College Basketball 2023-2024

[Old Style]

I bought my house in mid-March of that year. Barely had any furniture but I had a big screen TV. I grew up a Carolina fan but also really liked Illinois. It was one of two schools I applied to out of HS. That was a fun championship game for me. Would have been happy with either team winning. 

Edited March 24, 2024 by Old Style

[Brian707]

2005 I keep reminiscing about the Arizona game in the elite 8. Sucks they lost to UNC in the championship.  1989 team I remember them losing in heartbreaking fashion to Michigan whom they beat twice in the regular season.

IF they get by Iowa St, I think they can give Uconn a battle 

[Irrelevant Dude]

14 minutes ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

19 horsefeathers years in between Sweet Sixteens. I was a senior in high school and had just decided to attend Illinois before their run to the finals in ‘05.

I was at the finals in St. Louis.  Such a disappointing night.  Illinois was the better team, but things just didn't go their way that game.  We checked out of our hotel after the game and drove all the way back to Chicago in the middle of the night.

[Irrelevant Dude]

7 minutes ago, Brian707 said:

2005 I keep reminiscing about the Arizona game in the elite 8.

I have such vivid memories of that game.  I can picture exactly where I was sitting and how I was feeling, going from utter disappointment and resignation to complete shock and excitement in the span of a few minutes.  Whenever I watch that game, I always get to the point where I think, "How did they actually win this???"

[Old Style]

 

[bukie]

Fun fact, Illinois just passed UConn for first overall in adjusted offensive efficiency, and their 126.7 number is 4th highest in the KenPom era.

 

There is good news about the NCAA tourney outcomes of the 3 teams with adjusted offenses higher than that...

[Rex Buckingham]

You know what, I never had a moment of nervousness in that game. Unbelievable performance. Completely dominant. That's what you do when the bracket breaks your way. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

We are a LONG way away from this being a reality, and this year's run could easily end Thursday night, but the question came to my mind tonight of how an Illinois basketball national championship would compare for me personally to the Cubs winning the World Series.  I don't even know how to answer that question.  I have been both a Cubs fan and an Illinois fan for my entire life.  Baseball is my first love and will always be my favorite sport, but I have a more personal connection to the University of Illinois and Illinois basketball probably ranks a close second in my sports fandom.  I think the big thing that is hard for me to reconcile is that it always felt inevitable that the Cubs would eventually win a World Series.  Maybe not this year, next year, or this decade, but it was only a matter of time before they would finally win one.  With Illinois basketball, on the other hand, there is no such inevitability.  There have been a few teams that "could" win the championship, including this year, but the odds of that happening are still incredibly low.  I think the chances of them winning a championship in my lifetime are still relatively low, whereas the Cubs chances of winning another World Series in the next 10-20 years are pretty good.  I guess they would both be special in their own way, but I can't say which one would mean more to me until/unless it actually happens.

[gflore34]

11 hours ago, Rex Buckingham said:

You know what, I never had a moment of nervousness in that game. Unbelievable performance. Completely dominant. That's what you do when the bracket breaks your way. 

Game was over within the first five minutes, Duquesne' only chance was for the Illini to come out flat.  Playing their lackadaisical defense while Duquesne was executing at a near perfect rate.  When the Illini came out with defensive intensity and effort even Duquesne knew they had no chance, you could see it on their faces.

Edited March 24, 2024 by gflore34

[Derwood]

Marquette is trying to choke away a game that looked like an early blow out

[Derwood]

The only way Purdue loses is if an opponent can get Edey into foul trouble. Otherwise no one can stop this dude

[Old Style]

6 minutes ago, Derwood said:

The only way Purdue loses is if an opponent can get Edey into foul trouble. Otherwise no one can stop this dude

In their 4 losses he had less than 20 one time when he had 15. The only game he had more than 3 fouls he scored 35. 

[cwood218]

10 hours ago, Derwood said:

The only way Purdue loses is if an opponent can get Edey into foul trouble. Otherwise no one can stop this dude

I think more than likely the team that beats them will have athletic guards that can defend Purdue's 3 point shot meanwhile simultaneously shooting well from 3. Basically trading Edey's twos for their own threes.

Edited March 25, 2024 by cwood218

[gflore34]

Is it just me or does Houston grab, hack and hold, a lot.

[stitchface]

blowouts seems like they are way up in this tourney

 

[Rex Buckingham]

Aggies FT shooting has cost them dearly

[Derwood]

11 minutes ago, stitchface said:

blowouts seems like they are way up in this tourney

 

today especially. Only three competitive games all day

Edited March 25, 2024 by Derwood

[Old Style]

1 hour ago, Rex Buckingham said:

Aggies FT shooting has cost them dearly

This loss hurts. Our game plan was perfect and even with Wade Taylor playing very poorly for most of the game we still could have won the damn game by just making free throws. The next two games would have been in Dallas too. 

[gflore34]

6 hours ago, Old Style said:

This loss hurts. Our game plan was perfect and even with Wade Taylor playing very poorly for most of the game we still could have won the damn game by just making free throws. The next two games would have been in Dallas too. 

It's too bad, thought once they tied it up, had all the momentum and would pull it out.

[Derwood]

Crazy they lost considering Houston had like three starters foul out 

[Old Style]

6 minutes ago, Derwood said:

Crazy they lost considering Houston had like three starters foul out 

Pretty sure it was four. The white kid that hit some clutch FT’s in overtime was a walk on that barely played all season, I believe. 

[gflore34]

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.

[Rex Buckingham]

Cryer is pretty dang good too, and Sharp had a really good game last night. But they're not too deep

[scarey]

14 hours ago, cwood218 said:

I think more than likely the team that beats them will have athletic guards that can defend Purdue's 3 point shot meanwhile simultaneously shooting well from 3. Basically trading Edey's twos for their own threes.

I agree... But Utah is the number one perimeter defense in the country, and my boys just shot 50% from three against them.

 

The real downfall for Purdue last year was their shooting. For the last month and a half of the regular season, they could not shoot consistently. They've been so good consistently through this year, but it only takes one game of poor shooting to change that. Edey insulates against that though to a degree.

 

I think they have as good a chance as any of winning it all. For now, I'll just be satisfied if they can get to Phoenix.

Edited March 25, 2024 by scarey

[jb10194]

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.