Season Predictions Thread
And Hansberry. Plus Morez coming in and Brad seems to grab at least one portal stud each year. It’s possible we’re better next year even though we’ll be solid this year.
I think we'll be a little better than I initially expected, but I do think not having Sencire will hurt us in games where we just need to shut down an opponents best player and roll some defensive stops. I predict
8-3 Non-Con
12-8 B10 6th place
1-1 BTT
1-1 NCAAT, 8 seed
8-3 Non-Con
12-8 B10 6th place
1-1 BTT
1-1 NCAAT, 8 seed
Fighter of the Nightman
- Chicago, IL
I did this the other week, but (1) we had not beaten Kansas yet and (2) I would have probably come up with different predictions anyway! So, here we go:
W vs. Eastern Illinois (gimme!)
W vs. Oakland
W vs. #5 Marquette - I think this is absolutely essential. For the momentum of this team, we cannot have the game at Rutgers be a must-win, IMO, especially with tough games coming up after that. I think we see a similar performance to the KU exhibition game.
W vs. Valparaiso
W vs. Southern
W vs. Western Illinois
L at Rutgers - I think we drop our first road game in a very similar fashion to our first road loss at Maryland last year (i.e., we just cannot finish in crunch time). However, we will bounce back!
W vs. #10 FAU (New York, NY) - The boys come to play for this big MSG game, and they are angry after the Rutgers loss.
L at #9 Tennessee - I think Tennessee is just really good, and it's a tough place to play. The fan base feels similarly "positive" for this being a loss, similar to our effort vs. Virginia in Vegas last year.
W vs. Colgate
W vs. Missouri (St. Louis) - Mark my words, TSJ ain't losing to those bozos both times. However, this one is a nail biter.
W vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
--- We are 10-2 (0-1) heading into the New Year, and fans are generally happy. With wins over Marquette and FAU and losses to Rutgers and Tennessee, the Fighting Illini are ranked #18 and generally projected to be a 4-seed ---
W vs. Northwestern
L at #3 Purdue - No shame.
W vs. #4 Michigan State - I think a common theme this year will be bouncing back after a loss with a really solid performance.
W vs. Maryland - We look super flat early and have to come back to win a close one ... fans are a bit over-nervous that we are "just like last year" in too many ways.
W at Michigan - Juwan still hasn't beaten us.
W vs. Rutgers
W at Northwestern
W vs. Indiana
L at Ohio State - Back down to Earth, we lose a stinker.
W vs. Nebraska - We need OT to beat Nebraska at home, and fans start to get really nervous even though we are 18-4 (8-3).
L at #4 Michigan State - The Tyson Walker horror show does us in. Fans are now starting to talk about how we are having some sort of mid-season collapse or whatever.
W vs. Michigan - Clockwork.
L at Maryland - Also like clockwork.
W at Penn State
W vs. Iowa - This is our game this year where everything is clicking, and we embarrass Iowa.
W vs. Minnesota
W at Wisconsin - In a glorious reversal of pre-2020, we now just seem to have Wisconsin's number.
W vs. #3 Purdue - For once, we are red hot shooting in a game where we need to be!
L at Iowa - We lose in OT in an "instant classic" for this rivalry, but because Wisconsin wins in Mackey earlier this day, we are co-Big Ten champs.
--- We are 24-7 (14-6), and we are looking at a 4-seed or so before the BTT ---
We beat #7 Indiana in the Quarterfinals and beat #3 Wisconsin in the semi-finals to face #1 Purdue in the BTT final. We lose that game, but it infamously does not affect our seeding whatsoever.
--- At 26-8, the Illini are selected as a 3-seed. ---
We get to play in Indy in a different pod from Purdue, and we beat the 14-seed handily, as TSJ and the gang are extra hungry to prove we can play in the Tournament. We play 6-seed UCLA in the Second Round, and it is a trendy upset pick for everyone to take the Bruins. However, we shockingly destroy them and for the first time in nearly 20 years ... it genuinely seems like we are playing our best basketball in March Madness. We take on 2-seed Houston in the Sweet Sixteen, because the Committee cannot resist putting us in the path of Kelvin Sampson. Luckily for the sanity of our fan base, we win by 10, and Illini Nation starts to legitimately drink the Kool-Aid for the first time since Ayo was here. Unfortunately, we fall in the Elite Eight to 1-seed Tennessee in a rematch, complete with an absolutely awful call that is reviewed for 10+ minutes only to go Tennessee's way despite clear video evidence to the contrary, lol. Our fan base is heartbroken but proud of the team.
