Illinois Done?

[Easy Mac]

Or is this their miracle "stanford shot" game?

OSU by 1

[korme]

wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

[HerRealName]

Work tomorrow just became much more enjoyable.

[kingnebwsu]

GO BUCKS!!! This is a signature win in a season where postseason play is impossible. I was thinking about the Big Ten today and how weak it is as a whole this year. Indiana is gonna possibly be in the tourney with 10 conference wins, but a sub-.500 out of conference record? That's just terrible. Depending on their draw, I think Illinois will be lucky to win 2-3 games. We'll see what happens.

[Coffee Warlord]

ROCK! Stuck in hardcore Illinois country, with a personal hatred of UIUC. A moment to savor.

As a wise man once said. "HAA-HA!"

[markprior22]

I'm an Iowa fan but I sure don't feel that Illinois is "done". I'm also not a big believer in "losing a game before the tournament" but I think Illinois will regroup and get the ball rolling again. They should still be ranked #1 also.

[Joe]

I was watching the Purdue-PSU game yesterday and they said OSU would be in the big 10 tourney. Anyone know why they arent barred from that? Its part of the postseason.

[MrBug708]

It's conference postseason. No conference has to hold a conference tournament and it still counts as regular season wins

[Joe]

so if OSU happens to win it, the big 10 gets no automatic bid?

[Ryno]

Depending on their draw, I think Illinois will be lucky to win 2-3 games.

I wouldn't bet on it. They may have not shown it today, but they're the best passing team that I've seen in my 25 years of watching college ball. I'll be very surprised if they don't make it to the Final Four, especially if they play games in Indianapolis and Chicago.

so if OSU happens to win it, the big 10 gets no automatic bid?

Yep. If a banned team wins it the bid is vacated, but even in a "down" year it really doesn't present a problem.

[dubb93]

Indiana is gonna possibly be in the tourney with 10 conference wins, but a sub-.500 out of conference record? That's just terrible. Depending on their draw, I think Illinois will be lucky to win 2-3 games. We'll see what happens.

It is called being young. They started 3 or 4 freshman every game this year. And when you look at their out of conference schedule 5-6 ain't bad for a young team that had not gelled together yet. Keep in mind that they were in the UCONN game but lost it b/c of the youth. Also keep in mind that the selection committee is said to be looking at the Charlotte game as a win b/c of the obviously late half courter that won the game.

11/23 Indiana State W 56-52 1-0
11/27 Western Illinois W 64-60 2-0
12/1 No. 11 North Carolina L 70-63 2-1
12/4 at No. 6 Connecticut L 74-69 2-2 CBS
12/8 Notre Dame L 55-45 2-3
12/11 at No. 11 Kentucky L 73-58 2-4 CBS
12/19 at Missouri L 56-53 2-5
12/22 Charlotte L 74-73 2-6
12/28 Ball State W 71-59 3-6
12/31 Oral Roberts W 69-68 4-6
01/2 Furman W 68-52 5-6

[ShaefIllini]

I just got back from Columbus. This was a very good game for the fans, but Illinois did not play well at all. They could have, and probably should have won it, but they went extremely conservative and had no offensive flow in the second half.

As for the tourney, as long as Illinois stays in Indy/Chicago for the first four rounds they will be hard to beat. Now, if they dont bounce back in the big ten tourney, then I'll be more worried, but I am not devastated at this point.

Coffee - is Galesburg more Illinois or Iowa country?? It's a bit closer to Iowa City than Champaign, but I don't know the breakdown...regardless, for non-UI fans tomorrow will be a fun day.

[General Mike]

If OSU is on a postseason ban, why are they even playing in the Big Ten tourney? St. Johns (NY) is in the same situation and they aren't playing in the Big East tourney.

[ShaefIllini]

If OSU is on a postseason ban, why are they even playing in the Big Ten tourney? St. Johns (NY) is in the same situation and they aren't playing in the Big East tourney.

Well, because OSU put themselves on probation it may just be arbitrary whether or not they play in the Big10 tourney...I'm not sure on this, but I think it's just what OSU decided to do.

[Joe]

If OSU is on a postseason ban, why are they even playing in the Big Ten tourney? St. Johns (NY) is in the same situation and they aren't playing in the Big East tourney.

see above, i guess it counts as part of the regular season. I can't remember if Michigan played in the big 10 tourney when they were banned.

[Joe]

yeah, its because its a self imposed ban it looks like. I found this:

" The ban includes NCAA and NIT bids, but the Buckeyes will be permitted to play for the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles."

from this article: http://cbs.sportsline.com/collegebasketball/story/7981479/2

[tucker342]

I'm an Iowa fan but I sure don't feel that Illinois is "done". I'm also not a big believer in "losing a game before the tournament" but I think Illinois will regroup and get the ball rolling again. They should still be ranked #1 also.
Nice to have another Iowa fan on the board:)


Indiana does not deserve to go to the tournament, 15-12 just isn't good enough. Iowa should get a bid over them, but I don't think Iowa will be going either. But, if it came down to Iowa or Indiana getting a bid, Iowa should get it.

I sort of figured that Illinois would lose today. Good win for Ohio State.

[Coffee Warlord]

Coffee - is Galesburg more Illinois or Iowa country?? It's a bit closer to Iowa City than Champaign, but I don't know the breakdown...regardless, for non-UI fans tomorrow will be a fun day.

Galesburg is very much Illini country. Every bar in town blasts the games when they play.

[Dunleavy]

stupid SI cover jinx.

Illinois is not done, they will be in the FF, and from there, well, should be some great games.

Go Illini!