Pretty lame if you have to do this and are considered a "basketball school".

 

 

http://my.chicagotribune.com/#section/438/...e/p2p-82963287/

9pm game on a Wednesday against a mediocre opponent, we were going to struggle to get non-student attendance for that. Giving away free tickets to students was the right call, shows good faith to the students and fills with stadium with people who will be awake and loud. This was a must for senior night/season being on the line.

It's seats over over 17k (way way too big for a cbb stadium) and it's a 9 PM start. Good move.

9 PM is late for a college student? You are making them look even more lame.

9pm game on a Wednesday against a mediocre opponent, we were going to struggle to get non-student attendance for that. Giving away free tickets to students was the right call, shows good faith to the students and fills with stadium with people who will be awake and loud. This was a must for senior night/season being on the line.

Last home game. A couple more mediocre years and their basketball stands will look like their football stands.

9 PM is late for a college student? You are making them look even more lame.

Students are taking the normal tickets in this case so no

Students are taking the normal tickets in this case so no

Why don't these students already have tickets? The students that will attend you could have got to attend for $5 if you threw in a $1 pocket protector.

Edited March 3, 201511 yr by Dick Allen

Last home game. A couple more mediocre years and their basketball stands will look like their football stands.

Illinois was 15th in home attendance in the nation last year, I think we'll be ok. We should be more like top 10 every year, but the program is obviously trying to rebuild itself.

Illinois was 15th in home attendance in the nation last year, I think we'll be ok. We should be more like top 10 every year, but the program is obviously trying to rebuild itself.

But it is fading. I do agree a couple of great players will change it and they won't even consider giving tickets away for free. But Illini fans will bail if they don't start winning. At least they aren't Penn State bad. IMO they still are probably a tourney team, some schools would kill to be a tourney team at their peak. Several years ago, the Blackhawks used to give tickets away for nothing but the Ticketmaster charge for several games near the end of the season.

 

For the most part, I am just playing with this, but I am kind of shocked about free tickets. Everyone in my immediate family except me is an U of I grad, and I have heard how referees have had it out for the Illini since I was a little punk kid. I like to give them crap whenever possible.

But it is fading. I do agree a couple of great players will change it and they won't even consider giving tickets away for free. But Illini fans will bail if they don't start winning. At least they aren't Penn State bad. IMO they still are probably a tourney team, some schools would kill to be a tourney team at their peak. Several years ago, the Blackhawks used to give tickets away for nothing but the Ticketmaster charge for several games near the end of the season.

 

For the most part, I am just playing with this, but I am kind of shocked about free tickets. Everyone in my immediate family except me is an U of I grad, and I have heard how referees have had it out for the Illini since I was a little punk kid. I like to give them crap whenever possible.

I've noticed.

 

But seriously, look at those attendance stats, there isn't some huge trend downwards, in fact, once we have had better years it starts to spike right back up. Will Groce get us to the tournament consistently (heck even this year?), i have no idea. I'd like to think he can but that hasn't materialized yet, but if it does and with the stadium renovations, our attendance % should go even higher (I won't say total attendance because I believe that will be going down slightly with the renovations).

Nebraska has been in a free fall, fwiw.

 

Everyone's looking ahead to Purdue, which makes it a dangerous "let up" game.

If the boilers do lose to MSU early in the week, it nears a must-win situation for both teams. Certainly Illinois.

 

 

Nebraska has been in a free fall, fwiw.

 

Everyone's looking ahead to Purdue, which makes it a dangerous "let up" game.

If the boilers do lose to MSU early in the week, it nears a must-win situation for both teams. Certainly Illinois.

It's senior night for Illinois, only fans are looking towards the Purdue game.

 

If we lose vs NU at home then we don't deserve going to the dance at all, and we won't. But fans looking ahead at PU is fine and completely makes sense.

We need Wisconsin to clinch and sit their players the last game of the season as well as MSU to beat Purdue.

Illinois could also use the other bubble teams to stop winning. BYU & Boise State may have passed them up Saturday night with huge road wins

6th is the better position in the BIG10 tourney to avoid Wisky.

 

Starting to hope Iowa gets into the 7/10 NCAA game vs. the dreaded 8/9 if u end up matched with Kentucky.

We need Wisconsin to clinch and sit their players the last game of the season as well as MSU to beat Purdue.

 

Wisconsin is still playing for a potential 1 seed so no way that happens.

Wisconsin is still playing for a potential 1 seed so no way that happens.

Well, if they run the tourney they get a 1 pretty much hands down.

Would anyone be surprised if Wisky didn't get to the Elite Eight?

 

Seems they're better off as the underdog/sleeper, not the giant waiting to be knocked off.

 

And not quite sure Jackson coming back this late is a net positive.

Would anyone be surprised if Wisky didn't get to the Elite Eight?

 

Seems they're better off as the underdog/sleeper, not the giant waiting to be knocked off.

 

And not quite sure Jackson coming back this late is a net positive.

They are more versatile than ever but they still have weaknesses and didnt have a good Big Ten to fight through this year.

Would anyone be surprised if Wisky didn't get to the Elite Eight?

 

Seems they're better off as the underdog/sleeper, not the giant waiting to be knocked off.

 

And not quite sure Jackson coming back this late is a net positive.

They made it to the FF last year as a 2 seed so that theory goes out the window. But I wouldn't be surprised if they don't make the e8 either.

The point about an overall down year for conference will proved to be a prescient one,

 

If ur two team is Maryland and they can go down 22-3 vs. Iowa to begin a game, that's a team which hasn't been battle-tested enough recently...at least after their non-conf.

 

And losing to Rutgers even without kaminsky is mystifying.

 

It wouldn't shock me if 3-4 teams made the sweet sixteen, or zero. That kind of year.

Edited March 3, 201511 yr by caulfield12

All right WTF Crean? What happened to this team when February started?

If Indiana ends up out of the tourney, how hot will that seat be?

 

Fwiw, first time Iowa is off the bubble since 2006 heading into selection Sunday. Yay! That didn't end so well as the 3 seed against nw state la.

 

Looks like a four way tie at 11-6 for MSU OSU Purdue and Iowa going into the weekend.

Edited March 4, 201511 yr by caulfield12

All right WTF Crean? What happened to this team when February started?

Started conference play 5-1. 4-7 since.

Choke Job by Georgia, wow. Missed free throws

Choke Job by Georgia, wow. Missed free throws

 

It's cause ESPN stopped showing the Serbian kid's dad and his mullet.

Choke Job by Georgia, wow. Missed free throws

That 6 point turn around was brutal by the refs too.