Not too look ahead, but I can't contain excitement for BU-UI

[Roll with the Funches]

I was down at the Illini-Savannah State game Tuesday night, and on the way back to Peoria I was listening to the postgame, Weber was asked about the plans for the holidays and to paraphrase: "We'll have tomorrow off, head up Thursday, practice in the afternoon and get together for dinner, we'll need to rest up for two tough games. Miami has looked alright and then Bradley, if you're scoreboard watching tonight, they'll be tough too."

Then Loren Tate didn't really talk anymore about the weekend, analyzed that pathetic Savannah game instead.

I love games like this, I'm completely torn about who to root for. I realize that Bradley would gain a lot more by winning than Illini would by losing, but it's hard not to cheer for the alma mater too. It'll be a really interesting game, Illinous should have a big advantage inside, but BU should have an outside advantage. I think it'll be a very close, exciting game, and I'm very happy that it's going to be on TV now, I just hope nothing messes it up Friday by either team losing.

Anyway, here is a link to some discussion on illiniboard about BU-FAMU and varying opinions on who will win the game and how many UI and BU fans will be up there this weekend.

http://mb30.scout.com/fillinoisinsiderfrm1.showMessage?topicID=83777.topic

[tornado]

Funch-- I just can't believe how many times one of the illini posters reiterates over and over the line about how the Illinois big men (of "bigs" as they seem so fond of saying) will have their way with BU and that BU will have no answer for them.

Now I kinda like Illinois and certainly hope they do well the rest of the year after the BU game, but I have to make a few statements of truth about Illinois' "bigs".

Here is a list of their "bigs".

In FIVE games so far, against pretty soft opponents

--their TOP Five scorers are all guards (Jamar-19ppg, McBride-16ppg, Meacham-13ppg, Brock-12ppg, Frazier-12ppg)

--Shaun Pruitt 11ppg, but third on the team in turnovers and a 0.3 assist to turnover ratio. Pruitt may be the best they have, but I think even Sam Singh can play this guy!

--Warren Carter, having a decent year so far, averaging 11ppg, but doesn't really play in the paint. Shoots 20% on 3-pointers, and also turns the ball over too much. DA can guard this guy just fine.

--Brian Randle might have been the one guy BU couldn't match up with, but injury will prevent him from playing,

--Brian Carlwell is struggling and there is lots of talk that he should have redshirted this year. In five games, he's only getting 10 minutes per game (only about what Sam Singh has gotten in the games he's played and only half of what Matt Salley and Andrew Warren are getting).
Carlwell is averaging a little over 3ppg and 2rpg (generally against the deep subs of the teams Illinois has been blowing out), shoots as bad at the FT line as the worst player that BU has, and the most glaring stat is that he picks up one foul for every 5 minutes spent in the game.

--Richard Semrau...give me a break. Plays only in blowout/garbage time, shoots 28% from the floor, getting a little over 3ppg, 2rpg. Most of the comments on the Illini board about Senrau center on why he didn't redshirt.

--and lastly, Marcus Arnold.
Poor Marcus, he is the worst of five bad big men that Illinois has, and this is his last year so he won't get much playing time this year either.
He gets 12 minutes per game, pitiful considering Illinois has won five games with blowout scores of 21, 21, 35, 45, and 47 points, and still Marcus is so bad the coach can't really find time for him.
He misses half his layups, and has about as many fouls on the season (14) as he has points (16) or rebounds (17).
Marcus averages either a foul or a turnover every 3 minutes on the court.
No BU player even comes close to this kind of inefficiency ratio.....
For example, the worst ratio of all Bradley players is Zach Andrews who averages a foul or a turnover (28/10 about every 5 minutes--BUT the big difference is that it's offset by 15ppg and 11rpg to go with 70% FG shooting and crowd electrifying dunks.

[Roll with the Funches]

I would say that the Illini advantage down low is not in quality, I think Zach Andrews will be the best big guy on the court, I just think that the Illini are a lot deeper down low, and to me that's where the inside advantage will come from.

I think it's possible that they guards might basically cancel each other out. I don't think Bradley or Illinois has played any opponent that defends like these two teams do. They really are pretty similar, I just feel like if Andrews gets in foul trouble the Illini interior depth will be the biggest difference between the two teams.

[MacabreMob]

Re: Not too look ahead, but I can't contain excitement for B

I love games like this, I'm completely torn about who to root for.

I'm never torn. I root for one team. It is sweet to root for just one and live with the outcomes.

"There are 2 types of people in this world. Smokers and Non-smokers. The key to life is finding out which one you are .... AND BE IT."

[IlliBraves]

I, on the other hand am not looking forward to that game. As big of a BU fan as I am, I've always been an Illini fan first. Although, I would still be very happy with a BU win, especially since UI is in a rebuilding season, and this could really help BU in the long run.

[patrick_o'brian]

I, on the other hand am not looking forward to that game. As big of a BU fan as I am, I've always been an Illini fan first. Although, I would still be very happy with a BU win, especially since UI is in a rebuilding season, and this could really help BU in the long run.

We are both in a rebuilding season. Right. If I was an Illini fan like you I would want to see what they can do against a team that can play ball. These teams Illinois plays are a joke always have been. BU will be a good test (loss) to wake them up before the Arizona and Marylands come a knockin'.

[IlliBraves]

Definitely. The teams UI has played have been a total joke. BU will give them a game. It will be a good test, but I won't be that disappointed if BU wins. If UI loses, BU gains some much needed respect, so it's kind of a win win situation. We've all heard plenty from the Wichita States's Creightons and Southern Illinois of the world. It's time somebody recognized what Bradley is doing.I've just been lucky enough that my two favorite teams never faced each other much. This would be the first time since the 1999 meeting at Carver.