Pregame: Illinois vs UConn, 5:09pm CT, TBS

I haven’t been out and about enough in Indy yet to comment on the Illini turnout, but easily like 60% of the license plates on the way to Indy were Illinois … which is actually insane when you think about it.

This season has been a success no matter what, but the past two weeks have been a lot of fun. I’d love to squeeze out another couple days from these guys.

I've had my Chief, Orange flag flying all week at my home in Indiana. (I'm sure my neighbors love it.) I got on my Orange Shirt, my Block I Orange hat 0n and my bottle of Grand Marnier with its wonderful wild ORANGES flavor right next to me while I wait for the game to start. GO ILLINI! Beat the hell out of Uconn! The wait is killing me.......

how in the pee-diddle-f**k does high knees-low skills ref jeff get to do the championship game ???????????.......he's a joke and now that d j bald head ref has retired , he is the absolute worst ref in college BB today.............he really really really is......JMHO ....

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You only get the championship game if you get the highest of marks by the COACHES. To get a Final Four game at all means you graded out extremely highly. So, the coaches involved in this games you complain about have a huge difference of opinion....which is ok. People see things differently.

bleedsorangenblue said:

I don't post a lot... I want to touch on how important this Final Four is to Illinois Basketball. I was here for both the previous Final Fours in '89 and '05. I was here for the ups and downs... I have enough faith in the direction of the program to believe that I will see a National Championship in my lifetime.

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It’s people like you who make Illini Nation special. There is a basic good nature and knowledge of the game and a sense of fair play and history of following this program for years that sets I-Nation apart. All programs have fans. But not all programs have fans like Our Beloved.

You can’t fake passion. And U of I fans and State of Illinois fans in general are just flat-out Ball Fans. A lot of this finds traces its roots back into the fabulous IHSA tournaments over the years that we all know and love. Still one of the finest tournaments in the Nation. And then our Ball loyalties spread out later into other Colleges and Universities and then maybe into Pro Ball (before they ruined it with too-much show-biz and the doing-way-with basic basketball fundamentals. All of that seemed to be retired from the Association when the GOAT retired).

We have – and should have – high expectations for this Program but they are not unrealistic expectations. We are not a fan base that thinks that winning and Big Trophies are owed to us like some kind of divine right (like certain ones that will not be named). We appreciate successes and good effort. Playing hard and respecting the uniform and legacy.

Later today we’ll find out if the Illini add another one to the Win column. But around here we already know... the Illinois fans are already proven winners.

Illinois 73- UConn-62

Illinois is the better team overall, with better rebounding, depth, and more ways to score. UConn's only real advantage is their recent experience playing in the Final Four, so they should be unbothered with the atmosphere and focused on the game. It is critical that Illinois comes out of the gate aggressively to match UConn's intensity; I hope they are attacking the rim and getting fouled. UConn loves to play the bully. If Illinois is attacking the basket and getting rebounds, WE can be the bully. Making a normal % of threes and they can win by double digits.

GO ILLINI!!

I haven't been this excited for a school event since Mock UN. Or was the time Dilworth hit the table with his knee and sent the pieces flying at the Chess Club finals? In any event, I'm looking for the Orange and Blue to take control, wear out these Huskies, and drive to victory like it was the final leg of the Iditarod sled dog race. GO ILLINI!

74-71 Illinois

Listening to Tim Brando, he thinks that we're the better team, but UCONN's experience is too much. He said the jump from the first weekend and getting to the Sweet 16 is a huge emotional jump, but the jump to the Final Four is the most emotional jump in sports....bigger than the Super Bowl. The Hurley factor will be the difference.

It goes back to the been there, done that theory. The wow factor between the two teams is going up be enormous.

Let's go Illini

They're undefeated when I put my jersey on so I'm throwing it on today.

Nohops 73 said:

Illinois is the better team overall, with better rebounding, depth, and more ways to score. UConn's only real advantage is their recent experience playing in the Final Four, so they should be unbothered with the atmosphere and focused on the game. It is critical that Illinois comes out of the gate aggressively to match UConn's intensity; I hope they are attacking the rim and getting fouled. UConn loves to play the bully. If Illinois is attacking the basket and getting rebounds, WE can be the bully. Making a normal % of threes and they can win by double digits.

GO ILLINI!!

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UConn’s advantages are they are better at defense than we are and have a better coach (he might be the best coach in college basketball)

Indy is orange. It’s crazy. ILL.

hhoene said:

The line outside of Brothers on campus.
At 10AMView attachment 49325

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Legends was turning people away by 9:30 as there were so many in line. Many of the campus bars are charging $100 entrance fee. Wild.

Order him a double-double

71 - 65 good guys… ILL !