In no world are the Illini a better team without a healthy Boswell.
UCLA 95, Illinois 94 OT Postgame
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RabidDawgClassic
- Los Angeles, CA
Brandon Paul vs Minny in the BTT, I believe.
Why is it absurd? We lost Ayo and beat Michigan by 20+. If Kylan isn't there do you really expect Keaton to get that workload to go off like that? When important pieces go down, it gives killers like him a chance to step up and change the dynamic for the team for the long run. Its not absurd at all. All... the.... time.... the message is when somebody goes down its an opportunity for other players to grow. Why would that change now?Just want to point out that this logic is absurd lmao
"We're actually better if guys just get injured and don't play"
It's gotten to the point where I am now agreeing with @NarrowJ and defending how good this team is. It's bananas out there.
Hope is certainly not a strategy, yet neither is despair
lstewart53x3
- Scottsdale, Arizona
What strategy would you like fans to implement that would lead to more wins?
I chose to wait to post until the emotions wore off from seeing the score. Out with my wife Saturday night for a date night and saw the score out of the corner of my eye on a TV and immediately felt annoyed. Told myself not to let that mess my date up. Clearly not fair to my wife.
More I have reflected on the horrible loss to a team they should destroy 9/10 times I have realized that I don't really care about the regular season. Fair or not, all I really care about is championships. And I don't mean the B1G. I mean national championship. I only really care about how we do in the big dance. That is what matters to me. I would take having a team that goes 22-10 and makes it to the Elite 8 or farther every year than a team that wins their league and flames out in the first or second round.
So, I am not going to get mad if we lose to Michigan Friday knowing what I care about is really just how far we go in the big dance.
More I have reflected on the horrible loss to a team they should destroy 9/10 times I have realized that I don't really care about the regular season. Fair or not, all I really care about is championships. And I don't mean the B1G. I mean national championship. I only really care about how we do in the big dance. That is what matters to me. I would take having a team that goes 22-10 and makes it to the Elite 8 or farther every year than a team that wins their league and flames out in the first or second round.
So, I am not going to get mad if we lose to Michigan Friday knowing what I care about is really just how far we go in the big dance.
Not sure that would fit on a bumper sticker or sell, but can't blame you for trying
Interesting question. Seems like a "choose your own adventure" video game concept.
Not sure I follow your assumptive leap about anything being implemented. My post was on expectations, not implementations. I realize those terms sound kinda alike, but they have very different meanings.
CAIllini
- West Coast
I would have possibly physically exploded if I was there in person Indy...I feel for ya. It was bad enough watching on TV and begging for a TO to stop the excruciating comeback run and/or try any alternative strategy tweaks. My poor dog thinks she did something wrong in such situations as my mood sours and volume increases. Please take a TO BU and save our pets & families from us!
Really wasn't the case for me. It was 33-10 with 9 minutes left in 1H. There was still 35 minutes left to go in the game. I don't care what the ESPN win probabilities say, they were always going to fight back to some extent - UCLA is a much better team than USC.
The last play is simply inexcusable. Coming out of a timeout especially. Remember they have to go the full length of the court in 4.9 seconds. To give up a LAYUP is so inexcusable.
I never go into a conference game with the expectation we'll win by 30 with no resistance, but maybe that's my problem. We were able to weather the storm, but had horrible execution, which is discouraging.
If we're being honest... ultimately what will determine this team's fate is late game execution. You're going to be in a close game in the tournament. No team other than UConn has avoided one in history.
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Wasn't aware of the bumper sticker contest
I thought you were intimating that hope isn't a strategy (the slogan in the gif you posted)
I would have possibly physically exploded if I was there in person Indy...I feel for ya. It was bad enough watching on TV and begging for a TO to stop the excruciating comeback run and/or try any alternative strategy tweaks. My poor dog thinks she did something wrong in such situations as my mood sours and volume increases. Please take a TO BU and save our pets & families from us!
It was definitely massively disappointing and a missed opportunity for a huge SoCal Illinois fan base to finally have a key game (that we should have won) in our region and the outcome is crushing defeat.
It took me the rest of evening (and many beverages) to diminish the bitterness of that defeat.
Belief is a pretty good strategy
Agreed and I definitely respect those that stay steadfast in that.
My challenge (which I fully understand may not be the sentiment of all or most IL fans) is that I've seen this movie many times before and belief has yet to manifest into sufficient success in the tourney over both the history of IL hoops as well as under Brad's direction. Perhaps this year will be different, but the body of evidence does not support that.
Ah, so you're one of those that if we don't win the national championship then you didn't have a good time types of fans
No judgment, just helps explain things
Based on your statement you are "empowered" by inaccurate assumptions. A reflection of the times I guess.
But at least you getting some things explained, which I am happy for you in that regard.
I understand wanting a second weekend out of the Ayo and Kofi team. I get it.
But two seasons ago we did make an elite 8?
Also go back and watch Kofi highlights. I get that his playstyle worked well against inferior opponents and in physical B1G games especially with Ayo still around. But my god his lack of quickness was glaring in the 2022 NCAA game vs. Houston. So, so clunky.
I watched the 2024 Illini closely with TSJ and Mr. Booty Ball. The 2026 Illini are a better-balanced team (much better offense, slightly worse defense). That should excite us. UConn was a generational team with Stephon Castle and Donovan Clingan (who was pinning TSJ dunk attempts at the apex). That UConn team looked more dominant than any team we’ve seen since in 2025 or this year.
We should be excited. The issues we’re having with Fears, Dent, and likely Cadeau in the regular season and likely again in the BTT will give us us a ton of game tape to manage that Achilles heel in the NCAAs.
There aren’t a ton of amazing 3-pt shooting big men among Arizona, Michigan, and Duke. So we can likely stay in the game and not get blown out like vs. UConn in the E8 game. Question is how do we handle quick guards - that will determine how far we go.
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My expectations vs. performance have very little to do with the NCAA Tourney (I realize I'm in the minority here). In my mind, Brad Underwood has overperformed with Illini basketball. His teams have become nationally relevant. The past 6 seasons, his record is 140-58 (71%) overall and 81-36 (69%) in one of the toughest leagues in the country and playing one of the toughest non-conference schedules. Included have been 1 outright regular-season championship and 2 BTT titles as well as an Elite Eight appearance for only the 5th time in the past 42 years. His teams have been highly entertaining, including changing styles of play year-to-year, and they've been winners. Sign me up for this every season, even including the occasional disappointment.
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Amen. Decade of purgatory after 2005 sucked.
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