Butler upsets #1 Nova....

[Dakota Girl]

I understand your posting about Butler, and about some of the poster's valid or invalid complaints about the Boilers. I'm actually enjoying watching Purdue, Butler, and UCLA (never thought that would happen, but Alford is sitting on the throats of IU haters) this year. Wonder how many IU fans would swap the Tan Man for Steve or Butler's coach this year. I said at the beginning this year that Nebraska, Minny, Northwestern, and even the Illini were all going to be much better this year, and it's come true. I expect Illinois to come into Ass Hall in Bloomington and give IU three straight losses at home this weekend.

It's going to be a tough big season for all for sure. Minny won't have too many road games where they start 8 for 8, finish 5 of 7, get 30 plus from one player, and get 6 out of 8 threes shooting from 3 players who shot them at a 15% rate up to that game. How do you game plan for that? The teams getting through it with scattered losses will be the leaders. I don't see anybody running away and hiding.

 

[TC4THREE]

IU will blow UI out.

I think so too. IU has trouble with the smart, disciplined teams that are solid in the halfcourt. Illinois is not that type of team unless they have changed dramatically since I last saw them. I think IU wins easily at home. On the road might be a different story if they have to go to Champaign later.

 

[cgnops]

Interesting you would use FGCU as an example. I believe they lost in the sweet 16 after a few good wins, right? If we finish with a 12-6 B1G record, which is about what I expect, then we will probably be in that 4-5 seed range and IF we can get past the first few rounds, we would likely lose in the sweet 16 to the 1 seed. I think our guard play is too sporadic to make a deep March run, but I would sure love to see us get further with the only 5 star player we've have in 15+ years.

You are correct that they lost in the sweet 16. The point I was making by mentioning them is that in March you play 1 game at a time, and the better team in that game moves on. Did unbeaten Kentucky win the championship in March a few years ago? There have been two 11 and three 8 seeds that have made it to the final four since 2000, while only once in that time did four 1 seeds make it through. There will always be uncertainty, bad days and ugly games; that is why it is so important develop a winning attitude, poise and composure. Put yourself in the right place at the right time, hope you get good match-ups and see how the cards fall. As others have pointed out numerous times, one win (or loss) does not make a season, until that loss happens in March.