22-9 or 23-8
Pregame: Illinois vs Indiana, Saturday, January 27th, 2:00pm CT, FOX
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They played well enough last night to beat almost anyone on the road. Defense should have been better, but Northwestern played out of their minds. Even if you left even more open from three they would probably not replicate that shooting
I’ll predict now that we finish 14-6 in conference. Gotta win next 5 at home and go 2-2 on the road in next 9 games. That would bring us to 12-5 in conference before our final 3. If we can then finish 2-1 somehow @WISC, Purdue, @Iowa we finish 14-6. Not sure it wins the conference but want us rolling going into tournament time.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
The post-Underwood rebuild era (i.e., 2019-20 and after) started off with four straight victories over Indiana. We have now lost three straight, including getting absolutely punked in Champaign last year while we were seemingly gaining momentum.
Revenge.
Revenge.
Heck of a game last night. Felt like a sweet16 type of game
I wasn’t too upset with Domasks end of regulation shot, but I wonder if he should have kicked it to QG who was wide open.
I hope we aren’t emotionally empty on Sat after this slugfest
TSJ still needs to get his sea legs back.. maybe he will against IU!
NET still likes us and that is all that matters. The goal should be to stay in the top 12 which likely means a favorable seed. Once you start falling out of the top 15 then quad 1 wins start to matter more and we won't have many of those.
Instead, they'll go 18-21...it somehow happens to us. Oh look illinoos, we shall hit everything imaginable, even running hook shots from half court with our jersey pulled over our face.
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
Just another random thought ... waiting for a 12:00 pm CST client meeting, and I have a little downtime, haha. I have said previously that the first season I really remember is the end of the 2001 Elite Eight campaign. During that timeframe of almost 25 years now of being an Illini fan (although I have baby pictures to prove that I was BORN into fandom!), it is really interesting to see how perspectives on who our "rival(s)" is/were. I would argue it has really fluctuated based on current events, at least from my perspective:
2001 to 2006: No clear rival. Braggin' Rights was always a big deal, of course, but I think it was even more localized to Metro East/Southern IL fans during this time. Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, etc. were all generally down or just downright terrible. We were always battling MSU and Wisconsin at the top of the league, but neither ever felt particularly heated.
2007 to 2009: Very clearly Indiana. The Gordon episode plus Weber's background with Purdue (i.e., hatred of Indiana) REALLY re-sparked this rivalry to at least the same level as the Henson/Knight feud days.
2010 to 2013: Still very up for debate, but I would argue (again, at least for me) this is when Braggin' Rights really moved back to center stage. We had multiple really good games where both teams were ranked during this period.
2014 to 2019: Were we just too bad to have a rival?! MAN, this was a dark time to be an Illini fan. Mizzou always at least remained a clearly scheduled rivalry "event" and it got some additional spice with the post-Groce/pre-Brad decommits, but again ... we were just usually bad!
2020 to 2023: Iowa really re-emerged as our clear #1 rival during this time. Great games, bad blood, FINALLY a rivalry where both sides mutually saw the other as their #1 rival. There was a short-lived feud with Michigan, but it REALLY put me off how their fans claimed we like WANTED to be their rival and it wasn't reciprocated?? Lol, had total "Kid who made up his own nickname" vibes from their fan base ... good riddance, we do NOT need a program of Michigan's low stature to elevate our own, lmao...
2024: Kind of a crossroads, if you ask me. Mizzou might rebound, but they were hapless this year. Indiana doesn't exactly look to be trending up anymore. Iowa is really down, although they would still be my tentative #1, or Mizzou. JMO, but I think fans try to see a rivalry with Purdue that just is not there (two good programs does not necessarily mean a "rivalry").
With all that said, whenever the actual Indiana matchup is the next on the schedule ... man, it's easy to remember why we hate those smug has-beens. There is something especially offputting about the combination of arrogance (especially the unfounded kind...) AND a total insular/small-time bubble that they live in where they're convinced the world outside of small town Indiana water coolers thinks they or their state are in any way exceptional.
Let's crush 'em!
2001 to 2006: No clear rival. Braggin' Rights was always a big deal, of course, but I think it was even more localized to Metro East/Southern IL fans during this time. Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, etc. were all generally down or just downright terrible. We were always battling MSU and Wisconsin at the top of the league, but neither ever felt particularly heated.
2007 to 2009: Very clearly Indiana. The Gordon episode plus Weber's background with Purdue (i.e., hatred of Indiana) REALLY re-sparked this rivalry to at least the same level as the Henson/Knight feud days.
