Iowa or Illinois, who would you rather see?
So neither team will qualify as a quality win, and both would be a very bad loss, but do you have a perference as to who you would rather see tomorrow?
They play tonight at 5:30pm ET on BTN (that's a quick turnaround to have to play again tomorrow at 2:30pm ET).
Iowa (RPI - 166)
13-18 (4-14)
When we played
Won at Iowa - 75-68
Won at home - 74-59
Last 5 games
L at Ohio State by 18
L at Michigan by 15
L vs Indiana by 2
L at Minnesota by 4
W vs Northwestern by 7
RPI Top 100 wins
Neutral Court vs #78 Colorado by 7
Illinois (RPI - 168)
14-17 (4-14)
When we played
Won at home - 79-69
Last 5 games
L at Indiana by 10
W vs Nebraska by 6
L at Michigan St by 20
L vs Purdue by 7
W vs Rutgers by 13
RPI Top 100 wins
Neutral court vs #41 Missouri by 6
Home vs #57 Nebraska by 6
February 28th, 2018 at 7:58 AM ^
has them as #98 (Iowa) and #99 (Illinois) in the country. So it shouldn't really matter.
That said, I'd rather have Illinois. Iowa's offense is legitimately good (#27), and we all know what an elite offense can do, even if the defense isn't that great.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:08 AM ^
Their defense is legitimately bad though (#252 adjusted D).
February 28th, 2018 at 8:00 AM ^
where beating a team 3 times in a season is iffy, supposedly. I'll take Illinois I guess.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:33 AM ^
A team, sure. But what about when it comes to a "team," as is the case for Illinois and Iowa this year?
February 28th, 2018 at 10:26 AM ^
That was clunky. You can do better.
February 28th, 2018 at 11:17 AM ^
Thanks for the words of support, Chuck. I'm going to embark on a soul-searching quest of self-improvement and return only if and when I gain the ability to make decent posts.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:52 AM ^
Especially not when one team is much better than the other. It would have been nice if it had come into play in the 1976 championship game.
I guess I'd rather see Illinois as their style provides better preparation for Nebraska.
February 28th, 2018 at 9:20 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 9:37 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 8:35 AM ^
Why do you feel the need to post random images multiple times in a thread that add no value? Your image yesterday should have got you banned for a bit.
February 28th, 2018 at 10:05 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 10:03 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 8:02 AM ^
I guess Illinois since they're a "rival."
Rival in the sense that they apparently became one in the early 80's and Michigan fans were finally informed of this around 2003-ish.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:07 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 8:07 AM ^
I just want to kick Sparty's ass on Sunday.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:13 AM ^
Can we kick their ass Saturday instead? Then revenge vs Purdue on Sunday?
February 28th, 2018 at 8:16 AM ^
Illinois actually won all 4 of their B1G wins in the latter part of the season including wins over Nebraska and Indiana - two teams playing well in the latter part of the season. Iowa has been bad the entire season - minimal improvement. Either way, go blue and beat the I team.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:32 AM ^
I'd rather face Illinois. I feel like Iowa has underachieved this year and all it takes for us to lose that game is a weird cold shooting game where we go 6-25 from behind the arc.
Ilinois just doesn't scare me. At all.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:46 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 8:53 AM ^
But over the years, I feel Michigan has played two teams in their first matchup during the BTT:
Northwestern or Illinois.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:56 AM ^
It does seem to me that we play Illinois every year int the BTT.
February 28th, 2018 at 11:09 AM ^
This is actually semi-accurate.
John Beilein has been the Michigan coach in 10 Big Ten Tournaments so far.
Here are their opponents in the first game they've played (i.e. Quarterfinals or First Round):
Illinois x4 (including 3 in the last 4 years)
Iowa x3 (all within the first 5 years)
Northwestern
Penn State
Minnesota
But, wait, there's more!
In those 10 games, John Beilein's Michigan Wolverines are...
10-0
Seriously.
February 28th, 2018 at 8:58 AM ^
It won't matter...buzz saw on both of 'em.
February 28th, 2018 at 9:00 AM ^
Iowa. If for no other reason than to enjoy at least one more day of Fran McCaffery's hystrionics and pressers. He's my favorite coach to just watch during a game.
February 28th, 2018 at 10:40 AM ^
He does not seem like a good person
February 28th, 2018 at 10:58 AM ^
He's done anything outside of basketball that says he's a bad person (could be wrong).
He's just a nut on the court.
February 28th, 2018 at 9:01 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 9:06 AM ^
I'd rather see Iowa over Illinois because Iowa voted to send Michigan to the 1974 Rose Bowl and Illinois voted to send Ohio State.
February 28th, 2018 at 9:08 AM ^
Would much rather see Illinois. Iowa can score in bunches, and if Michigan goes cold for whatever reason, they can trip Michigan.
Illinois doesn't really have anyone who can threaten from the court. Black is a good post guy and hustle magnet, but the rest of that team is just so bleh.
I know everyone expects Underwood to turn them into a good program, but I just don't see it. Illinois has been mired in medocrity since Dee Brown and Deron Williams.
February 28th, 2018 at 9:16 AM ^
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/bracketology
Michigan has moved up to 5. Taken RI's spot.
Same bracket as MSU. BLEHHH.
February 28th, 2018 at 9:26 AM ^
As if MSU is getting to the Elite Eight...
February 28th, 2018 at 9:34 AM ^
else that scary in that region though.
February 28th, 2018 at 9:18 AM ^
I feel like any time the University of Iowa is involved, things just get boring.
February 28th, 2018 at 9:43 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 10:00 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 10:07 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 10:00 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 10:13 AM ^
I don't want to have to root against my employer....again....
February 28th, 2018 at 10:32 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 11:23 AM ^
February 28th, 2018 at 10:39 AM ^
Don't want to face Iowa a third time and they are legitimately good at one end of the court. Illinois is mediocre all over the place.
My hope is that Illinois beats Iowa at their game, a fast paced high scoring game that will hopefully tire out their legs. Throwing in an overtime or two wouldn't hurt either.
February 28th, 2018 at 11:53 AM ^
I want to fce Iowa after they play a 12-OT game today.
February 28th, 2018 at 11:11 AM ^
so I'd prefer the dismemberment of the Illini. It would put an extra spring in my step.
February 28th, 2018 at 11:16 AM ^
Iowa. We've beaten them easily twice. Illinois was a game that was pretty competitive for a while, in Ann Arbor.