Illinois loses at Michigan State

[Da Coach]

Illinois dropped to 17-7, and 7-7 in the Big Ten with a loss at Michigan State. With tough games coming up at Ohio State and Purdue, Illinois risks dropping out of contention for an at-large bid and could possibly fall into the lower half of the league.
The Illini's weak inside game and poor rebounding are really hurting them.

Here is John Supinie's article from the PJ Star-
Just in time for Illini, Spartan represents
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x253215780/Spartans-keep-Illini-on-skids

Just one question- pretty bizarre title; what does that title mean? Does anyone have a guess?


One more thought- Joe Bertrand, Tyler Griffey, and Crandall Head have fallen so far out of the playing rotation, that with young players playing ahead of them, and even more talented players coming in next year (including Nnanna Egwu, Tracy Abrams, Mike Shaw, Mychal Henry, Devin Langford, and possibly Max Bielfeldt), could any of them be blamed for thinking of leaving?

 

[DeWigs]

Illinois MSU

Illinois MSU

I'm guessing the title means that Kalin Lucas finally stepped up and gave the Spartans what they have been looking for all year.

 

[BUfan14]

Bertrand can be a good player so don't get me wrong....but I could see him not playing at Illinois a mile away. I said it a couple of years ago, they have too many talented guards coming in for him to play much there. He would have been much better off at a school like Bradley, but then again a lot of kids would.

 

[tornado]

..One more thought- Joe Bertrand, Tyler Griffey, and Crandall Head have fallen so far out of the playing rotation, that with young players playing ahead of them, and even more talented players coming in next year (including Nnanna Egwu, Tracy Abrams, Mike Shaw, Mychal Henry, Devin Langford, and possibly Max Bielfeldt), could any of them be blamed for thinking of leaving?

Head is a bit different since he tore his knee up...
but when the Illini were recruiting and pursuing Griffey & Bertrand -- they were battling mid-majors for those guys...now both of them have wasted a couple years riding the pines at Illinois.....
I can see both Griffey & Bertrand leaving but watch -- they'll grab an offer to be the 12th or 13th man at another big school and waste out the rest of their careers just like Semrau did......and like MR is doing now

 

[Da Coach]

Head is a bit different since he tore his knee up...

Not so, Head does belong in this group.
Yes, Crandall Head suffered a knee injury in late 2009 and didn't play his senior year in high school. He was pronounced healed and fully recovered before this season began, and he has played in 12 games this year for the Illini. If there was any problem with his knee, he should have redshirted this season, but he didn't. So that leaves him behind guys like D.J. Richardson, Brandon Paul, and possibly other players. If he is happy riding the bench as a deep reserve, he should stay at Illinois. But I suspect he is beginning to realize that if he had gone to a different school, he might be playing a lot more.

 

[real fan]

Illinois dropped to 17-7, and 7-7 in the Big Ten with a loss at Michigan State. With tough games coming up at Ohio State and Purdue, Illinois risks dropping out of contention for an at-large bid and could possibly fall into the lower half of the league.
The Illini's weak inside game and poor rebounding are really hurting them.

Here is John Supinie's article from the PJ Star-
Just in time for Illini, Spartan represents
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x253215780/Spartans-keep-Illini-on-skids

Just one question- pretty bizarre title; what does that title mean? Does anyone have a guess?


One more thought- Joe Bertrand, Tyler Griffey, and Crandall Head have fallen so far out of the playing rotation, that with young players playing ahead of them, and even more talented players coming in next year (including Nnanna Egwu, Tracy Abrams, Mike Shaw, Mychal Henry, Devin Langford, and possibly Max Bielfeldt), could any of them be blamed for thinking of leaving?

Playing time is going to be limited for several of these players, always a tough decision to make in that I will get better and earn more time or need to look elsewhere if I plan on playing more as too many guys in front of me now with even more coming in next season, especially hard for guys that were their teams star in high school to not hardly play now.

 

[bert notorius]

Seth & Kent have them "in".

 

[canadian]

Didn't Bertrand already use a redshirt year? So if left he would lose a year of eligibility right? Then he would have barely played in three years. That would be tough.

 

[Bravesfan]

Seth & Kent have them "in".

