Pregame: Illinois vs Baylor, Wednesday, December 2nd, 9:00pm CT, ESPN
- Status
illiniswish09
- Northwest Suburbs
Was just thinking about how much it blows there’s no fans. Would be Orange everywhere tonight.
I don't think I could possibly stay up for the entire game without beer
altenberger22
- South Carolina
I've been listening to (watching) Bill a lot over the past two days at the Maui Invitational. It's really fun and entertaining to hear him reminiscing about the "heyday" of NCAA college basketball (probably the 1960's, 1970's, and 1980's when the NCAA first became a national phenom AND when schools were identified by their superstar players who you knew would return to the program season-after-season.) Just a few examples -- Oscar Robertson's Cincinnati Bearcats, Lew Alcindor and Bill Walton's UCLA Bruins, Patrick Ewing's Georgetown Hoyas, Steve Alford's Indiana Hoosiers, Chris Mullin's St. Johns Redmen and Danny Manning's Kansas Jayhawks..
Walton has phenomenal stories and anecdotes, an incredible memory, and he's visited sooooooo many college campuses. (I've said this before, but I'm quite sure I saw him on Wright St on Halloween in the mid/late 1980's). Pretty difficult to mistake a 6'11 UCLA 3-time All American --- with red hair.
His announcing partner Jason Benetti is the perfect straight man, and nearly as worldly, having visited 95% of the same places as Walton. Benetti is savvy at keeping BW just inside the rails, but then also provoking him when the game action warrants. Extreme entertainment in my view! I don't really want game-after-game of the predictable. (Robbie Hummel and Shon Morris and Ben Brust? Meh).
And he knows/remembers the Illini because of Nick Weatherspoon and Nick Connor, Efrem and Bruce, Deon and Kenny Norman, Dee/Deron/Luther.....and now Ayo and Kofi.
I find Vitale much more annoying than Bill W — but I can handle Dicky for a game or two. I will say both are problematic if you don’t know the teams involved because there can be long stretches where no or very little actual play by play. But I actually like Walton for a game or two a season, though I wouldn’t want a steady diet of him.
I was thinking the same thing. The only downside is the possibility of waking up with a loss and a hangover. However, it's worth the risk.
Everyone talking about importance of Kofi tonight (rightfully so, given our size advantage), but I think Trent and Damonte on defense will be the key to winning this game if Baylor’s guards are as good as advertised. We aren’t going to win an 80+ point shootout with the Bears. Our best wins last year were ugly games where we held our opponent under 70 (Michigan x2, Purdue x2, Penn St, etc.), and I think our defensive efforts were clearly spearheaded by those 2 guards’ efforts. Thought back to that UM road game where DMFW had some timely steals and stops that went unnoticed as Ayo hit the game-winner. That’s how we win games like these. Not gonna beat Baylor in a 3 point shooting contest, so let’s make it ugly and scrappy.
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
Yeah, I was mostly thinking about it from a scouting perspective. Every local reporter is going to be a bit of a homer for the local team, and they should be.
Edit: to clarify, I meant scouting on both teams. It was very interesting to see how our strategy was broken down too.
Last edited:
Could be my memory has conflated events, but didn’t Walton homer-call a certain tourney game? And wasn’t Illini Nation more than a little put out with him at the time?
In the Underwood era, Illinois is 30-5 when keeping Division I teams to 70 points or less.
Last edited:
Hard to predict if this game becomes a three point shooting contest or if perimeter defense makes it a drive and dish game for either team. In either case, Baylor would seem to have an advantage due to experience. Kofi has to avoid foul trouble which will be huge. Good for Illini is that the game will be played in SFC with firm rims...maybe....or maybe too many long rebounds...who knows? (SFC rims used to be among the tightest in the country but I'm not sure any adjustments) Good learning opportunity for Grandison, Curbelo and Hawkins...and if any of those three step up and show the Illini may just pull it off. Regardless, Illini nation is awaiting one of the most anticipated games in more than a dozen years.
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
I’ll be curious which of those three see tick today and/or how much). I have a feeling the rotation is going to be much tighter today.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
Isn't the game in Indianapolis?
It is. Game is being played at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
Yes. Jimmy V Classic.
Will take Dickie V over Bill Walton all day every day
I share your sentiment regarding Mr. Walton. He is at the beginning of my basketball memory. I remember my old man cheering him on when he played for the Celtics.
For me its nostalgia, and im a huge Dead fan.
The Sprouting Divot
Invisible and Bulletproof
- Miracle Mile
I think Jason Benetti is among the very best sports announcers currently working.
I also think that Shon Morris has made tremendous improvement over the years and now actually appreciate his calls.
Hope the dude in the first video is better at projecting winners and losers than he is at pronouncing our players names.
sacraig
- The desert
I honestly would prefer Walton, and that's saying something. Vitale is just grating to me.
His son was getting his !!! beat all night, I'd cry too if I was his dad. I know I've yelled my share of times on the sidelines when my sons got crushed driving the net over their lacrosse careers.
But, my mouth is wired shut, wife's orders, now that one plays in college.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I know.
This would have also been a fantastic year to revive the United Center game with a sellout crowd, and of course the frickin' Final Four is in Indianapolis the year we have a shot at a run and there is a pandemic. Well, if they actually start vaccinating 20 million people starting in January, and people chilled out a bit, there actually isn't that much of a barrier to having fans for the Final Four, with safety measures in place. Oh, well.
I bet "grating" is the polite, message board word for what you really think. Being "Danned" is not worth it.
- Status