College Basketball 2025-2026

[gflore34]

On 1/21/2026 at 1:45 AM, scarey said:

If it's any consolation, they are going to be getting a Purdue team that looked like dog horsefeathers today. Braden Smith hurt his knee on Saturday, and he did not look confident at all tonight. Loyer forgot how to shoot from behind the arc and is all thumbs when he gets the ball and it's not a catch and shoot.

 

The Big Ten is a grind every damn year, but it REALLY feels like all the top flight teams are struggling more than most years.

After Illinois, Purdue will have a couple of get-right games against IU and Maryland... but they're both on the road, and even if they win, I feel like they'll get nothing easy. IU especially will be looking for an opportunity to rush the court on this Purdue team.

Michigan has to deal with Ohio State and Nebraska before playing Michigan State at the Breslin Center. Illinois gets to deal with Purdue who, although they are struggling, it will be at Mackey. Then Nebraska next weekend.

Nebraska gets the unenviable pleasure of playing against Michigan and Illinois back-to-back, but I feel like they are hunting right now. They're playing their best basketball and looking to cut down some top ten teams.

As a Big Ten basketball fan, this is likely to be a fun couple of weeks. As a fan of any of these individual teams, it really sucks (outside of Nebraska arguably).

Maryland is very bad nevertheless, a good result and effort from the Illini.  Think we'll see Stojakovic on Smith Saturday, I like it, don't expect the Illini to win.  Stojakovic appears to have the makings of decent defender, he hung with Maryland' Coit limiting him to 5-15, 1-8 3PT and we've seen Smith struggle with height.

[gflore34]

Big game today for the Illini and, Brad Underwood, the James Franklin of college basketball, to lose.  They may keep it close, Stojakovic may even do a good job defending Brad Smith, ultimately, as all of Underwood' teams tend to do, they'll find a way to lose.

[bukie]

23 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Big game today for the Illini and, Brad Underwood, the James Franklin of college basketball, to lose.  They may keep it close, Stojakovic may even do a good job defending Brad Smith, ultimately, as all of Underwood' teams tend to do, they'll find a way to lose.

What a garbled mess of nonsense.

[gflore34]

27 minutes ago, bukie said:

What a garbled mess of nonsense.

When have Underwood' teams won a big game like today?  I may have exaggerated however, this is the type of game his teams rarely win.

Edited January 24 by gflore34

[bukie]

8 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

When have Underwood' teams won a big game like today?  I may have exaggerated however, this is the type of game his teams rarely win.

I mean, they literally have 3 B1G championships under Underwood. They beat Michigan on the road when Ayo went down to win the conference 4 years ago, they beat Michigan and Purdue back to back to end last season when things looked like they were falling apart, they won the B1G tournament 2 years ago. Even the disaster team 3 years ago beat top 10 UCLA and Texas during the year.

I'm particularly annoyed by stupidity this morning, and I'm all out of patience for meathead nonsense right now.

[gflore34]

3 minutes ago, bukie said:

I mean, they literally have 3 B1G championships under Underwood. They beat Michigan on the road when Ayo went down to win the conference 4 years ago, they beat Michigan and Purdue back to back to end last season when things looked like they were falling apart, they won the B1G tournament 2 years ago. Even the disaster team 3 years ago beat top 10 UCLA and Texas during the year.

I'm particularly annoyed by stupidity this morning, and I'm all out of patience for meathead nonsense right now.

Okay, let's hope the Illini and Underwood prove me wrong about today, that would be great.

[Tryptamine]

Purdue shot 63% from the field in the first half and somehow Illinois is only down 4. Now if someone other than Wagler bothers to show up, this game is there for the taking. 

[Bobson Dugnutt]

24 for Wagler in the half. Kid is unreal.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

On 1/14/2026 at 10:59 PM, Bobson Dugnutt said:

I’ve seen him comped to both Christie brothers over the past few weeks, so I’ve been using them as a frame of reference. Both were drafted in the 2nd round. He certainly has a more polished game then Riley or KJ did last year.

Ok yeah I was wrong, 

[Tryptamine]

Can someone besides Wagler please horsefeathers show up, kid has 41 of their 65 points.

[Tryptamine]

Huge huge win and Wagler with a historic game 46 points on 9/11 from 3. 

[Irrelevant Dude]

Wagler... He good.

[gflore34]

Yep, I'm idiot, all my nonsensical doom bonering, of course, Wagler goes nuts.  The Illini crush Purdue on the boards, withstand a superb game by Smith and win!!!!!! 

[bukie]

I think that's the most points ever scored by a visiting player at Mackey Arena.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

1 minute ago, bukie said:

I think that's the most points ever scored by a visiting player at Mackey Arena.

It is indeed. 

[gflore34]

There something about Wagler, the sleepy like smoothness to his game, under control, it's unreal for a freshman.  A freshman no one had ever heard of, have to give some credit to Underwood and his staff for scouting - guess it's really, his son, Tyler we have to thank.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

Braden Smith is really good and fun to watch. I can’t wait until he’s gone.

[champaignchris]

I’ve been trying to restrain my praise for Wagler thus far this year. I want to compare him to some pretty heavy names and I keep telling myself I’m being unrealistic. 

Not any more.  This is now officially his team  

The kid is Steph Curry plus 4 inches. Savor him while you can Illini fans, and hope your favorite NBA team drafts him. 

[gflore34]

Just now, Bobson Dugnutt said:

Braden Smith is really good and fun to watch. I can’t wait until he’s gone.

Him, Loyer and Kaufman-Renn are history for the Illini, never will have to see them again in the regular season.  Good riddance! 

[Irrelevant Dude]

1 minute ago, gflore34 said:

There something about Wagler, the sleepy like smoothness to his game, under control, it's unreal for a freshman.

He is always calm and under control, a stone cold killer who shows very little emotion while he is making huge shots.

He is more than just a lottery pick.  For me, he's a Top 5 pick.  Find me 5 better NBA prospects in all of college basketball.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

Not that I have any ill will toward their program, but man, I’d love to hand Nebraska their first L next week. 

[gflore34]

1 minute ago, Bobson Dugnutt said:

Not that I have any ill will toward their program, but man, I’d love to hand Nebraska their first L next week. 

Was thinking the same thing during today's game.  I was conceding the loss to Purdue and thinking I want to see the Illini return the favor to Nebraska.  Beat them on their home court and hand them their first loss of the season.  Unfortunately, I think Nebraska' first loss is coming in their next game, at Michigan, so the Illini won't be able to burst their bubble.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

1 minute ago, gflore34 said:

Was thinking the same thing during today's game.  I was conceding the loss to Purdue and thinking I want to see the Illini return the favor to Nebraska.  Beat them on their home court and hand them their first loss of the season.  Unfortunately, I think Nebraska' first loss is coming in their next game, at Michigan, so the Illini won't be able to burst their bubble.

Ah, didn’t realize they have to get through Michigan first. Alright I’ll settle for handing them their first home loss.

[Rex Buckingham]

11 minutes ago, gflore34 said:

Him, Loyer and Kaufman-Renn are history for the Illini, never will have to see them again in the regular season.  Good riddance! 

Loyer was invisible out there today

[bukie]

Illinois' adjusted offensive rating on KenPom is up to 130.7.

That is the highest offensive rating of any team in the KenPom era (dating back to 1998).