Illinois basketball fans

[wang4three]

A loss to MIchigan? NOW, I'm pissed.

[ballinhun8]

I don't post on the boards too often like I used to on the old ones but as an Illini fan, I am very scared for this team. I know when we go through a big change (losing Frankie, then Cook, then Deron/Head/Powell) we start gelling towards the end but I'm not sure if this team has the talent and maturity to close out games/teams when they have the chance to.

Just seeing that we lose to MICH tonight, Xavier on Friday and the two previous losses gets me mad because I'm not used to so many losses in the beginning of the season. I don't even know if we have a 10% chance to make it to the Big Dance. We don't really have that many quality wins. Pruitt, Randle, McBride, Frazier, and Smith are all going to have to really step it up more in Big 10 play. I just hate looking at box scores (I'm not able to watch games since I live in Boston and we don't get all Illini games although we get a good amount) and seeing that at least in each game, one of our more experienced and talented guys doesn't show up or play enough to contribute (i.e. tonight Randle not shooting enough and McBride playing less then half the game and not starting [unless yahoo didn't post the boxscore in the way the Illini started their 5])

I truely think this comes back to Weber and his recruiting. If we can start actually getting the really really good in-state guys (Scheyer, Gordon to an extent, Rose) to play for us then we don't have to worry about our role players having to step it up. We should be able to land the All-American type of players considering our recent history with our guys heading to the pros. If we can't get it together this year, then I don't see how next year will be better, especially when we don't have the stand-out, sure-fire go-to-guy like Gordon woulld've been for us.

[wang4three]

I'm hearing that Weber still hasn't released the team...he must be undressing them with a lot of yelling. Hopefully it reaches to the team. The effort did not seem there at all. Brian is definitely hurt and it only seems like Jamar wants to win...

Saturday is a big game against Ohio St. If we are to amount to anything this season we MUST win this game.

Ballinhun, good post, but I'm not ready to start questioning Weber yet. This team can make it to the tourney and have shown spurts of being a team that can upset anyone, just now things are falling apart cause they are so unaccoustmed to losing. Luther, Deron, Dee, Auggie they never let that happen in the past, and while recruiting is an issue, I don't blame a loss to a ****ty team like Michigan on lack of it.

[ThaKing]

ouch

[IlliniFan]

At least it wasn't in Champaign.

[ballinhun8]

I don't blame the loss on recruiting either. But, it doesn't really help us land the top ones if we can't beat a team like MICH. I know it's on the road, and well, in the Big 10, it is hella hard to win on the road. But, it wouldn't hurt if we landed the top recruits, especially within our state. We do need some big-time talent. OSU landed them somehow, and they landed them 2 years ago when they weren't a good team at all.

[wang4three]

Roger Powell was cut from Utah and James Augustine was sent to the D-League.

I hope they get play somewhere. There are plenty of teams that can use these guys that work hard and have great character...I look at my Nets, who need more locker room guys, but I wish them the best.

[ThaKing]

I don't blame the loss on recruiting either. But, it doesn't really help us land the top ones if we can't beat a team like MICH. I know it's on the road, and well, in the Big 10, it is hella hard to win on the road. But, it wouldn't hurt if we landed the top recruits, especially within our state. We do need some big-time talent. OSU landed them somehow, and they landed them 2 years ago when they weren't a good team at all.

The Big 10 is way down this year. On ESPN College Game night last night they went over their Top 5 conferences this year, and the Big 10 wasn't one of them. They believe even the MVC is stronger. But you could make an argument either way. None the less, the Big 10 is as bad as I can ever remember. Not a good excuse for your most recent loss.

[IlliniFan]

The Big 10 is way down this year. On ESPN College Game night last night they went over their Top 5 conferences this year, and the Big 10 wasn't one of them. They believe even the MVC is stronger. But you could make an argument either way. None the less, the Big 10 is as bad as I can ever remember. Not a good excuse for your most recent loss.

Well, you can't really trust these rankings. Last year, the big ten was supposedly one of the best conferences in the country but they didn' do well at all in the tournament. I don't think anyone made it to the sweet 16 last year. The year before, the big ten was considered weak, but teams made a lot of noise in the tournament that year.

[ThaKing]

I don't trust ranking at all. They are meaningless but the Big 10 stinks this year. Usually they are much stronger when Illinois, Michigan St, and Indiana have good teams but this year those teams are way down. The Big 10 is only as good as Ohio St. and Wisconsin make it.

[ThaKing]

I don't trust rankings at all. They are meaningless but the Big 10 stinks this year. Usually they are much stronger when Illinois, Michigan St, and Indiana have good teams but this year those teams are way down. The Big 10 is only as good as Ohio St. and Wisconsin make it.

[wang4three]

We'll make the tourney. I'm getting hyfee over this Ohio St. game today.

[ThaKing]

You guys are favored by 1. I really can't believe that. Good luck, but im looking for somehwere to put some money on Ohio St.

[IlliniFan]

What Time Is It?














GAME TIME!

[wang4three]

This is one very bitter taste in my mouth. I had so much riding on the game. The offense just flat out sucks. We were getting the defensive stops we wanted and holding Oden and Conley.. Those three pointers were daggers though.

I'm not very proud of anyone today except Warren Carter and Brian Randle (2nd half only).