[Cracked Sidewalks] Illinois Preview

[brewcity77]

Marquette takes an early-season trip to Champaign as Cracked Sidewalks asks "when is the last time Marquette beat a high-major team on the road in November?" The Illini are old, experienced, and looking for revenge after losing as a top-10 team in Milwaukee two years ago. Today we break down Illinois.

Illinois Preview

[Pepe Sylvia]

God that Kolek steal near the end is still one of my favorite MU plays ever.

[brewcity77]

God that Kolek steal near the end is still one of my favorite MU plays ever.

Any excuse to put that highlight front and center I will take. That was the first big game post-COVID with fans and Fiserv just exploded. Such an epic play.

[MUUWUWM]

That was a great steal and great game.....start of things to come!

[GoldenEagles03]

https://youtu.be/KfNkNEc7jgo?si=gitqoNkv74Wey8ri

Illinois has a lot of really good players. So much talent on their team, but they have no point guard. Not really much you can take from this game aside from the fact that they are all size with limited guard play. They start 4 forwards and a 6'5" guard. Should be a game to run up and down and pressure ball carriers.

[brewcity77]

Gameday bump! Updated with a correction to the starting lineup and some thoughts on the Illini after an admittedly small sample size of two games played.

[DegenerateDish]

Jason Benetti & Jim Jackson on the call tonight.

[StillAWarrior]

I'm thinking that Illinois is not at all nice and must be introduced to darkness.

[Uncle Rico]

Kolek a game-time decision

[GoldenEagles03]

Gold Unis tonight for anyone going and hoping to match.

[Dr. Blackheart]

Kolek a game-time decision

MU mysteriously blurred his peg leg going up the plane's steps in that video.
#mindgames

[Warriors4ever]

If there is any doubt I would rather they hold him out.
I am in my gold sweatshirt already.

[Jay Bee]

I’m so insulted by their team nickname!!

[JakeBarnes]

https://youtu.be/KfNkNEc7jgo?si=gitqoNkv74Wey8ri

Illinois has a lot of really good players. So much talent on their team, but they have no point guard. Not really much you can take from this game aside from the fact that they are all size with limited guard play. They start 4 forwards and a 6'5" guard. Should be a game to run up and down and pressure ball carriers.

I watched the exhibition against Kansas and agree with your analysis. Pressure on the guards is key (and Chase/Stevie on TSJ). I also felt they were pretty susceptible to the PnR against Kansas, with a slightly less mobile big in Hunter Dickenson. Still concerned about our 3 pt shooting and how we handle Hawkins, but there are some things the team can exploit. Hopefully get out to a significant lead at the start like the Baylor game last year.