Pregame: Illinois vs Ohio State, Saturday, January 16th, 11:00am CT, FOX

Status
Not open for further replies.
#1      

Dan

Admin
Illinois vs Ohio State
Saturday, January 16th
11:00am CT
FOX
 
#3      
Big game now. Need a win here. We are going to have to win worse case three of the next four if we want a good shot at the title. That means take care of business at home and split MSU/Iowa. I will take all four tho;)
 
#4      
I was quite negative after the Maryland game ... I would say I was actually furious. So, right now I am going to be 110% overly positive and optimistic to balance it out and try to make any other Illini fans who are down in the dumps feel better. (Before some wise guy comes at me, I just said that I was being overly optimistic ... I don't need some sage to "bring me back to reality"). If you guys are still (pipe-)dreaming of a Big Ten title and have faith that these boys got the kick in the rear they needed this week ... here's what you should wish for. :) (This obviously depends on our boys coming out and taking care of business from here on out.)

TUESDAY 1/12 - #9 Wisconsin over #7 Michigan in Ann Arbor ... this one is huge!
THURSDAY 1/14 - Michigan State over #5 Iowa in Iowa City ... long shot, but Sparty HAS to have a random bounce-back game, right?!
FRIDAY 1/15 - Rutgers over #9 Wisconsin at the RAC ... hopefully RU feels desperate and comes out hot!
SATURDAY 1/16 - #23 Minnesota over #7 Michigan at The Barn ... hey, they beat Iowa there!

That would take some serious luck, but it is not as crazy as it sounds. Michigan hasn't been quite as tested as the other top teams in-conference. This seems like the type of random huge win that a boring old Wisconsin team pulls out, and Minnesota will be out for revenge on Saturday after a beatdown in Ann Arbor. MSU over Iowa in Iowa City might be the toughest bet, but Iowa has been streaky, and hopefully a rejuvenated Sparty D stifles Iowa's shooting and leads to a similar loss to the one the Gophers dealt them. RU needs a win BADLY, and hopefully they catch UW on a hangover game after the Badgers get a huge, emotional win at Michigan. If all of that happened and we win on Saturday, we would actually be alone in first place:

#14 Illinois: 6-2
#7 Michigan: 5-2
#5 Iowa: 5-2
#9 Wisconsin: 5-2

I am as down as the rest of you, and forgetting all of these things going our way ... I'm worried enough about taking out a good Ohio State team. However, this season is going to be a huge mess and logjam around the top, and we have every opportunity to still be there. That will all depend on if we can turn a corner after that Maryland loss, though. I understand why some people will be pessimistic, but I tend to get regained optimism two days after a loss. Come on, boys, let's get back in this thing!

P.S. With how many Conference games could be made up across the country to get a full conference schedule and the lengthy quarantine procedures ... and given the fact that most reports say vaccine distribution beyond healthcare workers/nursing homes is due to really ramp up in February ... the idea of pushing the conference tournaments back to make room for makeup games and moving the NCAA Tournament into what is hopefully a MUCH rosier April (or even May Madness with limited, vaccinated/tested fans?!) doesn't seem like an awful idea to me...
 
#5      
Uh, another weird fact ... I guess we haven't played Ohio State in Champaign since January 1, 2017. :eek: That has to be a record, right? Not playing a conference opponent on your own floor for over four calendar years?? We only had them at OSU last year and in 2018, and in 2018-19, we played our home game vs. them at the United Center.
 
#7      

Deleted member 747903

D
Guest
This game worries me. Who is going to check Liddell? Damonte is undersized and I haven't seen much out of Grandison or Hawkins to tell me they can guard a skilled forward.

I would predict we show double teams to Liddell as soon as he catches it and force other players to beat us.
 
#8      
This game worries me. Who is going to check Liddell? Damonte is undersized and I haven't seen much out of Grandison or Hawkins to tell me they can guard a skilled forward.

I would predict we show double teams to Liddell as soon as he catches it and force other players to beat us.

This is giving me PTSD of the many times I watch an Illini player fly out to (not really) guard a wide open opposing player on the wing who drains a three.
 
#9      
This game worries me. Who is going to check Liddell? Damonte is undersized and I haven't seen much out of Grandison or Hawkins to tell me they can guard a skilled forward.

I would predict we show double teams to Liddell as soon as he catches it and force other players to beat us.
EJ is a mismatch issue, for sure. As long as we remember we have a 7' 285 lb leviathan on our side, we should be able to create some mismatches too. EJ is the biggest dude on their roster @ 236 lbs.
 
