Yes, I know that I should have gotten around to doing a preview for this the most important game of the Illini season before well, a few hours before tip off. Many of my fellow dweller of the fine communities of Champaign and Urbana will tell you though, that Friday was well, a special occasion for the University. So even as I celebrated I thought, "I can get to this tomorrow." What I did not take into account was the amount of time I would need to recover.

Regardless, that is all behind us now, today we must play the first of two games that will decide the fate of the team in March. NCAA or NIT? On the bright side, as we will be facing the same team twice, it does increase our odds of getting at least one win. And frankly one win is all we really need. What does not increase our chances is the return of Jon Leuer, who now apparently everyone agrees is the best Badger, (I wonder how Jason Bohannon feels about that.)

As I said before, this team has been eaten alive by Jon Diebler, a player who is only good at one thing, making uncontested threes. Wisconsin, on the other hand, is completely built around making threes. Perimeter defense must improve today. The last thing we want to see is a repeat of Ohio State.

Demetri McCamey is going to have to play the entire 40 minutes again. I don't care what his foul situation is, there is no way this team wins without him on the floor as much as is legally possible. By that same token, both Dmac and Mike Tisdale are going to have to work on their fouls.  Tisdale is not as important to the success of the Illini as Demetri, but he is clearly second.  He can make the open j's and he can set the high screens. We need you in there big guy.

 Seeing as how this team has been undone recently by cold stretches in their shooting and an inability to draw a foul and get to the line, I would like to see a concerted effort to get the ball inside much, much more. Tisdale and Mike Davis need to assert themselves and try and draw the foul or get the easy basket. Demetri and Brandon Paul could also add some variation to the offense by driving to the basket, provided they don't pick up a charge by doing so.

It's pretty simple, win and your in, every game is a playoff now.

Tip off is at 1pm central, on ESPN