Pregame: Illinois vs Rutgers, Saturday, February 11th, 1:00pm CT, FS1

Status
Not open for further replies.
#76      

IlliniCub 16

IlliniCub 16
IlliniCub 16
RockfordIllini said:
I actually think Dain can score okay on Cliff assuming we get him the ball in the right spots. Cliff is wiry strong but 240 max. Dain should be able to move him with his physicality and he’s got the length to score over anyone not named Zach Edey.

It’s the other end with Dain I’m worried about. Cliff has nowhere near the moves or touch of TJD but is similarly quick and athletic. Not sure Dain can stay in front of him in space.
Click to expand...

Good points. Watching the Rutgers-IU game last night, Jackson-Davis beat Cliff with the quick spin move to the basket several times. We've seen Dain be successful many times with a similar move, especially since he's big enough to back him down a bit.

Another advantage to the extra rest I have not seen discussed on this thread is not only the health of Luke Goode, but for Coleman's wrist injury as well. Underwood said it was bothering him last week and you could see it was still taped on Saturday.
Coleman is 1-15 from three since the Ohio State game. He's always a streaky shooter, but he's a better shooter than that. Hopefully extra rest helps the wrist get back to full strength.
 
#77      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
For fun, here are the last ten times a ranked Big Ten team has headed to Champaign:

2023
W - Illinois 79, #14 Wisconsin 69 ... WOW have the Badgers fallen apart!

2022
W - #20 Illinois 74, #24 Iowa 72 ... Big Ten champs!
L - #22 Ohio State 86, #15 Illinois 83 ... Brad ejection game
W - #18 Illinois 80, #11 Wisconsin 67
W - #24 Illinois 56, #10 Michigan State 55 ... without Kofi
L - #4 Purdue 96, #17 Illinois 88 (2OT)

2021
W - #12 Illinois 75, #19 Wisconsin 60
W - #19 Illinois 80, #7 Iowa 75
L - #21 Ohio State 87, #14 Illinois 81

2021
W - #23 Illinois 78, #18 Iowa 76

Moral of the story is that it seems we generally are well-prepared and play well when a ranked team comes to the House of 'Paign, with the exception apparently being always sleep walking through the first half of any game against a ranked OSU and then having a Fake Comeback fall short?? Even in the Purdue loss last year, we played very well.

I have confidence that these guys will be pissed off after the Iowa loss and having Minnesota get cancelled, and that we will come out with intensity. Whether or not the shots fall against Rutgers' defense is a different matter, but I am optimistic that we are starting to get a bit more of an offensive rythym going even when we aren't shooting lights out. Fingers crossed!

P.S. This is not that surprising, but this is only the second time we have ever faced a ranked Rutgers team, and it's the first time ever that we have (A) faced a Rutgers team ranked higher than we are and (B) faced a Rutgers team with a better record than us. RU has also never won in Champaign.
 
#78      

ChiefIllinois

C
ChiefIllinois
Rap47 said:
I believe the Illini will win Saturday. I also don't see how any of the posters that think that this could be a sweet 16 team ,if they can't win Saturday.
Click to expand...
Yeah I mean Rutgers has definitely played at a top 20 level all year. Heck they had a good chance to win at IU yesterday.

Not a season ending loss, but it would be a great feather in the cap win and ease a lot of worries.
 
#80      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
ChiefIllinois said:
Yeah I mean Rutgers has definitely played at a top 20 level all year. Heck they had a good chance to win at IU yesterday.

Not a season ending loss, but it would be a great feather in the cap win and ease a lot of worries.
Click to expand...
I think it appears like a "must win" because we can't count on vs. OSU or at Wisconsin to be Quad 1 wins on our resume anymore, and we let one slip away at Iowa. Winning in Bloomington or especially West Lafayette is a tall order this year, and our other two road games (at PSU and at OSU) are going to be tough simply because they're Big Ten road games. Beating RU at home doesn't just give us a huge win, it provides much needed momentum after the Iowa loss as we go into next week.
 
#81      

Birdus

B
Birdus
IlliniCub 16 said:
Good points. Watching the Rutgers-IU game last night, Jackson-Davis beat Cliff with the quick spin move to the basket several times. We've seen Dain be successful many times with a similar move, especially since he's big enough to back him down a bit.

