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General Category => Fighting Illini Basketball Forum => Topic started by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 06:47:28 PM

Title: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 06:47:28 PM
Sweet 16 path is there for us. Get it done. No excuses.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLove1997 on March 19, 2026, 07:28:12 PM
Just win, baby
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Judge Judy on March 19, 2026, 08:10:14 PM
Gonna have to wait a bit longer…
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: murphstahoe on March 19, 2026, 08:19:31 PM
Gonna have to wait a bit longer…

This OT makes me a lot less worried about either of these teams.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Judge Judy on March 19, 2026, 08:24:22 PM
No easier path for Illinois to sweet 16 than a 14 and 11 seed…
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: murphstahoe on March 19, 2026, 08:26:11 PM
No easier path for Illinois to sweet 16 than a 14 and 11 seed…

Given our love of blowing double digit leads maybe we got the wrong opponent
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Judge Judy on March 19, 2026, 08:27:52 PM
Given our love of blowing double digit leads maybe we got the wrong opponent

No excuses this year damnit!
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 09:20:41 PM
13 point lead down to 4. I've seen this episode before and I don't like it very much.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: murphstahoe on March 19, 2026, 09:23:41 PM
13 point lead down to 4. I've seen this episode before and I don't like it very much.

Truth
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Somewhere in Mn on March 19, 2026, 09:34:48 PM
We could use more 1st chance points instead of 2nd chance
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Lkdog on March 19, 2026, 09:36:42 PM
We look pretty flat so far. Penn is terrible.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 09:40:32 PM
I'll live with a 10 point lead going into half. CANNOT let Power get going.

Also, how did we not foul there with fouls to give???
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: bringbackself on March 19, 2026, 09:42:54 PM
I'll live with a 10 point lead going into half. CANNOT let Power get going.

Also, how did we not foul there with fouls to give???

Analytics
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 19, 2026, 09:43:36 PM
Outside of Mirk.....really bad half of ball for us.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 09:45:37 PM
Outside of Mirk.....really bad half of ball for us.

Yeah thank god for Mirk otherwise we'd be fucked right now.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 19, 2026, 09:46:38 PM
Wouldn't mind seeing a 2nd half starting 5 of Wagler, Boswell, Mirk, Andrej and either Tomi or Big Z....Z kinda needs to be in there when Davis/Humrichous are in though imo.

Let Andrej free up some other by driving...this Penn team is terrible, undersized, and lack of depth....get to the line dammit
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: illinicalvin on March 19, 2026, 09:48:58 PM
We're playing like ass but dominating the boards and the fouls. Need to keep exploiting that athleticism and size advantage in the 2nd half. Not a game to keep chucking 3s.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 09:57:27 PM
And FFS, tell Z to stop camping out in the corner shooting threes. But we all know Brad won't do that because he thinks every three pointer is going in no matter who shoots it.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Judge Judy on March 19, 2026, 10:01:56 PM
Drive the ball and get the damn win…
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Beach Bum on March 19, 2026, 10:11:58 PM
Morez hit a three today
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 10:31:37 PM
We can't possibly blow a 30 point lead with 7:45 left, right? RIGHT??
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: illinicalvin on March 19, 2026, 10:32:40 PM
Up 28 and Penn can't keep up with us. Rest the starters Brad. Let these guys chase Brandon Lee around.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: murphstahoe on March 19, 2026, 10:38:49 PM
Up 28 and Penn can't keep up with us. Rest the starters Brad. Let these guys chase Brandon Lee around.

Truth. Well - Jake can play. But if Mirk or Wagler or Boswell get hurt someone needs to be fired
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: illinicalvin on March 19, 2026, 10:39:14 PM
Thank God we actually put a boot on someone. Here's to keeping this up vs. VCU.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Judge Judy on March 19, 2026, 10:39:39 PM
Truth. Well - Jake can play. But if Mirk or Wagler or Boswell get hurt someone needs to be fired

+1
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 10:40:27 PM
Up 28 and Penn can't keep up with us. Rest the starters Brad. Let these guys chase Brandon Lee around.

