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Catmandoo78

Sophomore
Nov 12, 2025
298
167
43
Couple tough games coming up, but at least we have both at home. I think we split the next two, and for some reason I think we match up better with Illinois.
 

Catmandoo78

Sophomore
Nov 12, 2025
298
167
43
Not too much.

I don’t know I guess I see us play MSU close on the road and think we can put together a performance like that in one of the next two games. And they’re at home so it may be enough to get us over the line.
 

Skunkpilot

Senior
May 23, 2022
2,692
489
73
Illinois is like a European pro team and they have a ton of scoring depth. Unless something happens I don’t see us beating them. Saw the play Iowa on the road yesterday. They are much better than us all around.
 

Catmandoo78

Sophomore
Nov 12, 2025
298
167
43
The Euro pro team is funny, but in reality I see the twin brothers get playing time but I think that’s it? A couple of the euros look like they aren’t getting any PT at all so they must not be any good.
 

Purple Pile Driver

All-Conference
May 14, 2014
27,665
2,991
113
The Euro pro team is funny, but in reality I see the twin brothers get playing time but I think that’s it? A couple of the euros look like they aren’t getting any PT at all so they must not be any good.
Morkovic is a good player. Peja’s kid may not technically be Euro, but Eastern European descent, so 4 out of their top 7 are Eastern European’s.
 

Catmandoo78

Sophomore
Nov 12, 2025
298
167
43
Morkovic is a good player. Peja’s kid may not technically be Euro, but Eastern European descent, so 4 out of their top 7 are Eastern European’s.
Oh ya sorry I missed Morkovic. Too many Vics. I thought the State Department was supposed to be limiting student visas!

Im assuming little Peja has lived in the US his whole life so he’s definitely not a former Euro pro. He’s on his third university, however. So he’s a bit of a mercenary as well.
 

Hungry Jack

All-Conference
Nov 17, 2008
37,502
2,988
67
Oh ya sorry I missed Morkovic. Too many Vics. I thought the State Department was supposed to be limiting student visas!

Im assuming little Peja has lived in the US his whole life so he’s definitely not a former Euro pro. He’s on his third university, however. So he’s a bit of a mercenary as well.
Illinois has pretty much gone full mercenary like Michigan.
 

Purple Pile Driver

All-Conference
May 14, 2014
27,665
2,991
113
Illinois has pretty much gone full mercenary like Michigan.

Looks like they’ve got a handful of returners from the previous year. I count 5? That seems on par with most teams in conference.

Seems like most schools are turning over half their roster annually. Everyone is a mercenary.
The experience of the players makes a huge difference. Our Freshman are going against players 3-4 years older than them. The results aren’t shocking.
 
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AdamOnFirst

All-Conference
Nov 29, 2021
10,119
1,700
113
Looks like they’ve got a handful of returners from the previous year. I count 5? That seems on par with most teams in conference.

Seems like most schools are turning over half their roster annually. Everyone is a mercenary.
Yup. Let’s dispel this idea that Illinois is unusual in really any way. Their roster is very normal, right down to pursuing Euro Pros.
 

hdhntr1

All-Conference
Sep 5, 2006
37,687
1,280
113
Couple tough games coming up, but at least we have both at home. I think we split the next two, and for some reason I think we match up better with Illinois.
Like to think that but Underwood has whole bunch of players he will put in till something works, We have to improve our D and rebound and have to hit our FTs to have a chance
 

CappyNU

Senior
Mar 2, 2004
5,266
523
113
Put another way, there are just three major teams, and 20 overall, who returned at least 50% of last season's minutes - Purdue, UConn and...Marquette. The number of teams who had 50%+ returning in 2010, 2015 and 2020 is 200, 171, and 156 respectively. In the last 5 years, it's gone 167, 121, 99, 63, and now 20. It's absolutely insane.
 
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CappyNU

Senior
Mar 2, 2004
5,266
523
113
Yet, folks expect CCC to pull a rabbit out of his hat and compete with 22 -24 year olds.
Experience is a different situation though than returning minutes continuity, but it supports your statement here.

In 2010, 16 P6 teams were in the top-50 of Experience, and 9 of them made the tourney. In 2015, there were 15 P6 teams and 8 made the tourney. In 2020, it was also 15 and 7 were expected to make the tourney. This year, it's 32(!), though right now there's maybe 11 or so projected to make the tourney.
 

Purple Pile Driver

All-Conference
May 14, 2014
27,665
2,991
113
It doesn’t seem like a lot but unless you have played college sports before which I have the difference between 18/19 year old and 20/21 year olds is massive.
Absolutely, I competed against guys 5 years older than me plenty of times and international guys too. It’s not like being 25 and competing against 30 year olds.
 

TheC

All-Conference
May 29, 2001
19,217
1,305
62
Absolutely, I competed against guys 5 years older than me plenty of times and international guys too. It’s not like being 25 and competing against 30 year olds.
It's starts to matter again as you get older, though now, I worry about the guys who are 5 years younger than me.