For now. But I guarantee if they finish 8-10, they will be OUT.

 

[Bravesfan]

Illinois dropped to 17-7, and 7-7 in the Big Ten with a loss at Michigan State. With tough games coming up at Ohio State and Purdue, Illinois risks dropping out of contention for an at-large bid and could possibly fall into the lower half of the league.
The Illini's weak inside game and poor rebounding are really hurting them.

Here is John Supinie's article from the PJ Star-
Just in time for Illini, Spartan represents
http://www.pjstar.com/sports/x253215780/Spartans-keep-Illini-on-skids

Just one question- pretty bizarre title; what does that title mean? Does anyone have a guess?

Either as one poster eluded to because Kalin Lucas finally showed up, or perhaps because they are finally showing the grit and guts that the real Spartans displayed on the battle field in Greece over 2000 years ago!

I'm sure my relatives who were born in that area would agree with this assessment too!

 

[MacabreMob]

Seth & Kent have them "in".

For now. But I guarantee if they finish 8-10, they will be OUT.

I highly doubt UIUC loses at home to Iowa or Indiana. They'll likely finish 9-9... and likely headed to the #4/#5 seeded game in the B10 Trny. With a loss in that game (most likely against Minny), I still think they are safely IN. With a win, they are a "Lock IN".

We can pick on them for bad losses, mediocre finish in the B10... but their portfolio and full body of work is still better than the teams that will be fighting for an at-large bid against them. Remember - UIUC will have 2 huge wins on their portfolio: W over UNC and W over Wisky (plus wins over Mich St and at Minny).

 

[Bravesfan]

I highly doubt UIUC loses at home to Iowa or Indiana. They'll likely finish 9-9... and likely headed to the #4/#5 seeded game in the B10 Trny. With a loss in that game (most likely against Minny), I still think they are safely IN. With a win, they are a "Lock IN".

We can pick on them for bad losses, mediocre finish in the B10... but their portfolio and full body of work is still better than the teams that will be fighting for an at-large bid against them. Remember - UIUC will have 2 huge wins on their portfolio: W over UNC and W over Wisky (plus wins over Mich St and at Minny).

That's all true, although they did have a 10-8 conference record last year and got left out. But if remember correctly, they did not have as many quality wiins last year as they did this year.

I think they will be in too assuming they follow the above criteria, but it certainly would not hurt them if they could steal a win at Ohio St. and/or Purdue. Oh, and if they play the way they did against Michigan last week against Iowa and Indiana, they definitely will put themselves at risk for a loss. So they better play with their heads up!

 

[peoriakid]

"One more thought- Joe Bertrand, Tyler Griffey, and Crandall Head have fallen so far out of the playing rotation,"

Joe Bertrand?

You have to be in the playing rotation to fall out of it. He never was.

 

[tornado]

"One more thought- Joe Bertrand, Tyler Griffey, and Crandall Head have fallen so far out of the playing rotation,"

Joe Bertrand?

You have to be in the playing rotation to fall out of it. He never was.

I might beg to differ a little....

He did play in 11 of the first 18 games... so it appears he was somewhere around 10-11th man...
but he hasn't played in the last 5 games and only one minute in the last 9 games.
So I think he is being sent a message........

 

[tornado]

Here's something funny -- Illinois will play Indiana this Saturday morning at 11AM...but it's even earlier, relatively, for the Illini than it is for the Hoosiers, as it'll actually be NOON their time but only 11AM Illinois time...

But check how Indiana coach Tom Crean is treating this...
he's really ticked and saying so publicly, and even in a mocking fashion, kinda ripping into the Big Ten for the schedule...

Come on, TC, the schedule isn't what has you in last place! You only had to play Ohio State once!