29-9. Big Ten champions. Our fan base finally frickin' relaxes ... kind of.
W vs. Eastern Illinois (gimme!)
W vs. Oakland
W vs. #5 Marquette - I think this is absolutely essential. For the momentum of this team, we cannot have the game at Rutgers be a must-win, IMO, especially with tough games coming up after that. I think we see a similar performance to the KU exhibition game.
W vs. Valparaiso
W vs. Southern
W vs. Western Illinois
L at Rutgers - I think we drop our first road game in a very similar fashion to our first road loss at Maryland last year (i.e., we just cannot finish in crunch time). However, we will bounce back!
W vs. #10 FAU (New York, NY) - The boys come to play for this big MSG game, and they are angry after the Rutgers loss.
L at #9 Tennessee - I think Tennessee is just really good, and it's a tough place to play. The fan base feels similarly "positive" for this being a loss, similar to our effort vs. Virginia in Vegas last year.
W vs. Colgate
W vs. Missouri (St. Louis) - Mark my words, TSJ ain't losing to those bozos both times. However, this one is a nail biter.
W vs. Fairleigh Dickinson
--- We are 10-2 (0-1) heading into the New Year, and fans are generally happy. With wins over Marquette and FAU and losses to Rutgers and Tennessee, the Fighting Illini are ranked #18 and generally projected to be a 4-seed ---
W vs. Northwestern
L at #3 Purdue - No shame.
W vs. #4 Michigan State - I think a common theme this year will be bouncing back after a loss with a really solid performance.
W vs. Maryland - We look super flat early and have to come back to win a close one ... fans are a bit over-nervous that we are "just like last year" in too many ways.
W at Michigan - Juwan still hasn't beaten us.
W vs. Rutgers
W at Northwestern
W vs. Indiana
L at Ohio State - Back down to Earth, we lose a stinker.
W vs. Nebraska - We need OT to beat Nebraska at home, and fans start to get really nervous even though we are 18-4 (8-3).
L at #4 Michigan State - The Tyson Walker horror show does us in. Fans are now starting to talk about how we are having some sort of mid-season collapse or whatever.
W vs. Michigan - Clockwork.
L at Maryland - Also like clockwork.
W at Penn State
W vs. Iowa - This is our game this year where everything is clicking, and we embarrass Iowa.
W vs. Minnesota
W at Wisconsin - In a glorious reversal of pre-2020, we now just seem to have Wisconsin's number.
W vs. #3 Purdue - For once, we are red hot shooting in a game where we need to be!
L at Iowa - We lose in OT in an "instant classic" for this rivalry, but because Wisconsin wins in Mackey earlier this day, we are co-Big Ten champs.
--- We are 24-7 (14-6), and we are looking at a 4-seed or so before the BTT ---
We beat #7 Indiana in the Quarterfinals and beat #3 Wisconsin in the semi-finals to face #1 Purdue in the BTT final. We lose that game, but it infamously does not affect our seeding whatsoever.
--- At 26-8, the Illini are selected as a 3-seed. ---
We get to play in Indy in a different pod from Purdue, and we beat the 14-seed handily, as TSJ and the gang are extra hungry to prove we can play in the Tournament. We play 6-seed UCLA in the Second Round, and it is a trendy upset pick for everyone to take the Bruins. However, we shockingly destroy them and for the first time in nearly 20 years ... it genuinely seems like we are playing our best basketball in March Madness. We take on 2-seed Houston in the Sweet Sixteen, because the Committee cannot resist putting us in the path of Kelvin Sampson. Luckily for the sanity of our fan base, we win by 10, and Illini Nation starts to legitimately drink the Kool-Aid for the first time since Ayo was here. Unfortunately, we fall in the Elite Eight to 1-seed Tennessee in a rematch, complete with an absolutely awful call that is reviewed for 10+ minutes only to go Tennessee's way despite clear video evidence to the contrary, lol. Our fan base is heartbroken but proud of the team.
29-9. Big Ten champions. Our fan base finally frickin' relaxes ... kind of.
Last year I predicted a natty and that didn’t work out. Let’s see if this works any better.
8-3 non-con
7-13 BIG
1-1 BTT
0-1 NIT
Brad fired.
Morez de-commits
8-3 non-con
7-13 BIG
1-1 BTT
0-1 NIT
Brad fired.
Morez de-commits