College teams overall have not improved IMO...teams from the mid late 80's were fundamentally more sound and usually everyone stayed in college...TEAMS ARE NOT AS TALENTED BECAUSE THE GREAT PLAYERS SKIP OR LEAVE COLLEGE EARLY...I would say the 89 team was better...compare these Big 10 final four teams to some of the eilte Big 10 teams of the past, Fab 5, the Michigan team with Rice and Robinson, the great Indiana teams 76, 81, 87....I would say all of those teams were better...not a knock against this very fine Illini team 
I have said this before (insert cheap Maryland plug) the Maryland baskertball team that won the championship 3 years ago was perhaps Maryland's 7-8th best team, nowhere near as talented as some of the great Maryland teams from the 70's and 80's...
I have said this before (insert cheap Maryland plug) the Maryland baskertball team that won the championship 3 years ago was perhaps Maryland's 7-8th best team, nowhere near as talented as some of the great Maryland teams from the 70's and 80's...
I'd give a slight edge to '89. One of the best teams ever to not win a championship, right up there with '91 (I think) UNLV. As for NBA propsects, '89 probably has an edge but D Williams ia a lottery pick, Head should be a 1st rounder, and I think Brown and Augustine might both be 1st rounders next year.
Hard to compare. '89 had better athletes overall and was stronger inside, but '05 has better shooters, better defense and plays great as a team.
A nice academic argument. I know that '89 didn't make it farther in the tourney, tat's for sure.
Hard to compare. '89 had better athletes overall and was stronger inside, but '05 has better shooters, better defense and plays great as a team.
A nice academic argument. I know that '89 didn't make it farther in the tourney, tat's for sure.
THE SHRINK said:
Maybe not in West Virginia. Oops, I mean Virginia, where, unless it invoves Alex Loguhton it's not worth dwelling on.
It was the single greatest 4 minute comeback in NCAA tourney history. It was literally "next to impossible". Like hitting a 12-team ATS parlay. I'd say the odds of success with 4 minutes left were roughly 10,000 to 1.
Journeyman said:
Absolutely. The game will be much more remembered after Illinois goes on to win the NCAA Tourney. For a school to get its first title in such improbabe miraculous fashion is pretty amazing.
Almost like being down a run in the 9th inning while being down 3-0 in the ALCS.
No, actually harder. How about the '86 Mets?
What do these teams have in common? They all went on from their miracles to win the title. Illinois has talent and destiny on its side.
