With one game to go, against Iowa on the road, are the Illini in the tournament? Are they out if they lose? Are they in if they win?

 

Discuss.

Not being sarcastic, but don't the Illini have 21 wins already? If so, has a BCS team with atleast 21 wins ever been left out of the tournament? I don't think you guys have anything to worry about tourney wise.

Not being sarcastic, but don't the Illini have 21 wins already? If so, has a BCS team with atleast 21 wins ever been left out of the tournament? I don't think you guys have anything to worry about tourney wise.

I'm too lazy to do the research, but I'm sure there have been a few.

 

Anyways, if Illinois wins @ Iowa, they're in imo.

Edited February 27, 200719 yr by Rowand44

Illinois should be in, especially if they win at Iowa.

they are in, but they are not very good.

if the season ended today, they are in, imo. the sun-times called them a "lock" today.

 

but a loss at iowa puts it in question. however, if illinois loses to iowa they open big ten tournament play with northwestern, which puts them at 22 wins and gets them in, imo. then they'd likely play wisconsin and i think they'd have a chance in that game.

if the season ended today, they are in, imo. the sun-times called them a "lock" today.

 

but a loss at iowa puts it in question. however, if illinois loses to iowa they open big ten tournament play with northwestern, which puts them at 22 wins and gets them in, imo. then they'd likely play wisconsin and i think they'd have a chance in that game.

 

 

dont show soxbadger that comment.

With a loss at Iowa, I think they'll need to get 1 win in the tourney. Only 5 Big Ten teams get in, Illinois and Purdue will battel it out for that last bid. It may come down to who lasts longer at the United Center next week.

dont show soxbadger that comment.

 

well, i think wisconsin obviously is better, but the loss of butch combined with a few other factors (playing their first game, the game at the uc) could give illinois more of a chance than you'd expect.

The only BCS school with atleast 21 wins that was snubbed so far that I can find was Memphis in 2005, and they had 16 losses to go with their 21 wins. Still searching though.

Yeah Wisconsin without butch is going to go through atleast a few game transition so at this point just need to take 1 game at a time. I really dont know what to expect in the Big 10 tournament, I do not think the home court advantage will be as big for Illinois against Wisconsin as it may for another team (geographically madison is only a 2-2:30 drive from Chicago, which is actually closer than Champaign.)

 

Also badger fans travel well, see the NU game this year.

 

As for the illini, I think they are in regardless of whether or not they beat Wisconsin. I really dont think that they have that good of a chance at beating Wisconsin, especially since the loss of Butch may let them go with a smaller and more explosive line up. Butch's injury really hurts against teams with a dominant C like Oden because he has 3 point range and can force the other team to pull their C out of the middle.

Illinois should be in, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the SC leave them out if they lose the next two.

 

 

 

If they lose vs. Iowa, their looking at a 6 or 7 seed anyway which would insure another win over Penn State or Northwestern. Then they possibly get Indiana and then a date with the Badgers in the semis. That may actually look better than beating Iowa, taking the 4/5 game, only to get killed by the Buckeyes the next day.

If they win at Iowa I'd say they are in. With a loss they have to win a game, maybe two in the tourney. They just don't have many big wins.

Even if they lose against Iowa I think Illinois is in.

 

Compared to a team like Texas, what have they done besides for have a name recognizable player that Illinois hasnt?

 

Illinois RPI 31 SOS 25 Top 50 3-8

 

Texas RPI 37 SOS 88 Top 50 2-4

 

Most would say Texas is a lock. Its just unfortuante Illinois plays in a deeper stronger league.

 

Biggest difference is that Illinois has played 11 games against top 50 teams, where as Texas has played 6. Its hard to imagine in those 5 other games that Texas would not have suffered atleast 2 more losses.

 

Also OOC schedule:

 

Illinois 12-3, RPI 32 SOS 52

 

Texas 10-4, RPI 96 SOS 185

 

Compared to Illinois that resume is pretty horrific for a "lock".

Win at Iowa and they are definitely in.

Lose at Iowa and a win in the Big 10 tourney, they are in.

Lose at Iowa and lose first round Big 10 tourney...squeeze your butt cheeks, cuz it's going to be close, but probably out.