Illinois looked brutal. There's no excuse for letting a Vedran-less NU team stay within 20. What's worse is that they got good games from McBride, Randle, and Carter and still failed to impress. That doesn't happen too often. I'm beginning to think that they aren't going to last long in the tourney.

I'm starting to think the same thing. This team's all over the map. A lot depends on the matchups, whether those teams can get Augie and Brian in foul trouble, and overall how Dee shoots. I could see this team losing 2nd round or sneaking into the elite 8 if they play their absolute best. But a 2nd round exit is much more likely in my mind. I don't like the fact that they think they can just turn it on against a team like NW when they feel like it. That's not a good characteristic to have.

Eh, it's not like they're playing tremendous basketball right now either.

At home they are a completely different team.

At home they are a completely different team.

Very true. Still, I don't see them blowing out Illinois, the Illini will atleast keep it close because of their defense imo.

Heads, do you think the Cyclones are officially dead? I have no clue what your guys remaining schedule looks like but I got to imagine this win by Colorado hurts you guys a lot.

Not much to add that hasn't already been said. Think I am going to sign off for the night and go puke.

 

Have a nice night all!

Heads, do you think the Cyclones are officially dead?  I have no clue what your guys remaining schedule looks like but I got to imagine this win by Colorado hurts you guys a lot.

 

Short of winning out, yes. We play OU, OSU, MU, BU and CU to close out the season, none of which would help enough if we went 4-1. ISU would need to make it to the Big 12 Championship to be considered bubbly at this point.

 

I posted some stuff on my blog, but if a team cannot handle A&M or Nebraska at home, they are f***ed.

I'm starting to think the same thing. This team's all over the map. A lot depends on the matchups, whether those teams can get Augie and Brian in foul trouble, and overall how Dee shoots. I could see this team losing 2nd round or sneaking into the elite 8 if they play their absolute best. But a 2nd round exit is much more likely in my mind. I don't like the fact that they think they can just turn it on against a team like NW when they feel like it. That's not a good characteristic to have.

 

I don't think they're totally without hope, but they need some good matchups make it out of the second round. Something like UCLA and West Virginia in their section of the bracket would be helpful, or maybe Tennessee. Frankly, I think they can give Memphis and Gonzaga a game too, maybe even Villanova, although it would be a stretch to pick them in any of those latter games.

 

On the other hand, if they get a really tough matchup I could see them losing in the 1st round, but I'm not expecting that yet.

FINALLY! YAY!

 

ESPN's already asking Alford about the job. Supposedly Alford has already indicated he'd be interested, but not if he has to go through a long, drawn out interview process.

I don't like the fact that they think they can just turn it on against a team like NW when they feel like it. That's not a good characteristic to have.

They need to find their defensive intensity that they had early in the year. I don't know what happened, but they've lost their edge on defense. And it isn't just playing better teams because for the minutes where the intensity is there they still are shutting people down. Not sure what Bruce is going to have to do, but this team isn't good enough to make a run in the tourney without playing lockdown D for 40 minutes. They start doing that again and they have a chance to make a deep run.

Stuart "cock eyed boo yeah!" Scott said James Augustine's name wrong twice in one highlight tonight, proving yet again he's the biggest idiot on TV today.

Edited February 16, 200620 yr by whitesoxfan101

Stuart "cock eyed boo yeah!" Scott said James Augustine's name wrong twice in one highlight tonight, proving yet again he's the biggest idiot on TV today.

If you think he's the biggest idiot on TV...man you need to watch more TV.

If you think he's the biggest idiot on TV...man you need to watch more TV.

 

Ehh true. Ok, he's the guy that annoys me most on tv (and mind you, I avoid all political talk on tv).

 

Better?

FINALLY!  YAY!

 

ESPN's already asking Alford about the job.  Supposedly Alford has already indicated he'd be interested, but not if he has to go through a long, drawn out interview process.

 

looks like he learned more than one thing from bob knight.

 

anyway, at this point i'm not going to pick nits off of illinois wins. i'm past the point of expecting anything. the penn state game was a killer both in the standings and in their heads apparently. there's doubt there now.

 

really, though, i am trying to keep perspective on all of this. yes they have looked like s*** lately, but we are not that far removed from a 15-point win at wisconsin where we played pretty damn well. that same wisconsin beat the great ohio state last night.

 

to me, what i liked best last night was the defensive effort (and yes i realize this was a shorthanded nw team). but illinois HAS to play balls-out defense every night or they won't win crap. this team's offensive identity isn't going to change at this point. this group is just not that great offensively, and they compound that fact by not running the offense that well. at the end of the day this is what will keep them from being a great team. still, i think they can make a nice run from here on out if the defense is consistent.

