find two pictures from a similar angle:
I think our fans sort of overrate how much SFC has going against it that we the fans must simply overcome, haha. It's still an old building with a concrete roof, and that place can get loud as hell. I have heard folks say something about the metal bleachers at Mackey helping with noise, and obviously the proportion of their crowd that is students is far superior to ours and helps. However, and again admitting that I have never been there, I just don't see THAT much of a difference between the two building designs that just destines us to have an arena that is always less loud. Seems to me it's more of a fan issue.
P.S. As a total nerd about this stuff, I really wish there was any kind of data/information out there about which stands were the steepest and most gradual. Obviously just using our eyeballs, we can all identify places like the Rose Bowl as really gradual and places like Indiana's Assembly Hall are steep. However, I would love to see a list of Big Ten basketball arenas by rise-over-run ratios or whatever. My perception of the three I have been in are that Carver is by far the steepest (pretty much just one steep angle from the first row to the top), SFC is a mixed bag (A Section seems gradual, B Section seems sort of standard and C Section actually seems pretty steep) and Northwestern is the most gradual (as I think most newer stadiums are due to regulations).
I think our fans sort of overrate how much SFC has going against it that we the fans must simply overcome, haha. It's still an old building with a concrete roof, and that place can get loud as hell. I have heard folks say something about the metal bleachers at Mackey helping with noise, and obviously the proportion of their crowd that is students is far superior to ours and helps. However, and again admitting that I have never been there, I just don't see THAT much of a difference between the two building designs that just destines us to have an arena that is always less loud. Seems to me it's more of a fan issue.
P.S. As a total nerd about this stuff, I really wish there was any kind of data/information out there about which stands were the steepest and most gradual. Obviously just using our eyeballs, we can all identify places like the Rose Bowl as really gradual and places like Indiana's Assembly Hall are steep. However, I would love to see a list of Big Ten basketball arenas by rise-over-run ratios or whatever. My perception of the three I have been in are that Carver is by far the steepest (pretty much just one steep angle from the first row to the top), SFC is a mixed bag (A Section seems gradual, B Section seems sort of standard and C Section actually seems pretty steep) and Northwestern is the most gradual (as I think most newer stadiums are due to regulations).
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Correct, 3pt win based off of team performance metrics. Ken's predictive fanmatch algorithm though does not account for player injury so theoretical line would be expected to move a bit with Kylan's injury. Fanmatch is a pretty great indicator though aside from that.
This might so dumb but how much do you think the Nil era we are in now hurts fan enthusiasm? We are so accustomed to seeing guys for 3 4 years we just don't see that anymore so its hard to be so invested watching these players grow up and develop like a Trent Frazier or a Roger Powell
I know I personally don't follow recruiting anymore since what's the point after they leave after 1 year?
I know I personally don't follow recruiting anymore since what's the point after they leave after 1 year?
Agreed, as long as they come out and play hard I’m okay with a loss but more okay with a WIN!! Definitely a winnable game but it’s going to take everyone and making a lot of basketsI am definitely in the camp that this will be a tall order, and I essentially view us as playing with house money. However, I am cautiously optimistic that we will get an effort similar to our 2024 squad going into Mackey with no TSJ. We of course lost that game and actually made the score even closer than the game really was at the end, but the point is we came out with good energy and a chip on our shoulder. I think we will see that on Saturday.
What I'm hoping the difference is this time? I think 2026 Purdue is worse than 2024 Purdue, and I think 2026 Illinois has a lot more non-Boswell fire power than 2024 Illinois had non-TSJ fire power. Again, it will take a special effort ... pretty much a Keaton-at-Iowa effort, an Andrej-vs.-Maryland effort and everyone else rising up to play exceptionally on the defensive end. However, that is not impossible with this squad, and I personally feel a hell of a lot better about this one than I did about going to play #2 Michigan in 2021 without Ayo. Sure, that game was without fans ... but there is an argument to be made that an empty Mackey is more intimidating than a packed Crisler, so who cares?
My head says we lead at half, play well and eventually can't get the stops (or possibly the calls...) we need to come out on top. Purdue pulls away with some late free throws, but we are "in the game" with 2-3 minutes to go, even if it seems like we are not a threat to actually win it in the final minutes...
#11 Illinois 74
#4 Purdue 83
... but my heart says this!! We come out inspired and take a 6-point lead into the locker room. Purdue chips away at the lead super slowly in the second half, and the Boilermakers make their inevitable run to take a 6-point lead around the 8:00 mark. With the crowd going wild and fans ready to wave the white flag, however, the guys remain composed and tie it up with a few minutes to go. Keaton channels the ice in his veins and gets us the W with a huge shot in the final minute.
#11 Illinois 81
#4 Purdue 79
Safe travels and go into battle with confidence and tenacity. Let Purdue know our Illini roll 9 deep and are fearless. Go Illini. Praying 
for a safe journey to and from.
for a safe journey to and from.mattcoldagelli
- Script Illinois Enthusiast
Mackey feels like SFC with a level of the top shorn off. It's objectively smaller, but feels even more cramped, and the seats get very close to the floor.
But again, the Paint Crew is in one area and extends *up* vertically. There's no reason that should be more intimidating than the Krush that rings 3/4 of the court. And yet.
No. Move forward, not backward.
Agree with you that 2024 Purdue is better than 2026 Purdue, although at least at this point they have startlingly similar efficiency numbers. Obviously the cast of characters has changed a bit but to me it really boils down to thisI am definitely in the camp that this will be a tall order, and I essentially view us as playing with house money. However, I am cautiously optimistic that we will get an effort similar to our 2024 squad going into Mackey with no TSJ. We of course lost that game and actually made the score even closer than the game really was at the end, but the point is we came out with good energy and a chip on our shoulder. I think we will see that on Saturday.
