Is this the week get into the polls?

After a 66-51 dismantling of Michigan Wednesday night, I think that even if we put up a respectable loss in East Lansing against Michigan State, the Fighting Illini, who currently stand at 15-2, should find themselves in the next AP and USA Today/ESPN polls. It will really depend on what other fringe teams such as Gonzaga (11-4), Arkansas (12-3) and Memphis (13-3) do in the coming days. But being the homer that I am, I think we have proved ourselves enough already, with both of our losses being quality losses to a still undefeated #9 Clemson (16-0) and #24 Michigan on the road, which was avenged back at the House of 'Paign.

Questions that are raised: Could Bruce Weber use this as a Rodney Dangerfield approach? Would be become complacent if we became ranked? Do rankings even matter at this point in the year? If not, when WOULD they start mattering?

Many Illini fans including myself still thought that we were a year away, so I guess it's fair to say that any question of being ranked is a good question. Obviously a win would put us well into the polls, (I'm thinking 17-20) so a lot will be decided this Saturday.

In the Michigan game this past week, I saw something I was waiting to see for quite awhile. Sophomore Mike Tisdale going up at putting a bunch of points on the board. Going for 24 points on 10 of 12 shooting from the field, which included a 3-ball, he seems to be coming into his own in the paint.

Bring on the Spartans!!