Illinois controls it's own destiny for a piece of the Big 10 title with 5 games to go.  If they somehow were to pull this off, I will probably masturbate and die.

I think you're safe!

 

Illini will be lucky to make the second round in the NCAA - NU without Vedran is a 1AA team and had one of the supposed best teams in the Big Ten tied!

 

Not much chance of the Illini winning the Big Ten - after this week not sure anyone in the Big Ten deserves a 1-seed in the tournament!

At home they are a completely different team.

Last night's game was at home and they still sucked!!!!!

Last night's game was at home and they still sucked!!!!!

No it was in Iowa

No it was in Iowa

 

I think he was confused. You're commenting on MSU, pretty sure he is on an anti-Illini streak.

I think you're safe! 

 

Illini will be lucky to make the second round in the NCAA - NU without Vedran is a 1AA team and had one of the supposed best teams in the Big Ten tied!

 

Not much chance of the Illini winning the Big Ten - after this week not sure anyone in the Big Ten deserves a 1-seed in the tournament!

 

That's because the Big Ten doesn't have any great teams, but rather a bunch of good ones, which is exactly why Illinois could go 5-0 or 1-4 in this stretch and neither would surprise me much. If any Big Ten teams make the Final Four, it would be a miracle.

That's because the Big Ten doesn't have any great teams, but rather a bunch of good ones, which is exactly why Illinois could go 5-0 or 1-4 in this stretch and neither would surprise me much.  If any Big Ten teams make the Final Four, it would be a miracle.

 

On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me all that much if the Big East got 3 teams in the Final Four. I'm not saying it will happen, but it's a real possibility. UConn would be considered a disappointment if they didn't, Nova has a decent shot (especially if by some miracle Sumpter is back), Georgetown has the size and talent to beat anyone in the country, Pitt plays some really good defense, and even though I don't like them, West Virginia is another team that can do it if they get some good matchups or shoot the lights out. They've got a few top end teams, but the bottom few are brutal.

On the other hand, it wouldn't surprise me all that much if the Big East got 3 teams in the Final Four. I'm not saying it will happen, but it's a real possibility. UConn would be considered a disappointment if they didn't, Nova has a decent shot (especially if by some miracle Sumpter is back), Georgetown has the size and talent to beat anyone in the country, Pitt plays some really good defense, and even though I don't like them, West Virginia is another team that can do it if they get some good matchups or shoot the lights out. They've got a few top end teams, but the bottom few are brutal.

 

I think UConn and Villanova will definitely be there, but it would take a hell of a favorable bracket for any other Big East teams to get there. But hey, you never know this year.

I think UConn and Villanova will definitely be there, but it would take a hell of a favorable bracket for any other Big East teams to get there.  But hey, you never know this year.

Gtown has a very good shot imo.

Gtown has a very good shot imo.

 

I also like Georgetown a lot, as I've said in the past. They play some pretty tough defense, and their offense is going to be tough to stop on short notice. The West Virginia game gave me some pause though.

 

I really thought that the Hoyas were going to take down West Virginia in their second try, but instead the Mountaineers beat them by 13. It's conceivable that West Virginia can match up with them well defensively because they play virtually the same offense and that Hibbert only playing 12 minutes contributed, but I think the bigger concern is that their guards were brutal in that game.

 

If they lose in the tourney, their backcourt is going to be the reason. They can be very effective, but they don't do it consistently. Cook, Wallace, and Owens all have good overall numbers, but they can't seem to consistently play well. It won't matter against a lot of teams because of their dominance up front, but if they run into someone that plays tough perimeter defense, or possibly a team with numerous players that can score from the perimeter, things could get interesting. Three of their loses are to West Virginia and Illinois, two teams that seem to fit that profile.

Well said Zoom, G'Town's backcourt IMO is the only reason they won't make the final 4. If they were more consistent, I'd say definite Final 4 material. As for WVU, I just don't trust a team that reliant on perimeter shooting.

Edited February 16, 200620 yr by WHarris1

Well said Zoom, G'Town's backcourt IMO is the only reason they won't make the final 4.  If they were more consistent, I'd say definite Final 4 material.  As for WVU, I just don't trust a team that reliant on perimeter shooting.

Ha, we've had this gtown convo before. Yes, as of now their guards are their achilles heel but a team that plays the type of defense they do, along with not turning the ball over much and having a stud in Brandon Bowman has one hell of a shot to make it to Indy. Obviously jmo.

Edited February 16, 200620 yr by Rowand44