Taking predictions for ILL-OSU here!!! Just comment below.
What’s going to happen on Friday? Will Illinois find that much needed victory in order to further state their case for a NCAA tournament bid, or will Wisconsin send the Illini to the NIT? It’s a big game, on a big stage, and the whole country will be watching (and listening). Will the Illini ‘Rise Up’?
My Prediction
#13 WISCONSIN 67 ILLINOIS 60
No. There are two reasons why Illinois won’t win on Friday. 1) Jon, and 2) Leuer. Unless Mike Tisdale goes on some sort of ‘get fat fast’ diet, Leuer will once again have his way down low. Also, Travon Hughes could have big game, and who knows how well Jason Bohannon will shoot his threes? And don’t forget about Jordan Taylor, who dropped 20 on us last Sunday. This team has four legitimate players who can step up when needed.
What about Illinois?
We got Demetri McCamey. Don’t get me wrong, he’s been awesome this year, and I love the fact that we have him, but who’s going to join him? Now would be a good time to find out. Will Tisdale have a big game? Can we count on Mike Davis to get one of those double-doubles we all thought he’d have 25 of by now? Will D.J. Richardson create on the offensive end, or do we seriously have to rely on Bill Cole again? Someone has to help out. If not, Friday’s game will look eerily similar to Sunday’s game.
Illinois will get invited to the NIT and have a chance to get some extra games. This could be a great experience for this team, even though fans will be upset about it. The Illini will have a better chance of playing more games in the NIT, which means more time for the coaches to teach and the players to learn. All of the starters will be back next year (McCamey isn’t leaving). Most of the minutes off the bench will be back next year. Also, we got the pretty awesome class of freshman coming in, plus Joseph Bertrand who will be a red shirt freshman.
It might be hard to see now since we’re living in the present, but things are looking up for this team…just not for Friday.
Let me know what you guys think below with your score predictions and thoughts.
I-L-L…
The program is a mere shadow of itself. Long gone are the heady days of 2000-2006 where NCAA invites were taken for granted and Sweet 16's, Big Ten titles and Elite Eights were expected.
That said this team should NOT be in the position that they are in. They had several chances to seal the deal but this team is the weakest physically and mentally I have seen in 30 years of watchng Illini basketball. They are more talented than the struggling 07 and 08 bunch but don't have near the toughness or even desire. In the end though even their so-called talent has been over-hyped.
I'm already looking forward to next year but we'll still be needing some muscle underneath next year which may not be solved next year either.
Oh, my prediction:
Wisc 70
IL 63
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