Pregame: Illinois vs Penn State, Thursday, March 9th, 5:30pm CT, BTN

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#401      
AyoDos11
Pikeillinifan said:
Would love to see a win or two as a warmup for the real tourney, but I have to say I'm surprised we're -2.5 in this one, and ESPN has us at almost 63% chance of winning.
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Well statistically we are the better team, so we should win. It just didn't exactly play out that way the previous two matchups.
 
#402      
RML
Roundball Sage said:
And for any Chicago area player like Shannon... playing on that United Center floor just has to be extra special.
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This makes me a little nervous. I want TJS focussed on his PSU opponents, and not giving the least thought to where the game is being played.
 
#403      
mysterio2525
illini0440 said:
He practiced today
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Awesome! Any chance we go to November starting lineup with dain and Epps coming off the bench with sencire in starting lineup (in place of skyy)? Just because of dain matchup issues and Epps clearly slowly coming back
 
#404      
One Man Fast Break
Penn State gonna be playing with tons of motivation, they are the most bubbly bubble team, I think a lot of people have them as "Last Team In" which means a single bid thief would kick them out. They'd love to get a win or two and really solidify their spot.

Illinois CANNOT lose to Penn State three times in a season, like I refuse to let that be a thing.
 
#406      
dbeverly26
One Man Fast Break said:
Penn State gonna be playing with tons of motivation, they are the most bubbly bubble team, I think a lot of people have them as "Last Team In" which means a single bid thief would kick them out. They'd love to get a win or two and really solidify their spot.

Illinois CANNOT lose to Penn State three times in a season, like I refuse to let that be a thing.
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I’m here for absolutely ruining their day.
 
#407      
jumpingjack
illini0440 said:
I think Ty would get the start if it was a different starting 5
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Illinois Football Sport GIF by Fighting Illini Athletics
 
#409      
STL Illini
hoopsfan47 said:
IMHO, this is the best draw for our guys. There should be plenty of motivation from having been owned by them twice. BU has had 80 min. of his own game film to watch...as well as the players. Play SMART!!! Use your advantages and let Rogers or RJ handle Pickett...or both with a little Hawk. Wasted possessions...eliminating them....is critical. Patience is a must. They will not be running the floor but will be patient and so must the Illini. Losing to PSU three times in a season will really hurt seeding....there is one chance to deter that. No need for rushing contested threes. But be ready to shoot when open. Go Illini!!
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You forgot free throw shooting.
 
#413      
Eternal Optimist
Confused Robin Hood Men In Tights GIF


I’m sure Brad Underwood is double checking everything here to make sure he knows what to do today. There has to be a rule against having over 100 assistant coaches, right?

On a serious note, I’m just hoping we come out hyped and ready to play. I think we will have a pretty good idea how things will go after the first five minutes. Just want to see a hungry team. We can win against anyone, but we can also lose to anyone. Excited for tonight!
 
#414      
Grandpa
Whoever we put on Pickett is going to be screened. If he fights through, Pickett has a half-step and scores. If we switch they get the matchup they want. If we double they get it to a fantastic 3 point shooter. ??????
Lots of teams have beaten Penn St. I hope that the coaches can figure out how they did it, and we can replicate it.
I'm much more worried about the first round than the second (if we somehow get there).
 
#417      
Fighter of the Nightman
Eternal Optimist said:
Confused Robin Hood Men In Tights GIF


I’m sure Brad Underwood is double checking everything here to make sure he knows what to do today. There has to be a rule against having over 100 assistant coaches, right?

On a serious note, I’m just hoping we come out hyped and ready to play. I think we will have a pretty good idea how things will go after the first five minutes. Just want to see a hungry team. We can win against anyone, but we can also lose to anyone. Excited for tonight!
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Exactly. You can’t always control shots falling and turnovers happen sometimes … what I NEED to see today is a pep in our steps from the tip-off and absolutely no later, CONSTANT until the final whistle. This team needs to have pride in itself.

Playing a team in our own backyard that punked us twice is a HUGE moment. This team needs to treat it as do-or-die, and I’m cautiously optimistic they will.
 