"I heard the Big Ten network is moving us to play at Illinois after we play Wisconsin at 9 o clock Thursday at 11 on Saturday. IN THE MORNING
There is no way that could be true is it? What was the 8 a.m. slot taken?
I am okay with 1 day in between games on occasion but 36 hours? In a rivalry game? That defies rationalization.
Come on out Ashton. Where are the cameras? This isnt funny . U got me. We have been punked."

http://twitter.com/#!/TomCrean/status/39756156775837696
http://twitter.com/#!/TomCrean/status/39756797459955712
http://twitter.com/#!/TomCrean/status/39757639055454208
http://twitter.com/#!/TomCrean/status/39758449072029696

 

[houstontxbrave]

I highly doubt UIUC loses at home to Iowa or Indiana. They'll likely finish 9-9... and likely headed to the #4/#5 seeded game in the B10 Trny. With a loss in that game (most likely against Minny), I still think they are safely IN. With a win, they are a "Lock IN".

We can pick on them for bad losses, mediocre finish in the B10... but their portfolio and full body of work is still better than the teams that will be fighting for an at-large bid against them. Remember - UIUC will have 2 huge wins on their portfolio: W over UNC and W over Wisky (plus wins over Mich St and at Minny).

And one HUGE lose on the resume, UIC 7-22 currently on the season.

No way is Illinois one of the best 68 teams in the country. They are the poster child for muddling along, under achieving teams in the country. Problem for me is they are a senior laden experienced team that is the most underperforming team in the country.

I guess if they can stay at .500 in conference and win a game in the tourney they will get in but they do not deserve to play in the NCAA tournament. If they get a bid, the Big Ten gets them a bid.

Out of their last 16 games they are 7-9.

 

[MacabreMob]

And one HUGE lose on the resume, UIC 7-22 currently on the season.

No way is Illinois one of the best 68 teams in the country. They are the poster child for muddling along, under achieving teams in the country. Problem for me is they are a senior laden experienced team that is the most underperforming team in the country.

I guess if they can stay at .500 in conference and win a game in the tourney they will get in but they do not deserve to play in the NCAA tournament. If they get a bid, the Big Ten gets them a bid.

Out of their last 16 games they are 7-9.

I'd like to quote Jerry Palm in hopes you and others understand why UIUC is "IN", no matter how bad they may seem to you. He is commenting on his recent Bracket he put up yesterday (he currently does a Bracket every Friday and Monday). He also makes reference to his list of what he calls "Fence-Sitters", which is a list of teams battling for the At-Large bids that haven't already "locked" up a bid (like an Ohio St or Duke can be considered "Locked In"). Anyway, here is Palm's quote:

February 21

A lot was made of the losses suffered by the top four in the polls this week, but it was just as bad at the bottom of the bracket. By my count, 22 teams on the Fence Sitters page lost last week as well. Some lost twice. That's a lot of teams trying not to make the field. It also means an already weak field is getting weaker. Teams like Tennessee, which is falling apart - I can't get them out. Minnesota - same thing. Memphis - a "haven't beaten anybody" - can't get them out. Richmond, for crying out loud - can't get them out, because others just look worse.

I have no doubt that we will have some teams with historically weak profiles make the field. Of course, expansion made that possible anyway, but I'm talking maybe half a dozen teams. I always say, "these things have a way of working themselves out." Not this year.

 

[amckillip]

I'd like to quote Jerry Palm in hopes you and others understand why UIUC is "IN", no matter how bad they may seem to you. He is commenting on his recent Bracket he put up yesterday (he currently does a Bracket every Friday and Monday). He also makes reference to his list of what he calls "Fence-Sitters", which is a list of teams battling for the At-Large bids that haven't already "locked" up a bid (like an Ohio St or Duke can be considered "Locked In"). Anyway, here is Palm's quote:

February 21

A lot was made of the losses suffered by the top four in the polls this week, but it was just as bad at the bottom of the bracket. By my count, 22 teams on the Fence Sitters page lost last week as well. Some lost twice. That's a lot of teams trying not to make the field. It also means an already weak field is getting weaker. Teams like Tennessee, which is falling apart - I can't get them out. Minnesota - same thing. Memphis - a "haven't beaten anybody" - can't get them out. Richmond, for crying out loud - can't get them out, because others just look worse.

I have no doubt that we will have some teams with historically weak profiles make the field. Of course, expansion made that possible anyway, but I'm talking maybe half a dozen teams. I always say, "these things have a way of working themselves out." Not this year.

Agreed with JPalm on this completely. If the MVC were even decent this year we could of had several bids. Talk about messing that one up...