Could this be the toughest holiday tournament? I know the Kansas Duke tourney was a good one.
So there were no “big games” on the way to Big Ten titles? For example, beating Iowa to clinch the title was a bigger game than a nonconference game in November.IMO it’s going to boil down to how BU manages these games/matchups. Can he put his players in a position to succeed. We have all the talent on paper. BU needs to maximize. Doesn’t seem to do that in big games of recent memory. ILL!
But he got into Illinois? Based on our experience with admissions, that would be strange. If Ohio State wants a player, they will get in.I saw Spoon in HS at Canton McKinley a few times. He would have gone to tOSU but he had academic problems there.
Yep, I know this might come across as simply trying to make the best of our situation this year ... but it cannot be denied that our 2021 and 2022 teams were VERY good squads that also looked especially lost when teams effectively isolated Ayo or Kofi with a good game plan and our outside shots weren't falling. This year's team might lose more games than both of those teams did, but I also think their versatility and athleticism might just be the X factor in pulling out a win in March vs. another Loyola or Houston situation.Can't adjust much w/ Kofi
So there were no “big games” on the way to Big Ten titles? For example, beating Iowa to clinch the title was a bigger game than a nonconference game in November.
How about going to Michigan without Ayo and hammering a top 5 team?
So many more. Not sure what your definition of a big game is.
Last year we really only had one major strength & everything else was dependent on him being dominant. Working inside-out was great when he could get to the rim, and/or our outside shots were falling.I would add pre-game plan and in-game plan into this assessment. The only fault I have with Underwood at all is in game adjustments when the opponent has created a game plan that takes away a major strength.
Thanks, guess tonight's game will be extremely toughSomeone above has broken down the recruits for both teams as far as stars, but a little more info.
Do they pump oxygen into the arena like they do the casinos?Putting out a preemptive strike that the game probably won't tip off until closer to 9. 10 PM for those of us in the Eastern time zone.
The internet helped a lot in Spoon's ability to keep up.On top of being a great basketball player he was ahead of his time in remote learning!
Thanks for reminding me of the West Virginia game where people tried to rationalize getting beat by 30 points because we had no chance of matching up with a team that finished the season ranked 13th and had one 2nd round draft pick.Random trivia that I would REALLY like to update with a win tonight.
The last time the Illini beat a ranked team on a neutral floor in the non-conference??
12/21/2013: Illinois 65, #23 Missouri 64 (St. Louis, MO)
The last time we did the same in a game other than Braggin' Rights??
11/27/2004: #5 Illinois 89, #24 Gonzaga 72 (Indianapolis, IN)
The last time we beat a TOP TEN non-conference opponent on a neutral floor besides Mizzou?? It's been almost 22 years:
12/16/2000: #5 Illinois 81, #7 Arizona 73
This is mostly just fun trivia, but a LOT of casual college basketball fans and recruits use these big non-conference matchups between ranked teams in cool locations to form their perceptions of which programs are "cool" or "big-time" or whatever. You don't get the kind of opportunities we are going to get this year that often:
#19 Illinois vs. #8 UCLA (Las Vegas, NV)
#19 Illinois vs. #5 Baylor or #16 Virginia (Las Vegas, NV)
#19 Illinois vs. #11 Texas (New York, NY)
Winning ANY of these games, much less two or three of them, is a huge deal. Beating those programs in those iconic locations? Those are opportunities for statements. Let's get a HUGE win tonight, boys!
Last year we really only had one major strength & everything else was dependent on him being dominant. Working inside-out was great when he could get to the rim, and/or our outside shots were falling.
When teams crowded him in the lane, and shots weren’t going down, there was no plan B. We didn’t really have the personnel to play any other way. Certainly not without taking Kofi off the floor, which wasn’t going to improve the teams odds…
This year’s team is full of dudes who are extremely versatile. It will be easier to make adjustments based on how the other team wants to play.
Half court offense may take awhile to be really good in a slow paced game, but I like our chances in a fast paced scramble of a game.
It’s pretty much the opposite style of basketball than we have played since Kofi came to town.
I have seen a lot more Virginia today, but it’s 3:15 in LV and I still have not seen any other. My wife says she has seen some Baylor, but then she also claimed to see Sencire Harris yesterday, so I’m not sure she’s a reliable source!