Illinois vs. Misery

Illinois Game Preview
Tonight vs. Misery
6:30 pm @ Joe’s
Let me know if you’re gonna make it.

Man is it cold outside. It is so cold that my nose hairs froze together while walking to work, and my nuts didn’t descend from my abdominal cavity until lunchtime. I even saw a penguin walking along Lower Wacker. But it didn’t stop Bears Fans from tailgating all day. Here is a conversation relayed to me from two coworkers who went to last night’s game.

Coworker A: “We got tickets. Lisa, Heather, and I are going.”

Coworker B: “Cool. What time are you guys heading over there?”

Coworker A: “We’re going to start layering at 4 and head over to the bar around 4:30. We’ll de-layer at the bar from 5 to 5:15, drink beers from 5:15 to 6:30, re-layer from 6:30 to 7:15, and get to the game by 7:30.”

Coworker B: “Why is it going to take you 30 minutes to layer the first time and 45 minutes to re-layer the second time?”

Coworker A: “Because we are going be drinking heavily between layering session 1 and layering session 2. What time are you heading to the game?”

Coworker B: “We are going to start tailgating at 2.”

Coworker A: “Are you crazy?!”

Coworker B: “Maybe a little crazy, maybe a little dumb.”

Coworker A: “Maybe a lot dumb.”

I am happy to say that Coworker B reported back to work today with only a minor case of frostbite (they told me the beer froze before their eyes if they didn't drink if fast enough) and a huge hangover ...but it was well worth it.

Detroit

As cold as it is outside, the Illini were scorching hot shooting the ball against Detroit on Saturday. The team shot 65% from the field and broke the 80 point mark for the second straight time. That’s not to say that the Illini were not without problems. Both Mike Davis and Demetri McCamey were held out of the starting line-up in the 2nd half because Head Coach Bruce Weber did not think the duo was playing hard every play.

Mizz (0-8 in the last 8 games against Illinois) ouri

The atmosphere for the Braggin’ Rights Game is as intense as it gets this early in the season. Former Illini Guard Doug Altenberger tells the following story of his first Bragging Rights Game:

"My freshman year (in 1982), I remember breaking my nose in the second half and Rod (Cardinal, longtime athletics trainer) shoving two cotton balls in my nostrils and telling Lou (Henson) I was ready to go back in. Dazed and confused, I finished the game but couldn't tell you much, only that we won. Lou will tell you I didn't know who to guard, either." (Check out Paul Klee of the News Gazette to read more Bragging Rights anecdotes http://www.illinihq.com/news/mens_basketball/2008/12/22/former_illini_weigh_in_on_braggin_rights_streak/ )

I’ve never been to a Braggin’ Rights Basketball Game, but I did go to the Bragging Rights Football Game earlier this year. We went for Spitzer’s bachelor party, and we tailgated from 11 until kick-off (8 pm). To pass the time, we played drinking golf (email me if you are interested in hearing our rules), and made Spitzer dress for the occasion.

Spitzer is the only person to be pictured twice in the IGP. If you’ll remember, around the same time last year, Spitzer and I barged in on the Clown Bar Crawl where Spitzer was accosted by the “Billy Joel Clown”.

The Illini have won 8 straight against the Tigers, and we are winning the series 26-12. Misery is 9-1 to start the season, and they are averaging 86.3 points per game. Head Coach Mike Anderson likes to play zone, but if Illinois can shoot like it did on Saturday, the zone will be short lived.

The frontcourt is the heart and soul of Missouri’s team. Demare Carroll and Leo Lyons average 34 points and 15 rebounds combined. Illinois has had big problems handling big teams on the boards this year. Limiting Missouri to second chance tries will be pivotal.

Chester Frazier has shown a much improved jumper over the last 10 games, shooting 40% from behind the stripe (12-30). His intensity leads the way emotionally for the Illini, and I expect him to come up big during the last Braggin’ Rights Game of his career.


Illinois – 75
Misery – 72


Sincerely,
Alex Brown's vertical

PS…The result of last week’s poll: Where will the Illini finish in the Big10 this year? 2nd place – 2 peeps, 3rd place – 2 peeps, 4th place – 8 peeps, 5th place – 5 peeps, and 6thplace – 1 peep. According to the IGP audience, we’ll be a bubble team at the very worst. That’s another reason why tonight’s game is so important. We need a solid non-conference win to polish up our tourney resume.