What I'm hoping the difference is this time? I think 2026 Purdue is worse than 2024 Purdue, and I think 2026 Illinois has a lot more non-Boswell fire power than 2024 Illinois had non-TSJ fire power. Again, it will take a special effort ... pretty much a Keaton-at-Iowa effort, an Andrej-vs.-Maryland effort and everyone else rising up to play exceptionally on the defensive end. However, that is not impossible with this squad, and I personally feel a hell of a lot better about this one than I did about going to play #2 Michigan in 2021 without Ayo. Sure, that game was without fans ... but there is an argument to be made that an empty Mackey is more intimidating than a packed Crisler, so who cares?
My head says we lead at half, play well and eventually can't get the stops (or possibly the calls...) we need to come out on top. Purdue pulls away with some late free throws, but we are "in the game" with 2-3 minutes to go, even if it seems like we are not a threat to actually win it in the final minutes...
#11 Illinois 74
#4 Purdue 83
... but my heart says this!! We come out inspired and take a 6-point lead into the locker room. Purdue chips away at the lead super slowly in the second half, and the Boilermakers make their inevitable run to take a 6-point lead around the 8:00 mark. With the crowd going wild and fans ready to wave the white flag, however, the guys remain composed and tie it up with a few minutes to go. Keaton channels the ice in his veins and gets us the W with a huge shot in the final minute.
#11 Illinois 81
#4 Purdue 79
2026 Braden > 2024 Braden
2024 Edey >>>>> Cluff
As good as Braden is, he isn’t the “holy s*** what does we even do with this guy?” physically dominant player Edey was.
And KenPom says we are a much better than 2024. And in addition to just being flat out better I think we have some favorable matchups. To wit, I’m cautiously optimistic for the following reasons:
1. Thought we had a good game plan last year to hug their shooters and make Braden and TKR play 2 on 2. Even with a pretty efficient TKR performance (1.26 pts/shot attempt) they couldn’t score enough to beat us. That feels very repeatable and in fact we should be better as we are longer and our 2 pt defense is better. Realize they have Cluff too but I think point stands, they will have a hard time outscoring our now even better offense playing 2 on 2 from 2 pt range.
2. Andrejs performance on Diggy. Smith is obviously a better player, but no way is he quicker than Diggy. If Andrej can bother Diggy I think he can bother Braden. Just needs to watch out for those shot fakes and avoid foul trouble.
3. Our size advantage at the guard/wing. Even without Kylan, they don’t have anyone with the size to guard Keaton or Andrej. Even if Cox is up to the task at 6’3 he can’t guard both of them. And I’m not convinced someone 6’3 can slow down Andrej no matter how good a defender they are. We’ve seen it against T Tech, Bama, and Maryland this week. Andrej just feasts on smaller guards. Nevermind Keaton.
4. They play drop coverage and are susceptible to pick and pop 5’s as evidenced by Bilodeau. All of our bigs can pick and pop.
5. Our break glass in case of emergency PG is exactly the type of speedy, penetrating guard they seem to struggle to contain as evidenced by Dent getting whatever he wanted.
Could they go nuclear from 3? Sure. Could we have an 8-38 shooting day. Of course. But if we play to our averages, avoid foul trouble and try and make them beat us from 2, I think we’ve got a good shot.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
At the risk of going too off-topic, I was curious what some other Big Ten arenas do in this regard.
Illinois: Students courtside behind team benches and one basket. It looks like the other basket has the band behind it?
Indiana: Primarily courtside behind each basket.
Iowa: Behind one basket but not exactly "courtside," extending up and to one side. If not for the recent move by the new coach to get a small section of students behind the other basket, it might be the worst setup in the Big Ten.
Maryland: Courtside both behind the team benches and on the other side, with an additional (seemingly huge) section behind one basket. This has got to be one of the more student-heavy setups.
Michigan: Courtside behind team benches (very similar setup to the Krush), plus an additional relatively small section behind one basket.
Michigan State: Students courtside ringing almost the entire court besides two sections. Seems to easily be the best setup in the conference.
Minnesota: Courtside behind one basket in a relatively big section.
Nebraska: Courtside behind the team benches in a relatively small section, with another medium-sized section behind one basket.
Northwestern: Two courtside sections behind each basket, both relatively small.
Purdue: A courtside section behind one basket that literally extends up to the last row, and a smaller, more off-center matching setup behind the other basket. Seems even more student-heavy than Maryland, though way fewer of them are courtside.
Rutgers: Two courtside sections behind each basket (both relatively small) and an overflow section in the nosebleeds.
Wisconsin: Large courtside section behind one basket.
So if we are just talking about pure setup and not total numbers here, SFC has an as good/better setup as anyone not named Michigan State or Maryland.
Mackey sets aside about twice as much space for their students as we do relative to each arena.
Which, IMO, has two effects.
1. More students = louder student section.
2. With more of the arena occupied by rowdy students, I would argue it makes the non students more comfortable with getting rowdy too. For example, I try to do my part from the 200s, but honestly, it does feel awkward when I look around and I'm the only one standing up yelling like a maniac. I imagine at Purdue, with their larger student section, you're never too far from other crazies which lowers inhibition and adds a little pressure to match their intensity.
I’ve only been to 2 - SFC and Sparty. So can only truly comment on them. MSU a better home court advantage - the fans are literally on top of the court. SFC is loud but so cavernous.
My HS bud was involved with the renovation at SFC. He did most of the dry walling. I just wish he would’ve moved the seats closer to the court.
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