Saturday BIG Hoops - Illinois @ Minnesota
Illinois up 48-33 on the Gophers home floor. Fuck me - they are really, really good. On offense, they are kind of like Michigan - can come at you from so many directions, inside and outside.
The good news is that after watching all these BIG games - nobody plays D like Michigan, nobody moves the ball like Michigan, the turnovers are usually limited, and we have a strong and big Center (and solid backup) to throw at Kofi Cockburn, who is massive.
Starting with the Suckeyes tomorrow, no easy games left for Michigan (you know Sparty will give us their strongest effort). We are going to have to play our best hoops starting now. But I believe in this team and our leadership, and think we will end up on top of the BIG when the dust is settled.
Going to be crazy and fun - strap in! And Go Blue!!!
February 20th, 2021 at 4:58 PM ^
Well said Damone. Maybe I’m underestimating osu, but I think our boys will blow them out tomorrow. The other games will be tough. I’m not sure what to expect from state. I think if Michigan can play well in the first game, they might roll over for the second one, but who knows. It will be a fun end to the regular season.
February 20th, 2021 at 5:33 PM ^
Beware the buckeyes. If we aren’t on our game from the opening whistle it could easily get away from us.
February 20th, 2021 at 7:25 PM ^
You think we'll blow out Ohio St. but are unsure of how we'll do against that Sparty squad?!
Those are seemingly flip-flopped notions.
February 20th, 2021 at 8:12 PM ^
We’re playing a top 5 team on the road tomorrow, which hasn’t lost in weeks and is on fire offensively. If we win by any margin, that will be fantastic. Talking about blowing them out is probably getting a little too carried away.
February 20th, 2021 at 4:59 PM ^
It looks like Illinois, OSU, Mich and Iowa are clearly the Big 4 and that there is a significant drop-off after that. Since we have yet to play any of the other 3, we are going to find out just how good we are beginning tomorrow.
February 20th, 2021 at 5:33 PM ^
Iowa is well below .500 in March games. Expect more of the same.
February 20th, 2021 at 7:29 PM ^
And why is that? Just based on past-years?
February 20th, 2021 at 5:09 PM ^
If Ayo is active Illinois is a Final Four team, easy.
February 20th, 2021 at 5:12 PM ^
Our D is great. Michigan's opponents, much like all the wild animals I was warned about growing up, are likely more afraid of us than we are of them.
February 20th, 2021 at 5:13 PM ^
Minnesota's 3rd leading scorer is injured and 2nd leading scorer and best defender was playing injured and basically hasn't played the second half. This Minnesota team looks like shit and is mentally checked out
Can't wait for Kofi and Ayo to graduate and for Illinois to disappear back into obscurity
February 20th, 2021 at 5:18 PM ^
I say we work to send them to the NBA without earning any banners...
Whatever 1989 banners Illinois has hanging should be adequate.
February 20th, 2021 at 5:18 PM ^
Threw some money on Illinois right before tipoff (-4). Liking my chances right now.
February 20th, 2021 at 5:36 PM ^
Good chance that would’ve paid off at -40.
February 20th, 2021 at 5:39 PM ^
Well done young man
February 20th, 2021 at 5:45 PM ^
Me too!
February 20th, 2021 at 5:39 PM ^
Tomorrow’s game means so much. I like our chances. Go blue!
February 20th, 2021 at 5:42 PM ^
Illinois is definitely a good team, but their last 3 games have been OT with Nebraska, wire to wire with Northwestern, and blowout of Minnesota without 2 of their top 3 scorers. Am I the only one not super impressed by their recent stretch?
February 20th, 2021 at 6:02 PM ^
A lot of times watching Illinois this year I haven’t been super impressed, but they just seem to have the pieces to be elite. Ayo is an experienced guard who I could see taking over in March.
Iowa has looked great and offensively dominant a lot this year but with how bad their defense is, they have to be hot for too many games in a row to make the Final Four in my opinion.
February 20th, 2021 at 5:49 PM ^
I'm very impressed with the win over Minnesota to be honest. Beating Minnesota on the road is a tough task... especially by 30
Ayo is a heck of a player and Cockburn is massive. He makes Robbens look small
Michigan in the teeth of the schedule versus OSU, Illinois and Iowa.
February 20th, 2021 at 6:01 PM ^
You are right on w those three - but let's not jinx or fool ourselves that the two games w Sparty are easy. They will give us their best performance of the year. We should prevail, we are just better - but IMO, both games will be dogfights...
February 20th, 2021 at 7:39 PM ^
yeah, for sure; for MSU, it's their tournament game (or any chance of getting into the tournament).
That said, they would still be fourth on that list of 'difficult' games remaining on the schedule.
February 20th, 2021 at 8:27 PM ^
I’ll be so curious to see how we do tomorrow. Our best win this season is Wisconsin, who has been beaten by 12+ by all of Illinois, Iowa, and OSU...
we could turn out to be a good, but not dominate team
February 20th, 2021 at 10:13 PM ^
Ayo is an inefficient ballhog and they don’t feed Kofi nearly enough for him to be scary. We should win but that’s why you play the games.
February 20th, 2021 at 10:49 PM ^
Do you mean the guy with the 58% true shooting percentage? That is a Skip Bayless level bad take.
February 21st, 2021 at 12:09 AM ^
Illinois keeps getting better. They are getting scary good.