It was a GREAT game. Ohio State fought, and fought, and fought to stay in that game, and to pull ahead from 12 back. Both teams were aggressive, and had it gone the other way, I'd still say it was a great game. I don't think Illinois fell apart. I think Ohio State played some unbelievable D. They finally solved Augustine, who had killed us in the past, and did a terrific job on Brown (who got most of his points early) and Williams, probably Illinois' best player. OSU prevented transition buckets, and had an absolutely lights-out performance from Sylvester. You hold Stockman and Sullinger to a combined 4 points, and you have to expect to win this game. It was 100% tenacious defense by Ohio State that won this game. Had the Illini been able to open it up and run, OSU would've been blown out of the gym. As it was, they nearly were with that awful charging call on Sullinger at the end of the first half - that was a big point swing at a critical time.
Foos was in yesterday at J&B's (not really a plug for me, more of one for good Karma ), but as I mentioned the other day, Matt has been the guy willing to take those shots. Where have you been, dude? At work today (I gave my tix to the bro-in-law), the place just went crazy when he hit the trey and after the final buzzer. OSU almost beat the Illini last season, too, in the final game.
Better now...as they say, right? How does this change anything? Still a #1 seed, probably in the region they desire and no "monkey" of an undefeated season on their backs. Ellite 8 would not be a failure for this team or is it Final Four, no less, for you? I don't even think Illinois needs to win the Big Ten tourny. So, who will win the Big Ten tournament? I'd go with either Wisconsin or Indiana, giving the thing to Indiana in the end. Thoughts?
Gotta be at least a Final Four, hopefully a championship--unless you're a Duke or Kansas-type team you only get so many chances, gotta take advantage of them when they arise.
F$$$ Ohio State. Enjoy the win, and we'll see you fellas in the NCAA tournament. Once you stop paying players. At least our group had plenty of fun at Four Kegs and Kahoots, that helped make up for the piece of s$#$ effort the Illini put in on Sunday.
We love you too. (Illinois-Ohio State I think is one of the oft-forgotten rivalries in Big Ten athletics. Until something like this happens.) We don't pay players. The 6 grand was a loan to a recruit who had already signed with OSU but was ruled ineligible by the NCAA for playing a pro game back in Yugoslavia. The dude never even enrolled at Ohio State. It was wrong of Obie to make the loan, but his heart was in the right place. But rules are rules, and he shouldn't have done it.
All-conference teams are out: http://bigten.collegesports.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/030805aab.html Illinois the first team in 30 years to have three guys on the first team.
I'm not saying that Dials is horrible, but do you really think he's that wonderful? If so, which player would you take out of the first team for him, and why?
Assuming we beat Minny tomorrow (which isn't a lock, don't get me wrong), I can't decide who I'd like to see us play on Sunday.... - Iowa, a team that needs no introduction to Illini fans or - Wisconsin, a team that makes me money. All of the idiots I work with put their cash on the line and my Illini make that money mine. Such tough choices.
I'm not saying he belongs as one of the top 5 players in the league but... I have never been a big fan of the "All-Conference" teams when they are just full of guards when in my mind it should be created to "simulate" an actual team. It'd be like creating an All-Pro NFL rosters with 6 running backs, 4 quarterbacks and a wide receiver. It doesn't make any sense.
http://www.wbns10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3536883&nav=LUERbb51 This is great if they actual show up, and are not stoned all the time.
If they all come, this is easily the best recruiting class since Michigan's Fab Five, and Ohio State still has more committments to give - we can go as high as 7(!!!!!!!!!!!) this season. As for them showing up - they no longer have any choice. You have to play a year of college. And Gred Oden is the only player aside from LeBron to have won Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior. So long as they don't decommit, the season after next should be a damn good one.
Oden is one and done. the NCAA hasn't announced its final sanctions against Ohio State yet, Matta even conceded that. if the NCAA hammers Ohio State these guys could decommit.
Given the paucity of any evidence found and OSU's decision to take itself out of postseason play, its very doubtful there will be serious sanctions. (The actual violations uncovered by the NCAA after 8 months of reserach, and there were about 8 of them, I think, were very small.) Also, they're not coming NEXT year. They're coming the year after that. So the NCAA would effectively have to take OSU out of the postseason for 3 straight years, which its not going to do. As for Oden one and done - sure. But how'd that work out for Carmelo and Syracuse?