Another advantage to the extra rest I have not seen discussed on this thread is not only the health of Luke Goode, but for Coleman's wrist injury as well. Underwood said it was bothering him last week and you could see it was still taped on Saturday.
Coleman is 1-15 from three since the Ohio State game. He's always a streaky shooter, but he's a better shooter than that. Hopefully extra rest helps the wrist get back to full strength.
Click to expand...
How do you know he cannot score on Edey. His level of reach is longer than Kofi's. If he bodies him, he may be able to shake and bake his way to a few buckets there :)
 
#83      

IlliniCC16

I
IlliniCC16
Not sure where to put this, so i'll start here. I've got tickets for Saturday's game and plan on taking my Illini-crazy 6-year-old son. I've seen some videos on the team social media account after a win in the tunnel, where some fans are there to greet them.

My question to you all is, do certain tickets grant you access to that, or is anyone able to get down there? We met BU, Mayer, and Skyy earlier this year at a hotel and he was so pumped. He'd love the opportunity to see the whole team up close. Anyone got insight to this? Thanks in advance!
 
#87      

dbeaverfg

dbeaverfg
dbeaverfg
Fighter of the Nightman said:
For fun, here are the last ten times a ranked Big Ten team has headed to Champaign:

2023
W - Illinois 79, #14 Wisconsin 69 ... WOW have the Badgers fallen apart!

2022
W - #20 Illinois 74, #24 Iowa 72 ... Big Ten champs!
L - #22 Ohio State 86, #15 Illinois 83 ... Brad ejection game
W - #18 Illinois 80, #11 Wisconsin 67
W - #24 Illinois 56, #10 Michigan State 55 ... without Kofi
L - #4 Purdue 96, #17 Illinois 88 (2OT)

2021
W - #12 Illinois 75, #19 Wisconsin 60
W - #19 Illinois 80, #7 Iowa 75
L - #21 Ohio State 87, #14 Illinois 81

2021
W - #23 Illinois 78, #18 Iowa 76

Moral of the story is that it seems we generally are well-prepared and play well when a ranked team comes to the House of 'Paign, with the exception apparently being always sleep walking through the first half of any game against a ranked OSU and then having a Fake Comeback fall short?? Even in the Purdue loss last year, we played very well.

I have confidence that these guys will be pissed off after the Iowa loss and having Minnesota get cancelled, and that we will come out with intensity. Whether or not the shots fall against Rutgers' defense is a different matter, but I am optimistic that we are starting to get a bit more of an offensive rythym going even when we aren't shooting lights out. Fingers crossed!

P.S. This is not that surprising, but this is only the second time we have ever faced a ranked Rutgers team, and it's the first time ever that we have (A) faced a Rutgers team ranked higher than we are and (B) faced a Rutgers team with a better record than us. RU has also never won in Champaign.
Click to expand...
My main take from this data is that Champaign is where Wisconsin and Iowa come to die.
 
#89      

jumpingjack

J
jumpingjack
IlliniCC16 said:
Not sure where to put this, so i'll start here. I've got tickets for Saturday's game and plan on taking my Illini-crazy 6-year-old son. I've seen some videos on the team social media account after a win in the tunnel, where some fans are there to greet them.

My question to you all is, do certain tickets grant you access to that, or is anyone able to get down there? We met BU, Mayer, and Skyy earlier this year at a hotel and he was so pumped. He'd love the opportunity to see the whole team up close. Anyone got insight to this? Thanks in advance!
Click to expand...
If you google Illini athletics auction, you'll find the site that lets you buy those premium experiences. I think the benchwarmers one is probably sold out for the rest of the homegames this year, but for $200, you get to hang out courtside for pre-game warmups and then hang in the tunnel. There's also a postgame one where you get to shoot around on the floor. Highly recommend doing it if you can!
 
