How big is gaqme against IL?
- Thread starter hdhntr1
- Start date
Illinois is playing like the worst team in the conference. It's one thing to lose on the road to the most talented team in the conference. It would be quite another to lose at home to that bunch of clowns.
Unfortunately, it's happened before at a critical juncture (1998-99). That game wrecked Esch's final season.
Yes. That was a terrible Illinois team that finished the conference at 3-13 but made it all the way to the B1G Tournament Final, losing to MSU. I remember that game against the Illini mostly for their few fans present chanting N-I-T at the end. Illinois was 2-11 in conference at the time. NU was 6-6 and in those days it was pretty much go 9-7 in conference and you would be in the NCAA. That loss was the third out of the 6 game losing streak to end conference play for NU. Bad.
I forgot about the Illini run at the BTT. It was pretty impressive.
Up until the Illinois game, NU had not lost a BIG a team ranked outside the top 25 (only bad loss was the opener to...Maine?). The wheels pretty much came off after UofI.
Had really a nice effort at the UC against #2 MSU, though (if Lepore's shot went in...).
Beating the Illini might also put another nail in Groce's coffin, which may make a difference to Mark Smith. BTW, Indiana has also offered Smith, and Kansas is among those sniffing around.
https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/unsigned-senior-guard-mark-smith-sees-stock-take-off
https://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/news/unsigned-senior-guard-mark-smith-sees-stock-take-off
Well Cream may also be exiting and that Kansas program is in turmoil. Numerous players charged with sexual assault and/or battery.
It's because of that game that this one tomorrow seems so symbolically important to me, even though logically there's no connection at all. That Illini game in '99 came just days after the infamous "Hoosier Daddy" game that we lost in OT, and basically stuck a fork in us. We didn't win another Big 10 game until February 2001.
It's a yuuuuge gaqme!
Every B1G game is big but def want to arrest this bump in the road and prevent it from developing into a skid which could start to get into the team's heads. Also let them prove to themselves that they can win with whoever they have on the floor.
I am pretty darn sure that Collins made an official announcement today, Tap in, Lindsay out for tomorrow.
I mean we could still get 3 other reg season wins if we don't this one pretty easily. So I don't think it's a must win at all. It's just a game that we should win.
Illinois just lost a "must win" game at home, handily, to a team that lost five in a row. We simply don't deserve to go to the dance if we cannot beat them at home. They are playing worse than Rutgers at this point.
I guess with all this talk about fake news, you decided you'd better get in the act.
With 8 games left in the regular season, every game is important but not necessarily "must win" yet.
I have faith that this team will figure out how to win at least 5 of the remaining 8 games, if not more, starting with the Ill-annoys game tonight.
I have faith that this team will figure out how to win at least 5 of the remaining 8 games, if not more, starting with the Ill-annoys game tonight.
I'd like to underplay the importance of this game, but I'm not sure I can. If the Cats lose tonight, they need to get four wins (for 11 in-conference) from Wisconsin, Maryland, Rutgers, Indiana on the road, Michigan or Purdue.
Even if you're of the belief that only ten wins are needed, there's not much wiggle room for three more wins.
It's too damn bad Lindsey is out, but the Cats can stay with this utterly stupid Illini team. It's going to be tough.
Even if you're of the belief that only ten wins are needed, there's not much wiggle room for three more wins.
It's too damn bad Lindsey is out, but the Cats can stay with this utterly stupid Illini team. It's going to be tough.
I still think we can win 1 or 2 games against the 3 teams ahead of us in the standings at this point - @Wisconsin, Maryland, Purdue. Then just need to take care of business against the teams below us. We probably won't run the table, but I can see us going 5-3.
I agree. I am one who thinks 11 wins in conference regular season results in a much less stressful selection Sunday. We need this game. Illinois is 0-fer on the road this year. This is a game we need to find a way to win. With the down time to prepare and get some mid-season rest, I like our chances.
The Illini will be ready to play. I anticipate that we will be too. If we can beat them, maybe we can get on another roll. Didn't we beat UW at Madison during CC's first season with the Cats? I think Crawford was a stud for us that game. We beat them once last year too if I remember correctly. Why not another win for us this year? Especially if we get Lindsey back. I can't see tonite's game in person. I have to be at work tomorrow at 4:30am. I hope everyone enjoys a big win for the Cats.
This is a must win game to avoid the possibility of a four game losing streak. CC has shown he can have the team ready. A solid win would make us all feel better about Wisconsin and Maryland going forward. Taphorn will give us another three point option to help spread the defense. A huge supportive crowd should help. Count me in.
Go Cats !
Go Cats !
We do play IL again and then likely at full strength. But makes things much easier if we just win tonight and then just need 2 or 3 more.
What?! That coffin is fully stocked with nails, regardless of tonight's game or the return game in Champaign...
Groce is gone.
This is a huge game to stop a one-game losing streak, though I get what you're saying.
I think we'll see a lot of Tap tonight, though hopefully Brown settles down a bit after he tried to do too much against Purdue. I don't think we've really seen Mc-Law-Tap together as the (relative) littles previously, but it seems to make sense with the loss of Lindsey and the apparent lack of confidence in Ash.
Tap is a downstate kid - this could be a great senior moment for him.
Agreed-- they are as bad as Rutgers at this point, with FAR superior talent, including an NBA player and TWO sixth-year seniors.
Coaching has been just terrible; just one of many examples is when Groce inexplicably benched his hottest player (Nichols) in the first half of their last game and did not bring him in in the second half AT ALL until the game was out of hand. He makes at least one dreadful coaching error like this every game. #lolIllinois
Have a feeling that a big game from Pardon and/or Benson will set a winning tone. That and Law comes back strong, after the Purdue near shutout.
It will be Pardon. Mark it down, bare minimum 15 points and 10 rebounds. I am prejudiced. He became my favorite player to watch quite a while ago.