#10      

Deleted member 747903

D
Guest
EJ is a mismatch issue, for sure. As long as we remember we have a 7' 285 lb leviathan on our side, we should be able to create some mismatches too. EJ is the biggest dude on their roster @ 236 lbs.
Fair enough. I fully expect OSU to throw hard double teams at Kofi in the half court so hopefully we can find him for lobs and in transition.
 
#12      
I was quite negative after the Maryland game ... I would say I was actually furious. So, right now I am going to be 110% overly positive and optimistic to balance it out and try to make any other Illini fans who are down in the dumps feel better. (Before some wise guy comes at me, I just said that I was being overly optimistic ... I don't need some sage to "bring me back to reality"). If you guys are still (pipe-)dreaming of a Big Ten title and have faith that these boys got the kick in the rear they needed this week ... here's what you should wish for. :) (This obviously depends on our boys coming out and taking care of business from here on out.)

TUESDAY 1/12 - #9 Wisconsin over #7 Michigan in Ann Arbor ... this one is huge!
THURSDAY 1/14 - Michigan State over #5 Iowa in Iowa City ... long shot, but Sparty HAS to have a random bounce-back game, right?!
FRIDAY 1/15 - Rutgers over #9 Wisconsin at the RAC ... hopefully RU feels desperate and comes out hot!
SATURDAY 1/16 - #23 Minnesota over #7 Michigan at The Barn ... hey, they beat Iowa there!

That would take some serious luck, but it is not as crazy as it sounds. Michigan hasn't been quite as tested as the other top teams in-conference. This seems like the type of random huge win that a boring old Wisconsin team pulls out, and Minnesota will be out for revenge on Saturday after a beatdown in Ann Arbor. MSU over Iowa in Iowa City might be the toughest bet, but Iowa has been streaky, and hopefully a rejuvenated Sparty D stifles Iowa's shooting and leads to a similar loss to the one the Gophers dealt them. RU needs a win BADLY, and hopefully they catch UW on a hangover game after the Badgers get a huge, emotional win at Michigan. If all of that happened and we win on Saturday, we would actually be alone in first place:

#14 Illinois: 6-2
#7 Michigan: 5-2
#5 Iowa: 5-2
#9 Wisconsin: 5-2

I am as down as the rest of you, and forgetting all of these things going our way ... I'm worried enough about taking out a good Ohio State team. However, this season is going to be a huge mess and logjam around the top, and we have every opportunity to still be there. That will all depend on if we can turn a corner after that Maryland loss, though. I understand why some people will be pessimistic, but I tend to get regained optimism two days after a loss. Come on, boys, let's get back in this thing!

P.S. With how many Conference games could be made up across the country to get a full conference schedule and the lengthy quarantine procedures ... and given the fact that most reports say vaccine distribution beyond healthcare workers/nursing homes is due to really ramp up in February ... the idea of pushing the conference tournaments back to make room for makeup games and moving the NCAA Tournament into what is hopefully a MUCH rosier April (or even May Madness with limited, vaccinated/tested fans?!) doesn't seem like an awful idea to me...
Well.....Wisconsin got crushed. That will teach you to be overly optimistic!
 
#13      
Seems to be a lot of days in between games. I know covid, but even before. Can we come out strong and sustain?
 
#16      
Well.....Wisconsin got crushed. That will teach you to be overly optimistic!

Lol, yeah, not off to a great start! It was more of an exercise to demonstrate that if a few not-so-unrealistic things go our way over the next couple of weeks, and we can turn a corner ourselves and get more consistent/in a groove ... we'd be right back in the title chase. My opinion is that the Big Ten champ (even if Michigan appears as dominant as they are) might have 4 or 5 losses still, and the only game left on our schedule that I am for sure counting as a loss ahead of time is at Michigan. In other words, having 2 losses doesn't keep us out of anything IF we can improve upon and learn from that Maryland loss. If we can't, none of this matters anyway.

Let's go out and beat Ohio State!
 
#17      
As has been mentioned previously, KC needs to develop a better sence of when the double team is coming, and get the ball to the open man for the open look I am reaeonably sure there was not one pass from the paint to the perimeter in the Mary;and game
 
#18      

Deleted member 747802

D
Guest
As has been mentioned previously, KC needs to develop a better sence of when the double team is coming, and get the ball to the open man for the open look I am reaeonably sure there was not one pass from the paint to the perimeter in the Mary;and game
There was one. It was fired out to AM's shoe tops.
 
