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THE OFFICIAL RUTGERS-ILLINOIS PREDICTION THREAD

I'll put a positive spin on this, we officially double our conference win total from last year.
 
Illinois still has post season aspirations while Rutgers has shown a lack of home court advantage at the RAC.

Illinois 70 Rutgers 61
 
Another game another torture session for us. I predict solid play in the first half going to the half with a lead. Then RUTGERS finds a way to not score and loses. 69-58.
 
Illinois is an interesting scenario. John Groce by all accounts was considered as good as gone a month ago. Absolutely finished. Pete Thamel of SI.com had Illinois at 100% certainty of a coaching change.

Suddenly they have won 4 in a row, they have swept Northwestern and just beat Michigan St. They have gone from 4-9 to 8-9 with a chance to finish .500 in the conference and sneek into the NCAA's. He has a good recruiting class coming in next year including 5 star Jeremiah Tilmon.

Question then becomes does he save his job if he somehow gets into the NCAA's? I can tell you the alums and money people want him gone regardless.

Short of making the NCAA's he is gone anyway.
 
I think we have a decent shot. They gotta be flat and playing 11:00 am. Illinois time.
 
It would be great to see Gettys score 20 but he usually gets tired quickly and doesn't play much more than 20 minutes. I am just grateful that he chose to play for RU.
 
CJ Gettys has 30 points, 15 rebounds.

Khalil Batie has ten 3's, and eight assist.

Rutgers blows them out.

The hotdogs are decent.
 
Illinois is an interesting scenario. John Groce by all accounts was considered as good as gone a month ago. Absolutely finished. Pete Thamel of SI.com had Illinois at 100% certainty of a coaching change.

Suddenly they have won 4 in a row, they have swept Northwestern and just beat Michigan St. They have gone from 4-9 to 8-9 with a chance to finish .500 in the conference and sneek into the NCAA's. He has a good recruiting class coming in next year including 5 star Jeremiah Tilmon.

Question then becomes does he save his job if he somehow gets into the NCAA's? I can tell you the alums and money people want him gone regardless.

Short of making the NCAA's he is gone anyway.


they have to bring him back if he makes the NCAA...of course this is the same school that fired Weber too so.....anyhow he does have the #11 recruiting class coming in next year..thats going to help him with this strong finish.

Illinois depsite their history is not as sexy as some of the other Big 10 schools so its not like they are going to land a name coach..it will be someone from a mid or low major that had success and thats always a crapshoot
 
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I think we have a decent shot. They gotta be flat and playing 11:00 am. Illinois time.


a team that is coming off a big win and on the NCAA bubble does not play flat...now they could be tight but they will not be flat...if anything RU has nothing to play for.
 
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a team that is coming off a big win and on the NCAA bubble does not play flat...now they could be tight but they will not be flat...if anything RU has nothing to play for.

A huge win the other night, human nature to be flat, travel time, early start, RU nothing to lose, last home game... RU in an upset win! 68-64
 
Illinois 65 RUTGERS 59 in front of 5,004 at the RAC
Last game of the regular season. I have to think of the last three home games we can win one of these. It hasn't happened yet. I look to us squeaking out a victory over the Illinois.
 
I think our guys have this one circled as a potential win, same way with Nebraska, Minn, Michigan, etc. We will come out fighting. Remember last year even with Eddie Jordan we took it to 3 OTs with them
 
He still maybe gone believe it or not even if they sneak in.

But bottom line is a loss to Rutgers ends things for both for their NCAA chances and John Groce's career at Illinois.

they have to bring him back if he makes the NCAA...of course this is the same school that fired Weber too so.....anyhow he does have the #11 recruiting class coming in next year..thats going to help him with this strong finish.

Illinois depsite their history is not as sexy as some of the other Big 10 schools so its not like they are going to land a name coach..it will be someone from a mid or low major that had success and thats always a crapshoot
 
If we can score in the 70' s, we CAN win. If they don't play well, we MIGHT win. It's very seldom about us determining the outcome.
But because it's Senior Day..........
Also, was it ever determined if our student mgrs could shoot 3' s ?
 
IL has shot lights out from 3, particularly in the second half, during their recent winning run, getting 5 out of 6, including a sweep of NW.

Should be close at the half, then our D has to clamp down at the arc in the second half, forcing them inside, and if we foul them in the act of shooting, make sure they don't make the shot, as they are not great at the foul line.

All that said, hoping for a close game that we pull out at the end, 69-68 RU.
 
I'm guessing Rutgers will win a close one, and send CJ and Battie out in style.

Who knows?
Maybe even a dramatic 3 for the win!

I'll say Williams or Freeman with the game winner.
 
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Well, I finally got one of these right. I predicted we would squeak out a victory. LOL!
 
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