Pregame: Illinois vs VCU (Miami, FL), Saturday, December 3rd, 2:00pm CT, CBSSN
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Probably our last chance to put a good non-conference win on our resume. Getting this one would change the vibe.
Take care of the ball and this could be a double digit win. Take care of business here and in the UC and all of a sudden we finish the noncon with 3 quality wins. Let's go boys!
This one will most likely be the toughest. VCU is probably the best of those 3 and it is on a true neutral court.
We need em all to make up for the Winthrop loss.
In case anyone was wondering, Kenpom now has us 7-11 in the B1G and favored in 3 of the first 11.
BYU is expected to be a bubble team IIRC.
VCU will have this game circled. Expect them to come to play.
Something called Utah Valley State dropped 114 on BYU the other night. With Gonzaga and St Mary's being so good, they'll have plenty of opportunities for good wins at least.
Joel Goodson
- how was I to know, she was with the Russians too?
Need this game.
FeelYourPaign
- So Cal
I've missed it. Why is this game in Miami?
chief78
- Florida
It's a part of the 'Hoophall' Miami Invitational being held at American Airlines Arena (home of the Miami Heat). UM plays Wofford after the Illini play. The following weekend Georgetown plays LaSalle, followed by Temple vs DePaul.
If we only get Mizzou and BYU (and that's assuming we win both) it would be a mighty thin resume. The kind of resume that keeps you out of the dance even if you have a winning conference record.
Illinifanatic4ever
- Orange & Blue Blood in my Veins
Need to go undefeated rest of the non conference no excuses. 10-3 going into the conference season puts us atleast back to even which is great from where we were a few days ago. Winthrop game will loom large all season I believe.
We need em all to make up for the Winthrop loss.
In case anyone was wondering, Kenpom now has us 7-11 in the B1G and favored in 3 of the first 11.
Did they announce the time for the parade yet?
Yup. I have a feeling Groce is going to rue the day he went up against Keon Johnson.
And if we are on the wrong side of the bubble because of that scrappy little PG and end up getting a 1 seed in the NIT, I think the fans will rue the day we played him as well since most likely Groce will be retained.
I just hope for an easy decision at the end of the year. (Hopefully it's because we made the dance...)
I have seen the future. We're losing in the First Four.
I want to get it on the record now, regardless of what it might one day hypothetically mean for John Groce, if you lose in the First Four you did NOT make the NCAA Tournament.
Preaching to the very nervous choir.
For now, though, let's celebrate a win and hope that halftime of the NC State game is where we all look back and say "That's when our season turned around" as we get to the S16 for the first time in a million years.
On to VCU!
WiscIllini
- Madison, WI
But would you rather make the First Four or the NIT?
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