2010 to 2013: Still very up for debate, but I would argue (again, at least for me) this is when Braggin' Rights really moved back to center stage. We had multiple really good games where both teams were ranked during this period.
2014 to 2019: Were we just too bad to have a rival?! MAN, this was a dark time to be an Illini fan. Mizzou always at least remained a clearly scheduled rivalry "event" and it got some additional spice with the post-Groce/pre-Brad decommits, but again ... we were just usually bad!
2020 to 2023: Iowa really re-emerged as our clear #1 rival during this time. Great games, bad blood, FINALLY a rivalry where both sides mutually saw the other as their #1 rival. There was a short-lived feud with Michigan, but it REALLY put me off how their fans claimed we like WANTED to be their rival and it wasn't reciprocated?? Lol, had total "Kid who made up his own nickname" vibes from their fan base ... good riddance, we do NOT need a program of Michigan's low stature to elevate our own, lmao...
2024: Kind of a crossroads, if you ask me. Mizzou might rebound, but they were hapless this year. Indiana doesn't exactly look to be trending up anymore. Iowa is really down, although they would still be my tentative #1, or Mizzou. JMO, but I think fans try to see a rivalry with Purdue that just is not there (two good programs does not necessarily mean a "rivalry").
With all that said, whenever the actual Indiana matchup is the next on the schedule ... man, it's easy to remember why we hate those smug has-beens. There is something especially offputting about the combination of arrogance (especially the unfounded kind...) AND a total insular/small-time bubble that they live in where they're convinced the world outside of small town Indiana water coolers thinks they or their state are in any way exceptional.
Let's crush 'em!
as sad as it is to say, looking back I probably view Rutgers as one of our main "rivals" from when they joined in 2014 until Ayo's sophomore year when we ascended. Even since then, it seems like we split H/A wins against them a lot of the time. Definitely don't view them with disdain like I do scUM or Iowa, but for a while there during the dark ages they were one of the few teams we realistically had a chance of beating. We finished close with them in the standings for a good stretch, and I even remember multiple OT games against them (one was 3OT).
It's crazy, I agree there's no rivalry with Purdue but their fans are so ridiculously obsessed with us it's wild. For a team they will swear up and down they don't care about, they sure do talk and obsess over us a lot. Putrid fanbase.
Now post the next 3 games. Indiana’s not good this year but they sure have owned us the last 3 years
LOL....actually, that should be the way to expect the Hoosiers to play. Galloway can go 5-7 from three and surely they have someone else that can career. Plan on it....then destroy their plan with tenacious defense.
Unfortunately, this team has an Achilles heel and NW found it last night with their quiver of arrows. MD and Goode are not quick footed enough to handle guys like BB (of which this league has a plethora of only one). Nevertheless, others will try to exploit that...and who knows how successfully. Others have tried, and a couple were successful (Tenn. and Marquette). It is a good thing to have two athletic guards at 6'6", but all you have to do is rub one off and bingo, Goode or MD. But it is what it is, and you have to max what you have, and both of them play hard and smart. Let's hope that is more than the Hoosiers can handle Sat.
Illini2010-11
- Sugar Grove
Fixed it for you. The Illini won the four games prior to that. And to add, two of those three losses were by three or less points. Only once did IU "own" us over the last three years.
I personally prefer to ignore last season in general, so I feel really good about Saturday.
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altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
No they haven't. And, BTW, thanks for joining Loyalty this past Tuesday evening and your three posts so far. Your handle (lol) belies your intent.
In '22 after our thorough beat-down of them in Bloomington, they edged us by two in the BTT playing desperately to get a tourney bid after we had won the regular season BT title a mere four days earlier. (They were 9-11 in conference and a 9 seed in the BTT. Got into the First Four by their fingernails.)
In '23 our dysfunctional team face-planted at home for sure. However, a month later in Bloomington the game was ours to win (despite Epps' insubordination). RJ missed a trey at the buzzer.
The Hoojins will suffer a beating on Saturday. My condolences to you in advance.
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How would we know, though?
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
How would we know, though?
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How would we know, though?
JFGsCoffeeMug
BU:1 Trash cans:0
- Chicago
How would we know, though?
Krombopulos_Michael
- Aurora, Illinois (that’s a suburb of Chicago)
How would we know, though?
Remember UCONN hit a rough stretch last year in the early part of conference play. It’s how you’re playing in late february and march that matters. I like where we are now. I just wish Brad was better at making in game adjustments but it’s not his thing.
I predict we beat Indiana pretty convincingly. Something like 86-68.
I predict we beat Indiana pretty convincingly. Something like 86-68.
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