#90      

IlliniCC16

I
IlliniCC16
jumpingjack said:
If you google Illini athletics auction, you'll find the site that lets you buy those premium experiences. I think the benchwarmers one is probably sold out for the rest of the homegames this year, but for $200, you get to hang out courtside for pre-game warmups and then hang in the tunnel. There's also a postgame one where you get to shoot around on the floor. Highly recommend doing it if you can!
Click to expand...
PERFECT! Thanks so much for this.
 
#92      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
dbeaverfg said:
My main take from this data is that Champaign is where Wisconsin and Iowa come to die.
Click to expand...
And GOD is that a very fortunate change of events from before Underwood got us back, lol. From Groce's first season in 2013 through the 2019 season we were...

1-3 vs. Iowa in Champaign
0-6 vs. Wisconsin in Champaign

Pretty much owning those two programs the past few years has been absolutely wonderful.
 
#93      

RockfordIllini

R
RockfordIllini
The more I watch Rutgers film, the more I think we gotta stick Coleman on Mulcahy. He’s a better version of Griesel, who was able to bully Shannon in both of our games. Think Coleman’s length can bother Mulcahy when he posts up, and then throw Ty on him when Coleman needs a break.

Didn’t realize Spencer was 6’4 and over 200 lbs either. He’s a great difficult shot maker so even if Jaden is hugged up on him, he’s probably going to be able to shoot over the top. Maybe you put Shannon on him but that would leave Epps guarding Hyatt at 6’6 and ~230. May need to play Sencire more if Spencer really gets going but going to be hard to take Jaden off the floor.

Going to be a tough game. I do think we are more talented but they are tougher. With Mag out they will only play 6 guys so I’m hoping our depth is the difference.

Would be nice if one of TJ, Coleman or RJ hit some shots.
 
#94      

BRucks

BRucks
BRucks
Second place is 1st loser said:
Not sure where to put this, I hope it's right. I have tickets to the game on Saturday, section 114. Sitting with my son in the student section. How bad, how good?
Click to expand...
Depends on how old your son is. Section 114 is close to the court but located right on the corner near the endline. http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.c...16/7/22/2016_17_mbb_seasontickets_map_web.pdf If your son is young and short he will have trouble seeing if your row is towards the back. Students will be acting like students which may bother you more than it will bother your son.
 
#95      

Second place is 1st loser

S
Second place is 1st loser
BRucks said:
Depends on how old your son is. Section 114 is close to the court but located right on the corner near the endline. http://sidearm.sites.s3.amazonaws.c...16/7/22/2016_17_mbb_seasontickets_map_web.pdf If your son is young and short he will have trouble seeing if your row is towards the back. Students will be acting like students which may bother you more than it will bother your son.
Click to expand...
Appreciate the insight. He's not "short". He's 17 and is in that 5'10" range, so I'm hoping that'll be ok. Maybe you(or anyone) help with one other question. Back in the day, Krush was general admission and you stood in line, got your wristband and rolled in when the doors opened. We have specified seats. Will I run into amy trouble with this?
 
#97      

ILLI die hard

I
ILLI die hard
A reply to 2nd pl.1st loser. Took my 10 yr. old grandson to a game last year. Unfortunately fans in front of us thought by standing for over 3 minutes in game time till Illini scored helped the team. But a young fan can't see a damn thing. All for fan support, but your really NOT playing. Have some respect for others, especially the new Illinois fans to come!
 
#98      

illini0440

illini0440
illini0440
Second place is 1st loser said:
Appreciate the insight. He's not "short". He's 17 and is in that 5'10" range, so I'm hoping that'll be ok. Maybe you(or anyone) help with one other question. Back in the day, Krush was general admission and you stood in line, got your wristband and rolled in when the doors opened. We have specified seats. Will I run into amy trouble with this?
Click to expand...
You shouldn’t. And if you do just show your ticket to an usher down there and they will get it squared away.
 
#99      

illini0440

illini0440
illini0440
ILLI die hard said:
A reply to 2nd pl.1st loser. Took my 10 yr. old grandson to a game last year. Unfortunately fans in front of us thought by standing for over 3 minutes in game time till Illini scored helped the team. But a young fan can't see a damn thing. All for fan support, but your really NOT playing. Have some respect for others, especially the new Illinois fans to come!
Click to expand...
You mean until the opponent scored?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.