Pregame: Illinois at Purdue, Saturday, January 24th, 2:00pm CT, FOX

Status
Not open for further replies.
#201      
Toews
When it comes to just noise, the ones I've been to:
Wisconsin-quieter than SFC (football louder)
Mackey-Loudest stadium I've been to for cbb
NW-HS gym
MSU-overrated tbh but can get loud
 
#202      
Hessel Blvd
Assembly has always been a weird/crappy venue for basketball. The saucer shape is weird visually no matter where you are sitting (i've sat with my feet on the court and way up in C), and the shape of the space is deadening, soundwise. The last time i saw AH really electric was '89. Dope building, still still still a really weird space to play basketball in. Or see a conference in for that matter (my first concert ever was there).
 
#204      
kyillini
Purdue has a way of starting very strong coming out at half. We have to have a strong two halves. Both teams don't foul a lot. Can't let them get a lead because they are a team that is hard to come back against especially at home. Go Illini.
 
#205      
Jones27
RandyfromTuscola said:
I'm a season ticket holder and got tickets for my family to the Braggin' Rights game. We were in the upper bowl (happy to be there, but definitely not high rollers) and an old lady who was also a season ticket holder was sitting next to us and was extremely rude and terrible to us because we were cheering. She even said something rude to my wife who is a Mizzou grad. When we told her that we were also season ticket holders, she said to us "That's not how I expect season ticket holders to act". Ironically, she was wearing these orange and blue light up blinking glasses...so I guess cheering for your team is not appropriate season ticket holder behavior, but wearing crazy glasses is?

When the game was over, my brother said to her "It was nice talking to you, I hope we see you again" and she said "I hope we never see each other for the rest of my life"

The usher for that section even said to us that this lady was extremely rude to her as well.

If you see an old lady at the State Farm Center with blinking orange and blue glasses, make sure to avoid her...Or if you feel inclined, tell her that the family from the Braggin' Rights game says "hello"
Click to expand...
It’s not me…I swear! I do stand up and cheer, even in the 200 section of State Farm. If you wanna sit down, then stay at home.
 
#206      
Grandpa
128 is not a realistic goal. However he would get to see the football National Championship with many years to spare.
 
#207      
Todd99
RandyfromTuscola said:
I'm a season ticket holder and got tickets for my family to the Braggin' Rights game. We were in the upper bowl (happy to be there, but definitely not high rollers) and an old lady who was also a season ticket holder was sitting next to us and was extremely rude and terrible to us because we were cheering. She even said something rude to my wife who is a Mizzou grad. When we told her that we were also season ticket holders, she said to us "That's not how I expect season ticket holders to act". Ironically, she was wearing these orange and blue light up blinking glasses...so I guess cheering for your team is not appropriate season ticket holder behavior, but wearing crazy glasses is?

When the game was over, my brother said to her "It was nice talking to you, I hope we see you again" and she said "I hope we never see each other for the rest of my life"

The usher for that section even said to us that this lady was extremely rude to her as well.

If you see an old lady at the State Farm Center with blinking orange and blue glasses, make sure to avoid her...Or if you feel inclined, tell her that the family from the Braggin' Rights game says "hello"
Click to expand...
I don’t consider myself a rabid fan at live games, however I tend to have a lot of nervous energy. Even at home during crucial points I just can’t sit still, I’ll literally get up and stand or pace while watching the game on tv. Cross arms, hands on knees, body language willing each pass or shot. The boss reminds me occasionally that I’m not actually playing and that none of that is necessary, and that it won’t change the outcome (I think we all agree she’s wrong).:ROFLMAO:

However, more and more at live games I feel compelled to sit down more because the people behind me aren’t standing. I feel like I’m blocking their view and being inconsiderate since I’m like the only one in the area that is standing. I tend to jump up at a crucial moment or stand too long during a timeout or a play stoppage and I swear I can feel the people behind me burning holes in my back.
 
#208      
Kernal12
RockfordIllini said:
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 this
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.
Click to expand...
Good analysis. I also think we match up with Purdue pretty well. My concern is Braden Smith on Keaton ... I could see him picking Keaton's pocket a time or two, and then might need "break glass in case of emergency" to see if Mihailo can give us some minutes to ease the pressure.
 
#210      
JJE
IlliDan said:
Matt Painter gushing about our Illini like they are his squad.Very complimentary overall,even spoke about how we could be elite when Boswell and Rodgers return.Hmmm
Click to expand...
Painter is my favorite coach in college basketball. I said what I said.
 
