Illinois vs. tOSU

Illini Game Preview
Illinois vs. tOSU
Tonight @ 6 p.m.
I will be in class. Please text me score updates.

Ranked

Despite going 1-1 last week, Illinois cracked the top 25 in both the AP and USA Today Coaches poll after a valiant road effort against Michigan State on Saturday. Illinois is now 15-3 and ranked 25th in the AP poll and 24th in the USA Today Coaches poll. I was hoping the Illini would go another week without being ranked. I like flying under the radar and the motivation Head Coach Bruce Weber can deliver with the "nobody thinks you guys are any good" speech.

Looking at the season to date, the Illini definitely deserve to be in the top 25. Two of our losses are to teams ranked in the top 10. Clemson is 16-1 and ranked #9 in country, while MSU is 15-2 and ranked number 7. Even Michigan was in the top 25 when we lost to them on the road.

Home Cooking

After getting an earful from the Izzone on Saturday, the Illini will be back in Champaign for both games this week. Tuesday is Paint the Hall Orange, and I really expect the Illini faithful to give tOSU a hard time today. I mean...not a hard time like this Clemson fan...but a hard time.



The Crush should get into the faces of the Buckeyes and be relentless with their insults, cheers, and obnoxious behavior. I mean...not actually in their faces like this goofy Providence fan...but figuratively get in their faces from a comfortable distance.




Friends, taunting your opponent is an art that these morons have not perfected. For example, earlier in the year when Georgia came to town, Georgia Guard Corey Butler decided to wear black athletic tights under his shorts. My taunting went a little something like this...

5 minutes in..."Hey, Corey, nice tights. Did you get those from your mother's drawer?"
10 minutes in..."Yo, Corey, I get a Victoria Secret catalog too. Except I don't actually order from it."
15 minutes in..."Hey, Corey, the women's game is next, are you going to play in that as well?"

My mom said to me, "Michael, what if he hears you?"
"Ma, that's the point. As the sixth man, it is my responsibility to take him out of his game."
"Well, what if comes into the stand after you?"
"I'll just point to Shomo."


Usually, a good way to gauge your taunting is by the reaction of the the fans around you. If you get a chuckle, your doing a good job. If they pull away and don't make contact, your a little out of hand.


tOSU


The Thad Matta led Buckeyes are looking sharper than expected this year sporting a 13-3 overall record and a 3-2 record in the Big10. They have a similar record and team makeup as the Illini. Their center is a 7 foot underclassman with a soft touch that makes him feel more at home on the perimeter, and their best player, Evan Turner, like our best player is a 2007 graduate of St. Joe's High School. Turner and Illini Guard Demetri McCamey made up one of the best high school back courts in the country in '07, and they were coached by Illinois legend Gene Pingatore (to learn more about Coach Ping, see the movie Hoop Dreams or ask Benny because Benny's fiance's, sister's, husbands, cousin's, son is Ping's 1st cousin).


tOSU plays a lot of zone, and the Illini have been great against zone this year. Sophomore Mike Davis is skilled enough to score and pass from the short corner or the high post (traditional weaknesses in any zone), and McCamey, Trent Meachum, and Alex Legion have proven to be legitimate threats from beyond the arc. The Illini back court will have to do better than the 1 for 17 shooting performance that was on displayed against MSU if they hope to win.




Illinois - 64
tOSU - 58




Sincerely,
Jerrance Howard's Sweater Vest

PS...Trent Meachum was voted by IGP readers as their favorite Illini walk-on in the past 5 years. A special consideration should go to Fred Nkemdi who was accidently left off the list but received 2 write in votes.

PPS...I've received a few requests for past IGPs. Check out the archive section at the bottom of the left hand menu to see all the IGPs from the historic 2004-05 season. I even included Brad Cohen's 'Missing IGP' for the National Championship Game.