#418      
Fighter of the Nightman
Grandpa said:
Whoever we put on Pickett is going to be screened. If he fights through, Pickett has a half-step and scores. If we switch they get the matchup they want. If we double they get it to a fantastic 3 point shooter. ??????
Lots of teams have beaten Penn St. I hope that the coaches can figure out how they did it, and we can replicate it.
I'm much more worried about the first round than the second (if we somehow get there).
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Agreed. I’m super nervous for tonight (and the ceiling a loss could put on our postseason, both for seeding and psychological reasons), but if we win … well, I guess I just refuse to believe we’re losing to the Mildcats at the UC!
 
#419      
Retro62
I just hope the players feel as strongly as we do about already having lost twice to PSU, and do something about it from the tip. And that they are not thinking they can rely on their ability to make up deficits...an early lead by PSU will cause an immediate change in my drink order at the bar, from suds to serious.
 
#420      
GallopingGhost
The only thing I hope to hang my hat on is that Penn state has not been as good away from their gym. They beat us at home when we were in our terrible slump, so I’ll asterisk that game. They’ve been ok as of late, and they won at Minn, Ohio St and NW.

UC is reportedly kind of hard to get used to shooting in. So if we can make them uncomfortable and not let them get in a rhythm, we could win this one with defense and rebounding.

Sigh, it really feels like I’m splitting hairs trying to find things to be optimistic about.
 
#422      
pruman91
The offensive script for the Illini to follow must be to attack the rim and conversely get psu in foul trouble........I think their bench is suspect and hopefully we have some competent refs to call some charges on them when they are on offense......If I was BU or even one of the players I would harp in the refs ears aboot Pickett pushing off with his off hand on an Illini defender's waist area.......he does it almost every time when he is backing his opponent down in the paint.....it's pretty obvious if you look for it........

on offense , if we attack the rim and pick up some fouls on them then they will back off and we can kick out for better situated 3's when necessary........But the chucking up of contested 3's has to stop.........MM can do a good job of penetrating around the basket and is really good at getting a bucket within 10 feet of the basket.......

I hate to bring it up ( I really really do ) , but whoever the refs are can waylay all the plans we have due to the scouting report and then we go willy-nilly on offense and as a result , the chaotic surge of 3's becomes a last option.......

The last thing we can do is to come out with our becoming normal lethargic start and fall behind by 10 + points in the first 5-10 minutes of the tip off.............. Execute our offense and play rock hard defense and move on to the next round......

I would LOVE to start the mojo train going in the BTT and then at the very least get to the second weekend in the NCAA tourney and see what happens from there.....

We have the talent to go far in both the BTT and the NCAA's..............The biggest problem is will we play up to our talent level and get on a hot streak.........We can do it ......now is the time to prove it.....prove it to Illini Nation........prove it to the other teams across the nation , but most importantly , PROVE IT TO THEMSELVES........

I have been on many teams in my sports career that we were outclassed as far as talent , never were we outclassed as far as heart and belief in ourselves.........I wish we had had an ALPHA DOG come to the forefront and put this team on his back........it hasn't happened yet on a continual basis .......maybe that DOG will step up and lead us from here to the end of our season......

Damn , I'm ready to rock and roll.........Sure glad this isn't an 11:00 am tip off today..............

LETS GO FIGHTING ILLINI !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
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#423      
altgeld88
Retro62 said:
I just hope the players feel as strongly as we do about already having lost twice to PSU, and do something about it from the tip. And that they are not thinking they can rely on their ability to make up deficits...an early lead by PSU will cause an immediate change in my drink order at the bar, from suds to serious.
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I'll skip serious and go straight to sniffing glue a la Lloyd Bridges.
 
#424      
HailtotheChief
mysterio2525 said:
Awesome! Any chance we go to November starting lineup with dain and Epps coming off the bench with sencire in starting lineup (in place of skyy)? Just because of dain matchup issues and Epps clearly slowly coming back
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If someone starts instead of Dain and Epps I expect it to be Rodgers and RJ. RJ seems to be out of his funk and is playing well. I also like him in the game towards the end if we are up. He is solid at the line.
 
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