T1B

Illinois will become the next undefeated national champion this year.

Not that they're unbeatable. I just don't see anyone dominant enough to beat them. Same could've been said about UNLV, but they obvoiusly weren't tough enough mentally for the challenge. Ill. is. They've taken on everyone so far and cleaned their clocks.

Everything is a crap shoot in the tourney, but Illinois is rock solid. I say they win this thing and go in the history books as one of the greats.

Of course, in '76 IU beat a conference rival for the title. Would be nice to see that again too.

Ruff wrote:Illinois will become the next undefeated national champion this year.

Not that they're unbeatable. I just don't see anyone dominant enough to beat them. Same could've been said about UNLV, but they obvoiusly weren't tough enough mentally for the challenge. Ill. is. They've taken on everyone so far and cleaned their clocks.

Everything is a crap shoot in the tourney, but Illinois is rock solid. I say they win this thing and go in the history books as one of the greats.

Of course, in '76 IU beat a conference rival for the title. Would be nice to see that again too.

UNLV Duke 91 was fixed.

I just don't think that Illinois is battle tested. The Big 10 stinks. There are three teams worth a shit, one of which hasn't beaten a ranked team in about three seasons and another that really hasn't played anyone.

I'm not taking anything away from them because they are an awesome team but I'd take a team like UNC that is more talented and that plays in a much better conference.

Rack Fu wrote:I just don't think that Illinois is battle tested. The Big 10 stinks. There are three teams worth a shit, one of which hasn't beaten a ranked team in about three seasons and another that really hasn't played anyone.

I'm not taking anything away from them because they are an awesome team but I'd take a team like UNC that is more talented and that plays in a much better conference.

Not battle tested like say I don't know:

Beating a top 20 Gonzaga team on a neutral court by 17.
Putting an ass kicking on ACC powerhouse and top 5 Wake Forest.
Handling upper tier Big East team Georgetown on their homecourt.
Drubbing top 20 Cincinnati on a neutral court.
Beating top 20 Wisconsin at Wisconsin, the only time that's happened the past 42 home games for the Badgers.
Winning on the road at Michigan St, a top 10 team who's only home loss was to Illinois.

And just so we're clear, since Wisconsin doesn't get any credit for beating Maryland and Alabama, does UNC then not get credit for their Maryland games or playing UConn???

The Assassin wrote:

Ruff wrote:Illinois will become the next undefeated national champion this year.

Not that they're unbeatable. I just don't see anyone dominant enough to beat them. Same could've been said about UNLV, but they obvoiusly weren't tough enough mentally for the challenge. Ill. is. They've taken on everyone so far and cleaned their clocks.

Everything is a crap shoot in the tourney, but Illinois is rock solid. I say they win this thing and go in the history books as one of the greats.

Of course, in '76 IU beat a conference rival for the title. Would be nice to see that again too.

UNLV Duke 91 was fixed.

"....all I have to do, is dream............dream, dream, dream......." :roll:

Can you say RACK EM on this board?


If so, rack my boy Shine, defending my troops. He still doesn't like Illinois being a Hoosier Daddy, but he respects them and coach Weber.


Shine,

Sorry I don't post much anymore. I can't remember the last time I made a post back on Stef's board. I will be watching closely the next few weeks. One part of me wants my boys to lose one game, the other wants them to make history. Let's not forget, Illinois plays harder when they play better competition for some reason, this makes me happy, but I am worried about the round of sixteen and they decide to coast.

I've seen Illinois play 5-6 times and i can honestly say that 1. they were impressive everytime and 2. a lot of fun to watch.

even the game that Missouri supposedly played them real close....that's been blown way up. i watched that game at my old man's house and i NEVER felt once that UI was every in danger of losing that game.

plus, they can get to St. Louis without every playing over something like 300 miles from Champaign-Urbana.

Mustang wrote:

The Assassin wrote:

Ruff wrote:Illinois will become the next undefeated national champion this year.

Not that they're unbeatable. I just don't see anyone dominant enough to beat them. Same could've been said about UNLV, but they obvoiusly weren't tough enough mentally for the challenge. Ill. is. They've taken on everyone so far and cleaned their clocks.

Everything is a crap shoot in the tourney, but Illinois is rock solid. I say they win this thing and go in the history books as one of the greats.

Of course, in '76 IU beat a conference rival for the title. Would be nice to see that again too.

UNLV Duke 91 was fixed.

"....all I have to do, is dream............dream, dream, dream......." :roll:

From someone who was born,and raised in Las Vegas,and who follows the basketball team,and has followed them since the Tark days...

it was a fix.

Arch Angel wrote:One part of me wants my boys to lose one game, the other wants them to make history.

I'm on record as saying that if Illinois is undefeated entering the tourney, I can't root for them. Must be the 72 Dolphin in me, but I just want IU to be the last unbeaten champ. Should the Illini go down at tOSU or in the BTT, I'll be rooting for an Illinois-Texas Tech title game!!!

Arch Angel wrote:One part of me wants my boys to lose one game

Why? What about losing one game makes a team better, or better able to win future games?

I never understood idea. If I were an Illinois fan, I would want to win every game, dominate. Make the opponent think they were invincible.

Losing not only creates the attitude that you can be beaten, in the minds of opponents, but also creates doubt in the minds of the team themselves.

Losing never makes a team better.

Question I have is that in this day and age of college basketball if this team goes undefeated are they one of the greats?

I guess they did what was asked of them against the competition they faced but really I can think of many teams that would have easily beaten this team.

I guess the question is in a day and age where players are going to the NBA without half the talent needed can the teams of this era be treated as great?

sorry by many teams I mean teams in the past i.e. teams from even the 2000 season and easily the best teams of the 90's.

A team goes an entire season and wins a championship, they are great. Any season, any sport.