A bit of a deke on the title, as I open with a discussion of the Duke game. Unlike MSU/Wisconsin, the Illini don't have much pressure playing Duke. While Duke is beatable, they are a near lock #1 seed, and IL will be an underdog in the game. To say the least, IL is the more battle hardened team, but Duke has the most talented roster in CBB.
So regardless of the Duke outcome ... Illinois needs to win the next two games. First up is a scuffling MSU, losers of a home game to a bad IU last night and 3 of their last 4. Illinois is the better team, Illinois is at home, and Illinois is finally getting close to 100% healthy/not sick (you'd think Tre White will be able to at least play decent minutes by Saturday). It's also the highly favorable Saturday night home outing (I think this is day/time that is most advantageous for the home team, which is even more beneficial as home court advantage wanes across CBB). This strikes me as a 10-point win.
Then you have the at Wisconsin game. Illinois will be a slight underdog in Vegas in this game, but Brad Underwood teams with any talent (every team he's coached since 2019-20) have given Wisconsin athletic fits. There's a reason Illinois has won 9 straight against the Fighting Gards, and it isn't that BU is a strategic genius and Gard is a dope. Illinois has brought the more athletic team into the game under BU, and they force Wisconsin to play out of its comfort zone. I think/hope Illinois wins a close one in Madison, which would be a 5th straight victory up there.
Btw, UCLA impressed me last night. Very athletic. Cronin has done a nice job with his team too. A bit confusing he ranted about that team being "soft," they might have been losing 5-6 weeks ago, but they definitely weren't soft in the slightest.
So regardless of the Duke outcome ... Illinois needs to win the next two games. First up is a scuffling MSU, losers of a home game to a bad IU last night and 3 of their last 4. Illinois is the better team, Illinois is at home, and Illinois is finally getting close to 100% healthy/not sick (you'd think Tre White will be able to at least play decent minutes by Saturday). It's also the highly favorable Saturday night home outing (I think this is day/time that is most advantageous for the home team, which is even more beneficial as home court advantage wanes across CBB). This strikes me as a 10-point win.
Then you have the at Wisconsin game. Illinois will be a slight underdog in Vegas in this game, but Brad Underwood teams with any talent (every team he's coached since 2019-20) have given Wisconsin athletic fits. There's a reason Illinois has won 9 straight against the Fighting Gards, and it isn't that BU is a strategic genius and Gard is a dope. Illinois has brought the more athletic team into the game under BU, and they force Wisconsin to play out of its comfort zone. I think/hope Illinois wins a close one in Madison, which would be a 5th straight victory up there.
Btw, UCLA impressed me last night. Very athletic. Cronin has done a nice job with his team too. A bit confusing he ranted about that team being "soft," they might have been losing 5-6 weeks ago, but they definitely weren't soft in the slightest.
