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General Category => Fighting Illini Basketball Forum => Topic started by: frankiew on February 22, 2022, 03:25:06 PM

Title: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: frankiew on February 22, 2022, 03:25:06 PM
Besides the expected Gonzaga, Baylor, Kansas, Duke, Auburn, Kentucky favorites anyone else you see making a impact?

I really like Texas Tech and Arkansas and maybe Providence

I think Wisconsin has best chance out of all Big Ten teams to get to final four. I think Purdue is a elite 8 and out

Alabama could either with it all or lose first rd. They would be a huge risk to but but the reward if they play up to potential.

Mid Majors to make a run I like North Texas, Davidson and Murray St (of course that all depends on matchups and seeding)

I think Texas will be a first round loss

Illinois could either make a run or get out quickly

I see them as a Sweet 16 team right now


If I had to pick a final 4 right now I'd Kentucky, Arkansas, Texas Tech and Kansas
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Lkdog on February 22, 2022, 04:39:03 PM
Besides the expected Gonzaga, Baylor, Kansas, Duke, Auburn, Kentucky favorites anyone else you see making a impact?

I really like Texas Tech and Arkansas and maybe Providence

I think Wisconsin has best chance out of all Big Ten teams to get to final four. I think Purdue is a elite 8 and out

Alabama could either with it all or lose first rd. They would be a huge risk to but but the reward if they play up to potential.

Mid Majors to make a run I like North Texas, Davidson and Murray St (of course that all depends on matchups and seeding)

I think Texas will be a first round loss

Illinois could either make a run or get out quickly

I see them as a Sweet 16 team right now


If I had to pick a final 4 right now I'd Kentucky, Arkansas, Texas Tech and Kansas

List looks pretty good.

I think Purdue has best chance to get to FF in BT if they increase defensive focus down the stretch.
They have the best iso guard in country, excellent inside play, and hit the three.

I don't like Wisconsin at all, but we will see.

We are an enigma. Have to have at least 2 of our main 3 point shooters to be making shots every game to go far.
We need 9/10 threes a game. Kofi will get his.
If so, we can hang around with anyone and might surprise. If not hitting from deep could flame out early.

Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: ridingthegrange on February 22, 2022, 05:40:50 PM
Enigma is an apt term for the Illini this year.  I agree that PU has the best chance of FF for the BIG.  Wisconsin goes out whenever they play an athletic, good D team.

FF for me:  Arizona, Auburn, TTech, Zags. 
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: frankiew on February 22, 2022, 05:49:57 PM
Enigma is an apt term for the Illini this year.  I agree that PU has the best chance of FF for the BIG.  Wisconsin goes out whenever they play an athletic, good D team.

FF for me:  Arizona, Auburn, TTech, Zags.

Not sure how much I'm buying Arizona. They are good but man that PAC 12 is so weak this year
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: ridingthegrange on February 22, 2022, 06:16:21 PM
Not sure how much I'm buying Arizona. They are good but man that PAC 12 is so weak this year

That's what was said last year too.  PAC was 13-5 in the dance.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on February 22, 2022, 08:43:56 PM
Kentucky (only if Ty-Ty) comes back
Texas Tech
Illinois
Arizona

Next Four In as Possibilities: Arkansas, Kansas, Purdue, Villanova
Darkhorse to make run: Murray State/SMU

Picked Texas 9 months ago though.... :(

Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Custard on February 22, 2022, 08:54:23 PM
Arizona has a pretty good recipe.

Zags will be protected of course with their lame ass conference season basically gifting them the overall 1 again so it’s hard to pick against them.

Auburn seems to have the pieces but underwhelms too frequently. But they’ll probably make the F4 by beating the Illini because it is the NCAA tourney which means Illinois fans must have their hearts unceremoniously ripped out.

I think there are about 10 other teams that all have a reasonable shot if they get a decent draw.