#19      
I look at Ohio State similar to Mizzou and Rutgers. They are solid teams but a top 10 caliber team should handle. The attitude of “well if we lose that’s not a bad loss bc Ohio State isn’t bad”. If we keep losing to these levels of teams then it just means we aren’t that special ourselves. If we want to be special, we need to beat them.
 
#20      

JFGsCoffeeMug

BU:1 Trash cans:0
Chicago
I look at Ohio State similar to Mizzou and Rutgers. They are solid teams but a top 10 caliber team should handle. The attitude of “well if we lose that’s not a bad loss bc Ohio State isn’t bad”. If we keep losing to these levels of teams then it just means we aren’t that special ourselves. If we want to be special, we need to beat them.
I'm in the same place. If we want to compete for a conference title and be in contention for the Final Four, we need to show we can win these kinds of tough games. Especially when we're playing at home.
 
#22      
I'm in the same place. If we want to compete for a conference title and be in contention for the Final Four, we need to show we can win these kinds of tough games. Especially when we're playing at home.
There needs to be some consistency in our play....the Jekel and Hyde performances that we've turned in will have to cease....not saying we have to play like 2nd half of NW game all the time (although that would be great)...but just play under control and with confidence and consistently .....oh....and make Free Throws!!
 
#23      
I was quite negative after the Maryland game ... I would say I was actually furious. So, right now I am going to be 110% overly positive and optimistic to balance it out and try to make any other Illini fans who are down in the dumps feel better. (Before some wise guy comes at me, I just said that I was being overly optimistic ... I don't need some sage to "bring me back to reality"). If you guys are still (pipe-)dreaming of a Big Ten title and have faith that these boys got the kick in the rear they needed this week ... here's what you should wish for. :) (This obviously depends on our boys coming out and taking care of business from here on out.)

TUESDAY 1/12 - #9 Wisconsin over #7 Michigan in Ann Arbor ... this one is huge!
THURSDAY 1/14 - Michigan State over #5 Iowa in Iowa City ... long shot, but Sparty HAS to have a random bounce-back game, right?!
FRIDAY 1/15 - Rutgers over #9 Wisconsin at the RAC ... hopefully RU feels desperate and comes out hot!
SATURDAY 1/16 - #23 Minnesota over #7 Michigan at The Barn ... hey, they beat Iowa there!

That would take some serious luck, but it is not as crazy as it sounds. Michigan hasn't been quite as tested as the other top teams in-conference. This seems like the type of random huge win that a boring old Wisconsin team pulls out, and Minnesota will be out for revenge on Saturday after a beatdown in Ann Arbor. MSU over Iowa in Iowa City might be the toughest bet, but Iowa has been streaky, and hopefully a rejuvenated Sparty D stifles Iowa's shooting and leads to a similar loss to the one the Gophers dealt them. RU needs a win BADLY, and hopefully they catch UW on a hangover game after the Badgers get a huge, emotional win at Michigan. If all of that happened and we win on Saturday, we would actually be alone in first place:

#14 Illinois: 6-2
#7 Michigan: 5-2
#5 Iowa: 5-2
#9 Wisconsin: 5-2

I am as down as the rest of you, and forgetting all of these things going our way ... I'm worried enough about taking out a good Ohio State team. However, this season is going to be a huge mess and logjam around the top, and we have every opportunity to still be there. That will all depend on if we can turn a corner after that Maryland loss, though. I understand why some people will be pessimistic, but I tend to get regained optimism two days after a loss. Come on, boys, let's get back in this thing!

P.S. With how many Conference games could be made up across the country to get a full conference schedule and the lengthy quarantine procedures ... and given the fact that most reports say vaccine distribution beyond healthcare workers/nursing homes is due to really ramp up in February ... the idea of pushing the conference tournaments back to make room for makeup games and moving the NCAA Tournament into what is hopefully a MUCH rosier April (or even May Madness with limited, vaccinated/tested fans?!) doesn't seem like an awful idea to me...
Unfortunately Michigan beat Wisconsin by over 20 points! So there goes this scenario. 😔
 
#24      
This game worries me. Who is going to check Liddell? Damonte is undersized and I haven't seen much out of Grandison or Hawkins to tell me they can guard a skilled forward.

I would predict we show double teams to Liddell as soon as he catches it and force other players to beat us.
This is where you start Cole. We need size and athletic ability. The Monte getting 30 minutes a game is over and needs to be over. We need more length, size and athleticism. Sorry, but we need to face facts.
 
#25      
Actually there were two with in a minute or so. First one Miller could not get to and went out of bounds. The second was off target and low.
I think there was one other too in first half or early in second half. He completed that pass, though it was particularly effective beyond getting the ball into someone else’s hands.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.