Illinois at Nebraska 2-12-21

[Jaycg15]

Iowa has played the 11th hardest conference schedule and Illinois has played the 12th. You guys finding something new to whine about today?

Remember: You lost to Illinois. You have no one to blame but yourself for your standing in the league.

edit: and it’s by .04 points. For reference, the hardest and easiest are separated by 6.

 

[Raptorpeeps]

Illinois gets to play little Debbie twice and we likely never will play them.. We'll be lucky to finish The BIG in 4th place. Illinois has a much easier sched. We got all of our tough games on the road vs Mich,OSU,Wiscy. Screw the BIG schedulers.

Even without the COVID debacle, scheduling in a 14 team league does indeed suck.

Whatareyagonnado?

 

[Franisdaman]

Iowa, MAYBE, will Nebraska once.

Illinois plays Nebraska & Northwestern twice. They play Michigan State & Iowa just once.

Wisconsin, which was supposed to contend, gets to play Nebraska & Northwestern twice. Wisconsin plays Iowa & Illinois twice.

The schedules of what were thought to be the top 3 teams follow. The teams played twice are in BOLD.


ILLINOIS
Minnesota
Indiana
Purdue
Maryland
Ohio State
Penn State
Iowa
Wisconsin
Northwestern
Nebraska

at Rutgers
at Penn State
at Northwestern
at Nebraska
at Michigan State
at Indiana
at Michigan
at Minnesota
at Wisconsin
at Ohio State


IOWA
Purdue
Northwestern
Minnesota
Michigan State
Indiana
Nebraska
Ohio State
Rutgers
Penn State
Wisconsin

at Minnesota
at Rutgers
at Maryland
at Northwestern
at Illinois
at Indiana
at Michigan State
at Wisconsin
at Ohio State
At Michigan


Wisconsin
Nebraska
Maryland
Minnesota
Indiana
Ohio State
Northwestern
Penn State
Michigan
Iowa
Illinois

at Michigan State
at Penn State
at Michigan
at Rutgers
at Maryland
at Illinois
at Nebraska
at Northwestern
at Purdue
at Iowa

 

[Raptorpeeps]

They’ll beat someone this year. They have talent and they play hard. When they add in playing together for 40 min, they’ll win some games. They’re close.

https://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/recap?gameId=401263358

 

[MWardT]

 

[Raptorpeeps]

“Get past”? Odd language.

It was tied at 2-2 in the first minute of the game, Northwestern was down by as much as 18 for a few stretches and as close as 2 once late, but did Northwestern ever lead in that game? I don’t think they did.

Illinois is a team that seems to play down to the level of competition. Not good ATS when heavily favored.

Teams like that tend to be vulnerable to upsets in the tourney. Couple that with their comically bad FT shooting at times, and probably not a good bet for final four run.

 

[Jaycg15]

View embedded media

Ayo has played the training wheels for this team all season against worse teams. Lets his teammates do their thing and then when they haven't closed it out, he puts the other team away. Only took 5 shots for the the first 36 minutes. Northwestern hit some shots, and then he took control.

 

[Jaycg15]

“Get past”? Odd language.

It was tied at 2-2 in the first minute of the game, Northwestern was down by as much as 18 for a few stretches and as close as 2 once late, but did Northwestern ever lead in that game? I don’t think they did.

Illinois is a team that seems to play down to the level of competition. Not good ATS when heavily favored.

Teams like that tend to be vulnerable to upsets in the tourney. Couple that with their comically bad FT shooting at times, and probably not a good bet for final four run.

The free throws and turnovers will make it especially difficult for this team. I don't think they can get past a Butler or Gonzaga anyway, and unless Michigan and/or OSU drop some games, that's what it will take to make a final 4.

 

[Raptorpeeps]

Ayo has played the training wheels for this team all season against worse teams. Lets his teammates do their thing and then when they haven't closed it out, he puts the other team away. Only took 5 shots for the the first 36 minutes. Northwestern hit some shots, and then he took control.

Pretty much... even when nw closed to within 2 with under 2 min, I never felt like Illinois was in danger of actually losing the game.

Put them in the same position against a top 40 kenpom team in a lose-and-go-home tourney situation though? I don’t know.

Illinois has the kind of profile that gets upset in the tourney. Can’t count on Ayo to win it for you 100% of the time. It only works that way in movies.

 

[Raptorpeeps]

I don’t think they can get past a Butler ...

?

Spell check changes Baylor to Butler? lol

That’s just insulting.

Considering their profile, I’d almost like them better facing a team like Baylor than a determined 7/10 seed. Seriously...

They seem to have a problem maintaining focus against “inferior” opponents.

 

[Booty Maximus]

Can’t count on Ayo to win it for you 100% of the time. It only works that way in movies.

Yeah, he's more like 97% but I'll take it.

 

[Raptorpeeps]

Yeah, he's more like 97% but I'll take it.

Sex Panther All-American — 65% of the time, he’s 97% effective.

 

[Jaycg15]

?

Spell check changes Baylor to Butler? lol

That’s just insulting.

Considering their profile, I’d almost like them better facing a team like Baylor than a determined 7/10 seed. Seriously...

They seem to have a problem maintaining focus against “inferior” opponents.

Lol just early morning fog. Yes, Baylor.

 

[illinielite]

Illinois gets to play little Debbie twice and we likely never will play them.. We'll be lucky to finish The BIG in 4th place. Illinois has a much easier sched. We got all of our tough games on the road vs Mich,OSU,Wiscy. Screw the BIG schedulers.

Illinois last three games are away: Wisconsin, then Michigan and then OSU. I expect a loss in there somewhere, wouldn't you?