Illini Tale of the Tape

Illini Tale of the Tape is a special section where basketball writer Chris Maynard revisits previous men’s basketball games by pulling out his DVD-R recordings and watching them all over again, sans the emotions and with a clearer and more objective mind.

Considering that this site launched in May 2010, I spent a good portion of my free time this summer reliving the up-and-down 2009-2010 season, providing notes on the performances of the Illini players and coaches, not for the purpose of being overcritical but rather to note areas of improvement as the program is looking pretty solid on paper during the next couple of seasons.

Learn more about Illini Tale of the Tape.

For the 2010-2011 season, I hope to perform the Illini Tale of the Tape a day or two after the actual game takes place. We’ll just see about that.

Anyways, here are the 32 Illini Tales of the Tape for the 2009-2010 season. Note: I missed four games last season as they were not on television in Chicago (SIU Edwardsville, Northern Illinois, Utah and Bradley).

2009-2010 Illinois Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball

Record: 21-15, 10-8 in the Big Ten.

Finish: NIT Quarterfinals.

Schedule/Results:

● Presbyterian vs. Illinois (11/21/ 2009) — Win

● Wofford vs. Illinois (11/24/2009) – Win

● Illinois vs. Clemson (12/2/2009) — Win

● Boise State vs. Illinois (12/5/2009) — Win

● Vanderbilt vs. Illinois (12/8/2009) — Win

● Western Michigan vs. Illinois (12/13/2009) — Win

● Illinois vs. Georgia (12/19/2009) — Loss

● Illinois vs. Missouri (12/23/2009) — Loss

● Northwestern vs. Illinois (12/30/2009) — Win

● Gonzaga vs. Illinois (January 2, 2010) — Loss

● Iowa vs. Illinois (January 5, 2010) — Win

● Illinois vs. Indiana (January 9, 2010) — Win

● Penn State vs. Illinois (January 12, 2010) — Win

● Illinois vs. Michigan State (January 16, 2010) — Loss

● Purdue vs. Illinois, First Half (January 19, 2010)

● Purdue vs. Illinois, Second Half (January 19, 2010) — Loss

● Illinois vs. Northwestern (January 23, 2010) — Loss

● Illinois vs. Penn State (January 27, 2010) — Win

● Indiana vs. Illinois (January 30, 2010) — Win

● Illinois vs. Iowa (February 3, 2010) — Win

● Michigan State vs. Illinois (February 6, 2010) — Win

● Illinois vs. Wisconsin (February 9, 2010) — Win

● Ohio State vs. Illinois (February 14, 2010) — Loss

● Illinois vs. Purdue (February 20, 2010) — Loss

● Michigan vs. Illinois (February 23, 2010) — Win

● Minnesota vs. Illinois (February 27, 2010) — Loss

● Illinois vs. Ohio State (March 2, 2010) — Loss

● Wisconsin vs. Illinois (March 7, 2010) — Loss

● Illinois vs. Wisconsin, Big Ten Tournament (March 12, 2010) — Win

● Illinois vs. Ohio State, Big Ten Tournament (March 13, 2010) — Loss

● Illinois vs. Stony Brook, NIT (March 17, 2010) — Win

● Kent State vs. Illinois, NIT (March 22, 2010) — Win

● Dayton vs. Illinois, NIT (March 24, 2010) — Loss

Season Wrap: 2009/2010 Tale of the Tape Collected Game Reviews

Conclusion: Final Game MVP Totals

2010 Illinois Fighting Illini Men’s Basketball

Schedule Coming Soon.