College Basketball 2023-2024

[Old Style]

Houston doesn’t have depth but they are super talented. A&M showed you the game plan to beat them but they still won’t be an easy out

[Brian707]

26 minutes ago, jb10194 said:

I know there's probably a reasoning behind it, but it seem a bit odd to me that they have the two west coast teams playing around 4:10/4:40 local time on Thursday, followed by Illinois-Iowa State around 9:10 local time and Alabama-North Carolina around 9:40 local time. Nothing is ideal, but I feel like switching would have benefited the fan bases more.

Yeah this 9:10 local start is horsefeathers for Illinois. I guess they don't want a 10:10 EST start for UConn fans???

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

2 hours ago, gflore34 said:

is Houston the most vulnerable #1 seed?  Despite their defense and physical play they seem really vulnerable if a team can shut down Shead.  Putting the clamps on him is quite a bit easier than trying to stop someone like Edey.  A good defender with some height and length can take Shead out.

Just based off of KenPom, the Tar Heels are easily the most vulnerable.  But just eyeballing the games, I'd agree with you.  

[gflore34]

Well, it's game night for the Illini, they have a pretty good chance tonight.  Iowa State' defense is certainly cause for concern, the Illini will have the best player on the floor maybe, the best two players on the floor.  And are more than capable of playing some defense of their own.  Appears the Illini have the height advantage which should help against Iowa State' trapping defense.  Don't expect the Illini to not get turned over, if they keep the TO relatively low and control the offensive and defensive boards they should be okay.  Watched some film analysis by Derek Piper, if the Illini can pass out of Iowa State' traps and reverse the ball they'll get open looks at threes could mean big games for Goode, Guerrier or, even though he's been in shooting slump, Harmon.

[Rex Buckingham]

If Good Coleman Hawkins shows up, they might have the best 3 players on the floor

[gflore34]

Some are having Loyola-PTSD, totally different Illini team this time, sure, Iowa State, like Loyola was, is a very good defensive team.  However, this Illini team is much more versatile, and, not as banged up, there's no doubt in my mind that Ayo was less than 100% for that game.  Towards the end of the BTT Championship he got popped in the head and didn't look right.  The after effects were still there during the Loyola game, beyond the defense, there was something up with his play.

Edited March 28, 2024 by gflore34

[Brian707]

The last 9 times the #1 offense played the #1 defense in the tournament the #1 offense is 4-5 so that's a meaningless stat lol. Looking forward to the game, for some reason I woke up at 330AM and couldn't get back to sleep so its going to be tough staying up for a 920ish tip.

[Irrelevant Dude]

1 hour ago, Brian707 said:

I woke up at 330AM and couldn't get back to sleep so its going to be tough staying up for a 920ish tip.

You have the Cubs game to bring you up to tipoff.

[mul21]

Unrelated but fun note, Minnesota St. Mankato is playing in the D2 final four today and I played high school ball with the assistant head coach.  Game starts at 3:30 on CBS Sports if anybody cares.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

I really hope this FT shooting doesn’t come back to bite the Illini. What the hell.

[Rex Buckingham]

Shooting FTs like Texas A&M... glad we got Good Coleman Hawkins in the 1H

[Tryptamine]

They should be up almost 20 going into half. They had every opportunity in the world to put their foot on Iowa State's neck.

[Nolansomebody]

Can ISU, like, do better?

[Derwood]

Down go the Tar Heels

[Brian707]

Illinois needs to hang on. Shannon foul trouble and they can't hit free throws 

[gflore34]

No question the Illini were better and are better than Iowa State, had they shot their free throws at average the game wouldn't have been as close.  Don't know if they'll beat UConn but, I do know UConn would have obliterated Iowa State.

[Thurman Merman]

15-29, like wtf? Better remember how to shoot free throws if they want to stand a chance against uconn.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Illinois led wire to wire.  Never in doubt, right?

With that said, I'm terrified of UConn.

[Thurman Merman]

2 minutes ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Illinois led wire to wire.  Never in doubt, right?

With that said, I'm terrified of UConn.

I'm already resigned to them losing. Just house money at this point.

[gflore34]

1 minute ago, Irrelevant Dude said:

Illinois led wire to wire.  Never in doubt, right?

With that said, I'm terrified of UConn.

It's gravy from here, all the pressure is on UConn, who knows maybe they'll have bad game and the Illini will steal one.

[Irrelevant Dude]

That is pretty much where I'm at, but look ahead if Illinois can somehow beat UConn.  Then you get either Alabama or Clemson to advance to the national championship game.  Good teams, but very beatable.  UConn is the one that they just have to hope to get past.  That is unlikely, but not impossible.

[gflore34]

Sometimes, Underwood is criticized for being out coached, he deserves some credit for yesterday.  It was obvious Underwood and staff had done their film work in they way the Illini broke Iowa State' press, reversed the ball and got open looks at threes.  Having Hawkins in the middle as the relief valve was prefect, Iowa State even resorted to playing a zone on a few possessions, that's almost a concession their part.  Also Illini' height really bothered Iowa State, it's something they couldn't defend.

[BigbadB]

This one reminds me of 1989 when the Illini with Nick Robinson, Kendall Gill, Kenny Battle, Marcus Liberty and Lowell Hamilton faced off against Michigan in a final 4 matchup vs. Michigan with Glen Rice and Rumeal Robinson. 

Close, but Michigan made their free throws to win it at the end. 

[CubinNY]

14 minutes ago, BigbadB said:

This one reminds me of 1989 when the Illini with Nick Robinson, Kendall Gill, Kenny Battle, Marcus Liberty and Lowell Hamilton faced off against Michigan in a final 4 matchup vs. Michigan with Glen Rice and Rumeal Robinson. 

Close, but Michigan made their free throws to win it at the end. 

Bringing back the glory days. 

[BigbadB]

5 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Bringing back the glory days. 

I was already a fan since they aired all of the Illini games in Peoria. But, I moved to Champaign on February 14th, 1989. The roadsides were 3-4 feet tall with tree branches from the ice storm that came through the day before. The mood was Illinois was going to win it all. I never got to a game that year unfortunately.