#212      
IllinistrandedinHouston
Watching on TV, it feels like I am watching an NBA game. Have all the seats downlow, been sold to “high Rollers”, who are known to be rabid supporters? Maybe this has been done to increase revenue?
 
#213      
IlliniFan42
I wouldn't bet against Purdue at home, but some of their at-home win margins (and massive Iowa State loss) do make them appear beatable when compared to us. They beat Penn State by 8 at home, we beat Penn State by 8 at the Palestra. They beat Iowa by 7 at home, we beat Iowa by 6 in Iowa.
 
#214      
Emerson Bigguns
How do both teams react to matching up with a team that has similar interior size?

Which team knocks down their 3's?

Likely to be a pretty deliberate pace. 1-2 possessions will make the difference. Got to make your FT's and take care of the basketball.

I'm not really worried about the Purdue coming off a loss narrative. This game has been circled in red for both teams since the schedule came out. If you can't get up for this, I don't now why you own a pair of gym shorts.

Hoping for a classic.
 
#216      
BBlock24
Line opened at Purdue -2.5 and has quickly moved to -4.5. Thought the opening line would be higher with KB’s injury.
 
#217      
madillini4
blackdog said:
I know Maryland is not good but the atmosphere last night was.....boring. Last two games haven't even been close to capacity either. We are in serious danger of losing our reputation as a tough place to play. The fact that Illinois athletics has started using an MC on the floor to get people hyped up throughout the game is kind of sad.
Click to expand...
We aren’t a tough place to play, it’s sad. We have had bad losses at home every year of the underwood era. We haven’t been a “tough place to play” in 20 years, and it really bothers me.
 
#219      
Illinijoe
madillini4 said:
We aren’t a tough place to play, it’s sad. We have had bad losses at home every year of the underwood era. We haven’t been a “tough place to play” in 20 years, and it really bothers me.
Click to expand...
The data would tell otherwise more recently.

Illinois has been a top-tier home team in the Big Ten over the last four seasons, generally ranking in the top 3 to 4 in the conference for home-court winning percentage.

While teams like Purdue have had historic runs at home recently, Illinois’ consistency at the State Farm Center puts them ahead of traditional powers like Michigan State and Indiana over this specific four-year stretch.
Big Ten Home Record Comparison (2021–2025)

Approximate totals based on regular season home games.
| Team | Est. Home Record (Last 4 Seasons) | Home Win % |
|---|---|---|
| Purdue | 60–6 | 90.9% |
| Illinois | 56–12 | 82.4% |
| Michigan State | 53–14 | 79.1% |
| Indiana | 50–17 | 74.6% |
| Wisconsin | 48–18 | 72.7% |
How Illinois Compares
* The "Mackey" Factor: Purdue is the clear leader in this category. Their home-court dominance at Mackey Arena included a 26-game home winning streak that was only recently snapped in 2025.

* Elite Consistency: Illinois is one of the few teams in the conference that has not had a "down" year at home. Even in seasons where they struggled more on the road, they consistently won 75%+ of their games in Champaign.

* Attendance Impact: Illinois consistently ranks in the Top 10 nationally and Top 3 in the Big Ten for home attendance. In the 2024-25 season, they averaged over 15,000 fans per game, trailing only Indiana in total conference attendance.

* Toughness vs. Top Opponents: Since 2021, Illinois has been particularly effective at home against ranked Big Ten opponents, holding a winning record in those specific "quadrant 1" home matchups.

Current 2025-26 Context
As of late January 2026, the Illini are continuing this trend with a 9–1 start at home this season, keeping them neck-and-neck with Purdue and Michigan State for the best home record in the conference once again.
 
#220      
madillini4
IlliniFanTX said:
Username checks out.
Click to expand...
Well played. It’s not even the “bad” losses at home either, it’s not defending home court and teams with similar rankings as well. You have to win those games in the big ten. Have to.
 
Last edited:
#221      
Fighter of the Nightman
madillini4 said:
We aren’t a tough place to play, it’s sad. We have had bad losses at home every year of the underwood era. We haven’t been a “tough place to play” in 20 years, and it really bothers me.
Click to expand...
No to continue down this rabbit hole, but scanning a list of our home games since the 2022 season (first full season after we were clearly good again that allowed fans), I would say these are the only times I would say we had a "great" home court atmosphere:

Elite
1) 2021-22 vs. #11 Arizona ... I attended this close loss, and the Hall hasn't rocked like it did for this game in a long time.
2) 2021-22 vs. #22 Ohio State ... This was the game where Brad got ejected and we had a massive comeback that fell short. There is no way around admitting SFC was super loud during this one.