I’m starting to build a belief that Purdue might be ripe for an early exit. Between their defensive woes and difficulty handling ball pressure, I could see a quick athletic team wearing them down and knocking them off if PU threes aren’t going down.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Lkdog on February 23, 2022, 10:44:49 PM
Right now the two highest rated teams on KenPom in BT are Purdue at 13 and Iowa at 15.
We are 16.
OSU 22.
Wisconsin 25.


Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: illinicalvin on February 24, 2022, 12:30:25 AM
On the one hand, Purdue is really good with an All-American guard and size inside. On the other, it's Purdue.

I like Zaga, Zona, Auburn, and Houston as the dark horse.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: frankiew on February 25, 2022, 07:15:53 AM
what mid majors do you all like?

I like Murray St alot

I think Vermont could get a 1st round win
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Jobu on February 25, 2022, 10:45:02 AM
what mid majors do you all like?

I like Murray St alot

I think Vermont could get a 1st round win

I like Murray St. too.  They, along with Belmont, are moving to the valley next year.  I think Murray will tear it up.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: ILLove1997 on February 25, 2022, 11:22:33 AM
Right now the two highest rated teams on KenPom in BT are Purdue at 13 and Iowa at 15.
We are 16.
OSU 22.
Wisconsin 25.

I honestly don't think we have a shot, any team with any sort of length gives us HUGE issues, would have to be a one in a million type of draw for us in the tourney to have it happen IMO
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on February 25, 2022, 12:24:53 PM
I honestly don't think we have a shot, any team with any sort of length gives us HUGE issues, would have to be a one in a million type of draw for us in the tourney to have it happen IMO

Very good point...so if the current bracketology stays the same (it won't) Illinois would do this: Chattanooga has 4 6'9" or bigger rangy/big type of players, assuming we beat them....We would meet Texas (with Mitchell?) and we would lose that one. BU out in 1-2 games at the most unfortunately.

IF IF IF, we win 2 games? Arizona again, and they are MUCH better than earlier in the year....we done!!!
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: frankiew on February 25, 2022, 01:34:43 PM
Iowa is playing like a team thats gonna make it to second weekend
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Lkdog on February 25, 2022, 02:05:40 PM
Iowa is playing like a team thats gonna make it to second weekend

They are improving on D and get scoring from a lot of different guys.
Honestly, Murray is best player in BT right now.

I agree, I could see them making S16.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: frankiew on February 26, 2022, 07:51:19 AM
Big Ten title contenders

Tier 1
Wisconsin
Ohio St
Purdue

Tier 2
Illinois

Tier 3
Iowa
Michigan St

Tier 4
Michigan

Tier 5
Rutgers

Tier 6
Indiana
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Chickengeorge on February 26, 2022, 08:32:35 AM
Not sold on Wiscy. 
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Lkdog on February 26, 2022, 08:48:36 AM
Neither am I.
Their margin of victory is very low.
Margin for error is very low.
Other than Davis they are average.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: No one in Mn on February 26, 2022, 01:26:50 PM
I'm not sure any of the 5-9 seeds can win 4 straight, but any of the 1-4 seeds is capable of losing their 1st game.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Lkdog on March 02, 2022, 11:55:27 AM
Well, with a couple league games to go it looks like the chance of any BT team making FF is very doubtful.
Some competitive Top 15-25 teams with flaws that will likely show up over a needed four game run to the FF.

Oddly- I see Iowa as maybe a darkhorse to win three games. They are actually playing some better defense this year, Fran is actually coaching,and have they several guys who can support Murray.
Maybe Purdue, or Wisconsin, or Illinois if things go really well for three games.

Wisconsin getting improvement out of Hepburn and their bigmen so they could win a couple games for sure.

Nobody really deserves more than a 4 seed, but the BT tourney champ might get a 2 or a 3.

Will be very interesting to see how we handle Iowa at home.

Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: The_Truth on March 02, 2022, 08:11:16 PM
Well, with a couple league games to go it looks like the chance of any BT team making FF is very doubtful.
Some competitive Top 15-25 teams with flaws that will likely show up over a needed four game run to the FF.