Yeah NET rankings and metrics don't matter anymore. Let AJ Redd chuck up another bad three or two.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: murphstahoe on March 19, 2026, 10:41:30 PM
+1

And just like that the first shot after commercial is those three on the deep end of the bench
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLove1997 on March 19, 2026, 10:43:34 PM
I think we got this guys
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: murphstahoe on March 19, 2026, 10:43:48 PM
Brandon Lee gets the 100th point. Nice touch
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: murphstahoe on March 19, 2026, 10:48:07 PM
Hah we give up the last second FT
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 19, 2026, 10:49:48 PM
Hah we give up the last second FT
Yep, damn subs...LOL
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Somewhere in Mn on March 19, 2026, 10:50:35 PM
That's a good start. Do it again Sat.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 19, 2026, 10:51:58 PM
Thank God we actually put a boot on someone. Here's to keeping this up vs. VCU.
Better show up with a heavier boot....VCU ain't no joke. Like 17 in  a row.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 19, 2026, 10:54:11 PM
Too soon to offer Mirk all the BAG for next year....Damn we better keep that kid.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 19, 2026, 10:55:29 PM
Last Meeting: December 3, 2016 (Illinois 64, VCU 46). Lets hope Saturday same result...higher score would be nice.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 10:57:45 PM
2nd half Illini tonight will run VCU out of the gym Saturday

1st half Illini tonight will get run out of the gym by VCU Saturday.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 19, 2026, 11:00:20 PM
Too soon to offer Mirk all the BAG for next year....Damn we better keep that kid.

100% this. Mirk is a fucking DAWG.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 19, 2026, 11:04:34 PM
2nd half Illini tonight will run VCU out of the gym Saturday

1st half Illini tonight will get run out of the gym by VCU Saturday.

Agreed 85. pts a game vs like 85 pts per game, rebounds are like 38 vs 40. We have to out rebound them not by a little either, and we have to protect the ball. We cannot let their two main players get hot Hill averages like 14 and got 34, Lewis is Boswell type...he is a rugged player.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Somewhere in Mn on March 19, 2026, 11:05:27 PM
We needed a game like this. So did Fran.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Beach Bum on March 19, 2026, 11:21:30 PM
That was fun. That was a second half similar to what we did in our 12 game winning streak.  Hope they keep it up.

I mean can you imagine, 2 S16 in 3 years after going almost twenty years between them before 2024.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Custard on March 20, 2026, 12:00:54 AM
Little nervous there when nothing was going in but nice second half. Even Tomi got to see one go through the net. Hope we didn’t use them all up this game and that it’s indicative of being well rested and settling in.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Miles Leonard on March 20, 2026, 12:42:56 AM
No easier path for Illinois to sweet 16 than a 14 and 11 seed…

The stars are aligning just like they did in 2024. Right down to the 2nd round opponent being from the A10 - Duquesne then and VCU this year.

And the Sweet Sixteen (should we get there) would be against (in all likelyhood) Houston, a Big 12 opponent. Just like Iowa St.

Which then means we're eating another 30-0 run in the Elite Eight, this time from the defending champ Florida.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Custard on March 20, 2026, 12:51:01 AM
The stars are aligning just like they did in 2024. Right down to the 2nd round opponent being from the A10 - Duquesne then and VCU this year.

And the Sweet Sixteen (should we get there) would be against (in all likelyhood) Houston, a Big 12 opponent. Just like Iowa St.

Which then means we're eating another 30-0 run in the Elite Eight, this time from the defending champ Florida.

I’ll…take it?
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 20, 2026, 01:57:53 AM
I personally am glad with the seeding/bracket and how it's all worked out. We've had our share of shitty brackets and worse seedings imo, AND we also have had our share of bad performances as well. I will take the win and the bracket aligning this way.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Reacher on March 20, 2026, 08:08:23 AM
The stars are aligning just like they did in 2024.

You just sent out the Jeff Frank bat signal.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Reacher on March 20, 2026, 08:16:17 AM
I personally am glad with the seeding/bracket and how it's all worked out. We've had our share of shitty brackets and worse seedings imo, AND we also have had our share of bad performances as well. I will take the win and the bracket aligning this way.

Fair.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Somewhere in Mn on March 20, 2026, 08:19:47 AM
Has anybody seen ThePAMan since he had already had a few and got ahold of his Badger buddies ?
 
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Somewhere in Mn on March 20, 2026, 08:43:18 AM
https://youtu.be/szSdQJ3TtUc
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Beach Bum on March 20, 2026, 08:46:03 AM
LOL Badgers. Hope they keep Gard.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Somewhere in Mn on March 20, 2026, 08:56:33 AM
In their last 4 TOTTM appearances the Badgers have lost to a 12 seed twice and an 11 seed once.
Their other loss came as a 3 seed when they lost to a 6.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: Custard on March 20, 2026, 09:20:20 AM
You just sent out the Jeff Frank bat signal.

Look at Ivisic. Then look at Ivisic. Now look back at Ivisic.

At least this team might actually be going to Houston
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ThePAMan on March 20, 2026, 10:38:26 AM
Moving very slowly this AM. Need to hit the shower and get to Wrigleyville for today's games.
Title: Re: Illinois vs Penn - Round 1
Post by: ridingthegrange on March 20, 2026, 11:49:35 AM
Moving very slowly this AM. Need to hit the shower and get to Wrigleyville for today's games.

Go softly, but don't turn around to look at Ivisic.