Very Good
1) 2024-25 vs. #1 Tennessee ... Last year, we definitely brought the energy for that Tennessee game, and I even read multiple comments on the Tennessee board how our home court atmosphere was way better than theirs. However, it is a touch above the Elite ones above.
2) 2025 vs. #11 Michigan State ... I also attended this one, and it got REALLY rowdy in there when we were looking great in the first half. It of course died down when we didn't score for like the last 12 minutes or whatever, but the Krush specifically was way better than they had been in previous years.
3) 2022 vs. #24 Iowa ... This is when we won the Big Ten and rushed the court.
4) 2022 vs. #4 Purdue ... It got super loud toward the end when we forced both OTs, but it left a little to be desired early on. It had a sleepy, morning of MLK Day vibe at first.
5) 2024 vs. #3 Purdue ... We had a genuinely good home court atmosphere this day, as we still had an outside shot at a Big Ten title and it would have been a huge win for the resume.

Granted, it's just my totally subjective list, but ... 7 games and only 2 elite ones in 5.5 seasons is just less than I expect from the House of 'Paign. Also some TRULY unfortunate omissions on this list, by the way, such as hosting #4 Marquette early in the 2023-24 season or the home game vs. #18 Purdue last year where KJ iced it ... atmosphere just wasn't what you'd expect, pure and simple. It's looking like our best chance for a truly elite atmosphere this season will be the Friday, February 27 home game vs. Michigan.
 
#223      
madillini4
Illinijoe said:
The data would tell otherwise more recently.

Illinois has been a top-tier home team in the Big Ten over the last four seasons, generally ranking in the top 3 to 4 in the conference for home-court winning percentage.

While teams like Purdue have had historic runs at home recently, Illinois’ consistency at the State Farm Center puts them ahead of traditional powers like Michigan State and Indiana over this specific four-year stretch.
Big Ten Home Record Comparison (2021–2025)

Approximate totals based on regular season home games.
| Team | Est. Home Record (Last 4 Seasons) | Home Win % |
|---|---|---|
| Purdue | 60–6 | 90.9% |
| Illinois | 56–12 | 82.4% |
| Michigan State | 53–14 | 79.1% |
| Indiana | 50–17 | 74.6% |
| Wisconsin | 48–18 | 72.7% |
How Illinois Compares
* The "Mackey" Factor: Purdue is the clear leader in this category. Their home-court dominance at Mackey Arena included a 26-game home winning streak that was only recently snapped in 2025.

* Elite Consistency: Illinois is one of the few teams in the conference that has not had a "down" year at home. Even in seasons where they struggled more on the road, they consistently won 75%+ of their games in Champaign.

* Attendance Impact: Illinois consistently ranks in the Top 10 nationally and Top 3 in the Big Ten for home attendance. In the 2024-25 season, they averaged over 15,000 fans per game, trailing only Indiana in total conference attendance.

* Toughness vs. Top Opponents: Since 2021, Illinois has been particularly effective at home against ranked Big Ten opponents, holding a winning record in those specific "quadrant 1" home matchups.

Current 2025-26 Context
As of late January 2026, the Illini are continuing this trend with a 9–1 start at home this season, keeping them neck-and-neck with Purdue and Michigan State for the best home record in the conference once again.
Click to expand...
Losing to a bad USC team by ten and getting punked by Maryland last year. Year before that lost to a bad Maryland team at home. Year before that Penn state and Maryland both came in and destroyed us. The data might say one thing, but my eyes tell me we haven’t been a tough place to play.
 
#224      
Chuck Nuggets
Purdoodoo 84
Illinois 79

It'd sure be nice to get a hot shooting game out of Ben Hur. If that happens, maybe we grab the W.
 
#225      
mattcoldagelli
Guys, we went 93-4 at home from 2000-2006 (which I believe included a 33-game home winning streak?). It's not like a bunch of us are wishcasting for the impossible here. We've done it. And yeah, there were some great teams in those years but not *every* team was E8/F4-caliber worldbeaters. It was, objectively, one of the best home environments in CBB. Now it's not. Can't really explain it.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back