Oddly- I see Iowa as maybe a darkhorse to win three games. They are actually playing some better defense this year, Fran is actually coaching,and have they several guys who can support Murray.
Maybe Purdue, or Wisconsin, or Illinois if things go really well for three games.

Wisconsin getting improvement out of Hepburn and their bigmen so they could win a couple games for sure.

Nobody really deserves more than a 4 seed, but the BT tourney champ might get a 2 or a 3.

Will be very interesting to see how we handle Iowa at home.

Well the ACC and PAC are plain bad top to bottom…Big East similar to PAC top heavy…SEC and Big 12 are the best…you’ll find a couple big ten teams on the 2 or 3 line…we can still get there if we run the table or make champ game…
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 04, 2022, 08:31:37 AM
According to latest:

Purdue has easiest bracket chanced I think...Ohio St won't make it with no legit B1G in the middle....Illinois loses to Arkansas 2nd Rd....Iowa/Kentucky would be good to see...Wisky could do something IF they don't play Texas Tech, so no we have no one in the Final Four that I see this year?

http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: ridingthegrange on March 06, 2022, 06:20:37 PM
Maybe it's just over familiarity but, I don't see a BIG team getting to the elite 8.  All these teams have significant flaws.  This is painful for me as I have to listen to what the PAC did last year (at least for now).  Oh, and Fuck Iowa!
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: The_Truth on March 06, 2022, 06:22:35 PM
Gard upset over the Davis injury and will make the proper phone calls 🤣🤣🤣…

Like ya did with Howard…

How many calls should I make everytime the refs screw Kofi…
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: ILLINICHIEF on March 07, 2022, 07:33:06 AM
https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/page/bracketology/ncaa-bracketology-projecting-2022-march-madness-men-field

If Illinois ends up in this bracket spot, in Philly, they could get to the final four imo.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Custard on March 07, 2022, 09:45:04 AM
Three pretty good teams in USC, Seton Hall, and Murray State at 7-9 seeds.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Judge Judy on March 07, 2022, 10:27:12 AM
No idea how Wisconsin is a 2 seed.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: frankiew on March 07, 2022, 11:04:11 AM
Three pretty good teams in USC, Seton Hall, and Murray State at 7-9 seeds.


Not real scared of USC, only good win is UCLA, Murray St would be tough. Seton Hall as well. big East in tough
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Lkdog on March 07, 2022, 11:33:39 AM
No idea how Wisconsin is a 2 seed.

I think that only holds if they win BTT.
But who knows. The BT highest seed is up for grabs.

I would like to get off the 4 line TBH.
Get to a 3 to avoid the 1 seed in S16 game.
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: ILLove1997 on March 07, 2022, 11:39:21 AM
I think that only holds if they win BTT.
But who knows. The BT highest seed is up for grabs.

I would like to get off the 4 line TBH.
Get to a 3 to avoid the 1 seed in S16 game.

AFAIK the committee doesn't use the B1G tournament championship for seeding since it finishes at the last hour right before the selection Sunday show
Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: Lkdog on March 07, 2022, 01:13:45 PM
AFAIK the committee doesn't use the B1G tournament championship for seeding since it finishes at the last hour right before the selection Sunday show

I think you are right. I see a 330 pm ET start time of game.

Well, it will all work out. As always- we just have to play who we get and hopefully win a couple this year.
Will be fun to get to second week.

Title: Re: Final 4 Contendors
Post by: murphstahoe on March 09, 2022, 06:16:32 PM
Enigma is an apt term for the Illini this year.  I agree that PU has the best chance of FF for the BIG.  Wisconsin goes out whenever they play an athletic, good D team.

FF for me:  Arizona, Auburn, TTech, Zags.
I was gonna post good luck Arizona after giving up a 15 point lead in 3 minutes to Stanford, but the News Radio sports guy forgot the "State" part (I was pretty confused how the one seed was playing on Weds anyway)