Illini Basketball 2024-2025

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#26      

Illini2010-11

I
Sugar Grove
Illini2010-11
FloridaMan said:
Just the normal lazy journalism we’ve come to expect. The voters are painfully ignorant of most teams they do not cover on a daily basis, or have clear biases fully on display. Ranking teams based solely on returning ppg, etc.
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To be fair, a majority of these top 25 rankings that are out right now have not been updated in over a month -- sometimes two months (well before the influx of major talent). At the time of many of these rankings, I think it was generally accepted that the team was constructed as a fringe top 25 team at best. Expect the Illini to show up in the more official preseason rankings that come out before the season.

There is a reason why most of these "rankings" are considered "way too early rankings". These rankings in April/May/June should be taken with a large grain of salt.
 
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#27      

Fighter of the Nightman

Fighter of the Nightman
Chicago, IL
Fighter of the Nightman
IlliniFan42 said:
Where I'm lost is how we aren't on the early top 25 lists. It seems like there are worse bets than a team consistently making the tournament with lots of new talent. Instead the analysts seem to favor teams that keep missing the tournament but have more returning players in the hopes that this is the year they figure it out.
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I agree. However, preseason rankings (especially in June) have become even more meaningless than they were 5+ years ago ... and I say that as someone who rolls his eyes SO hard at people who claim they "don't care about rankings." I DO think being in the official preseason AP top 25 in November is good for the program, and I actually think we might be. But most of these lists - some of which literally come out the Tuesday after the National Championship Game in early APRIL! - just follow the completely irrelevant formula of ranking teams based on who they are projected to return. Since we return almost no one, we aren't on these writers' radar.

The exact same thing happened last year, BTW, until Shannon and Hawkins announced they were back. We went from barely top 50 to barely top 25, and we obviously finished as a top 10 team. I think as the season draws closer, we still start to appear in a few more top 25 lists for writers who are more informed about our additions, and there will be a "trickle out" effect that gains momentum and produces more lists that include the Illini. Will that be enough to be in the official preseason poll? Not sure ... would be nice to keep the streak going for a fifth straight year, but we will have PLENTY of opportunities to skyrocket up the rankings in the first two months with our beast of a schedule.
 
#28      

mysterio2525

mysterio2525
mysterio2525
I think we will be in a similar boat as last year. At the tail end of the top 25 to start the season, if ranked at all. But with the talent to significantly outperform that initial ranking during the season.
 
#29      

biglug58

biglug58
Chicago, IL
biglug58
New Creation said:
So Penn state is on board with us

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1805041288309301746
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Season 3 Nbc GIF by The Office
 
#39      

Loyalillini10

L
Urbana, IL
Loyalillini10
Well, I am going to talk about the here and now. Underwood mentioned Ty was getting up 1500 shots a day. I like hearing that. I would also love to see Ty emerge as a vocal leader of the 24-25 team.
 
#40      

OrangeKrush1981

OrangeKrush1981
OrangeKrush1981
Ty could be a critical foundational part of next season's team. He has the experience, the attitude, the toughness and the energy to do it. If he blossoms, with a bit of a jumper (or somehow more), this team will be much, much stronger for that.

1500 shots/day is a very good start. Hitting a shot every day during scrimmages is another big step. Let's hope he makes this happen, with shots falling when needed. He has the personality and toughness ...
 
#42      

HailtotheChief

H
HailtotheChief
Rooftop said:
Coach will start Ty to begin the season but Jakucionis will take his spot at some point
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Ty may start some games but by seasons end I expect him to be 8th or 9th in minutes logged with the guys we've added for him.to.compete with for tick. Just like hus PT decreased last season when teams didnt guard him. Unless of course he suddenly develops a shot which I doubt.
 
#49      

alaskaillini

A
alaskaillini
HereSoIDontGetFined said:
He completely disclaimed the entire list by saying the gap between 2 and 16 was so small that you can flip them around however you like,

Why bother making the list?
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Anyone that thinks Purdue is set apart at the top of the B1G is on some serious drugs. Smith and Loyer and the rest of the team for that matter are not going to have near the wide open 3pt shots as last year. Not sure how strong their schedule is early and the carryover of a winning culture is strong, but I expect them to have difficulty adjusting to Edeylessness.
 
#50      

BalloonsTheElephant

B
BalloonsTheElephant
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