Any single team is unlikely to win it all. When/If Illinois doesnt he will say "See, I told you!!!".
Illinois
- Thread starter juddpoole
- Start date
We’re talking about a potato that still thinks Shaka>>>>>Beard, so there isn’t much to work with.
Eye tells a different story
We will see when the tournament plays out.
If there isn't a single B1G school in the Final 4 I don't think you can claim anything
Who said they aren't. But I think that second group is much deeper.
Only two legit Top 5 teams and one of them beat you in Baylor
A top 4 title contender? Exactly what you claimed they weren't.
Foot in mouth and head in ass shouldn't be such a comfortable position for you, yet you sit in that position like most of us sit in our Lazy Boy .
And our freshman and Kofi weren't who they are at this point in the season. Baylor has played one top 10 Kenpom team this season, and they came from the Big Ten, Illinois. Illinois has beaten 2 in the last 2 games.
Illinois is a really good team (when they want to play) that I think could get pretty deep in the tourney. I think the Big 10 is extremely overrated besides Illinois (Michigan will lose relatively early). The Big 12 will prove to be the strongest conference in the tourney.
But other teams don't improve...
Illinois is a great team but I tend to not be as high on the B1G as others because the eye test isn't there with some of the teams.
Illinois is the exception. Illinois is a great team and has the athletes.
But I think there are certain teams on that 2/3/4/5 line like Alabama and Florida State that could give them some issues
I think OSU is overrated. I wouldnt want to play Iowa in the tourney. But I also think they could struggle to go on a run in the tourney, although their defense has been much improved. Purdue is just solid. Great coaching job by Painter this year. Michigan is a very good team and I think you are underselling them a bit. If MSU beats Michgan today...I would hate to be the 4-5 seed that draws them.
I just don’t think Iowa has the athleticism to go far. Illinois has the athletes, OSU is overrated, and Michigan hasn’t really beaten anybody to really impress me much this year. The two games they’ve lost have been absolute blowouts.
Okay, I don't disagree with the last part. We have a few vulnerabilities, but you've been reluctant to give us credit up to this point. The Big Ten has 3-4 teams that have legitimate Final 4 hopes. I think teams like Wisconsin and Rutgers are worse than we thought they'd be, but top to bottom, the conference is still really good. I think the top is better than we thought it would be too.
Once again no one is claiming the conference isn't great.
But not elite enough to a point where you don't see the flaws with some of the losses.
I have no problem with this take. It feels like you think Illinois is much better now than you did earlier in the season. I guess that is probably why you are getting so much grief. You havent really owned up to underselling them earlier. And at times, you seem to have doubled down.
Every year we hear about how tough the B1G is and we get all these teams in and still can’t produce a champion. Hell I remember a few years back I believe wisconsin and Michigan were both in the final 4 and the B1G still didn’t have a champion (I believe wisconsin ended up losing to Duke for the natty).
Hopefully it changes this year
Hopefully it changes this year
Illinois is having a great year, they are the only safe pick for a final four spot among the 4 top seeds. Gonzaga will face a tough test against OU, but if they pull it through the path will be easier onward. Baylor looks strong but knowing Scott Drew I wont surprise if he screws up in sweet 16 or earlier. Michigan on the other hand, is a near-guaranteed pick to not make the final four, the opposite of Illinois.
Im skipping past Loyola. Oklahoma State will give Illinois trouble. Alot of it. Illini best come ready to play that game or they will go home early.
I like our quadrant. WV and Ok St. are the two schools that I think could give us issues.
Huh? Gonzaga has already beaten all of the top seeds in its bracket.
Ok St could be a 2 or 3 seed, and we play them if we both make the S16. Loyola was underseeded. GT has been white hot. WV was top 10. Houston is the only solace.
I'd take Michigan's bracket over our bracket in a heartbeat. FSU is the only team that would scare me.
I think Liberty will take OK St. It's one of my big upset picks. I don't think WVU or Houston will be much of a problem for Illinois.
God, I hope you're right ... lol. Would welcome the opportunity to beat Kelvin Sampson's ass to go to the Final Four, and WVU is good but we can handle them. I am very nervous for Oklahoma State, both because they'll have a chip on their shoulder (underseeded/disrespected AND Underwood ditched them for us), and they're one of the few teams in the country with a back court that I truly fear. Win our (presumed, for both teams) Sweet Sixteen matchup against them, and I will be feelin' GOOD!
Buckeyes and Illini rematch in the final 4!
WV actually matches up well with us, but I think their defense will fail them.
Buckeyes certainly have the talent, but I wonder about their consistency. I could see them getting cold at the wrong moment which is how they've been losing recently. Suppose the same could be said about any team though.
I did not want to be playing you guys for ONE more second, man! Haha. As Jaycg said, consistency might prove an issue, but ... when players like Washington are stroking from three, you guys are scary. Of the Big Ten teams we could meet in the Final Four, I would honestly want to see Michigan or Iowa first, and that's no disrespect to those two very good teams.
Illinois is elite, in my yahoo bracket challenge I have them beating Florida State 76-70 in the championship game. The final four are Gonzaga, Florida State, Illinois and Ohio State.
If Iowa can't put together a magical FF run, my next wish for the tournament is to see Gonzaga vs Illinois. Two best teams in CBB right now with Livers out for UM. Maybe Baylor proves me wrong and they're one of the two best but not how I see it right now.
I have Gonzaga, Baylor, Alabama, and Illinois. Baylor over Gonzaga for the 'ship. I could easily see Iowa over Gonzaga in the E8, but I just couldnt pull the trigger.
I think this is it for Illinois, no way they can come back. The Big will be carried by Iowa and Wisconsin.
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