Illinois 72, Western Carolina 64 POSTGAME

[lstewart53x3]

Originally Posted by JimmyChitwood

Im of the opinion that if this game would have been coached by Weber and we shot like we did we would not have hit the 50 pt mark. We shot bad tonight but still put up 70 lol. This team is nothing like the team under Weber.

I think we're better than last year, but it's still pretty similar. Blowout a couple of teams and looks real good for stretches. Plays bad against bad teams.

Last year we lost confidence and collapsed. We'll see what happens this year.

I'm confident we'll finish better.

[IlliniSF]

I guess if we can't bring our A game consistently, if we bring just enough against the opponent to pull out a win on any given day, i am all good with that too. You don't have to play great all the time, just enough to get a win and I think this team at least is doing that instead of the usual meltdown we got accustomed to seeing under BW.

[Chillini7]

2011-12 record 17–15 (6–12 Big Ten)

We just passed the halfway point to beating our win total from last year. At this pace we will accomplish it in 9 more games !

[drumanimal]

Win is a Win!! Next.........

[TruIllini89]

Originally Posted by troydove

I want DJ to stay in front of his man, that's all. If he's to tired to play D, sit him. Yes he can get hot and go 3 for 12 from three. JB and MYKE needs some of their minutes.
TA will drive under the basket with nowhere to go,over and over.
Griff,JB and Myke need more shots instead 15 apiece from the low % shooters. DJ saves his legs, TA learns from the bench. 30 min for each is way too many. I'd like to see 15 shots from JB,Myke and Griff.

We need Shaw or Langford to also step up. We go 13-1 but ( the battle of little big horn awaits us) Gonzaga 92 Illini 63
We find out what we're made of.

I take it you already know what this team is made of, glass half empty type of person? :rolleyes:

[IlliniFreak7]

While we definitely did not play very well today, one positive that has definitely not been stated enough is that we never once trailed in the game. This is a huge difference from last year where we would have been struggling and gotten behind (yes I understand we did that this year too but this is an improvement so far). While we may have done just enough to win, we did just enough all game long rather than relying on a come back and a prayer to win a game against a team that had no right to be ahead.

[plooger]

FYI... BTN is airing a replay of the Western Carolina game at 12:30pm Central, on Wednesday (today!).

[IlliniSteve]

If we shoot 29% from 3 on Saturday, we're going down and going down in a big way.

[IlliniFandom]

We knew this day was coming where we would struggle from the field. We knew that shooting 40%+ from 3 point land was a pipe dream. From reading some of the game comments and looking at the stats, seems like we couldn't buy a basket! BUT...I like the fact that we actually won. In the highlights, I saw some of the tough shots that the catamounts were making. Seems like they played some good basketball while we struggled. So I say that even with that, we win...it's a good day.
Talk all you want about how we're undeserving of our current ranking, but...we've gutted it out a few times and won. I like that. Hawaii, Gardner-Webb, and now Western Carolina..any one of which we could've taken a loss on and still felt good. These kids will keep it close and find a way to get stops when needed. I know it's not always pretty, but I'll take it...

[Dan]

Illinois moves to 9-0 with ugly victory against Western Carolina

"I thought they were the tougher team for the bulk of the game," Groce said of Western Carolina. "That's disappointing. They did a lot of things better than us. We have to learn quickly that you have to play a complete 40-minute game. But as I said after the Gardner-Webb game, we're not going to give it back. We made plays late in the game."

The unbeaten Illini (9-0) will have to play better when they travel to No. 10 Gonzaga on Saturday. And they will, Groce vowed.

"We'll learn from this," he said. "We're a learn-and-move organization. We learn from every circumstance. We'll learn from this one and make sure we're ready for Saturday's game."

Herb Gould

Illinois sluggish in 72-64 victory

"We don't want to play Russian roulette," coach John Groce said. "We have to learn and we have to learn quickly that you have to be ready to go and play a 40-minute game."

Groce had questioned the team's effort on the sideline with some choice words in the second half as the Illini missed what seemed like dozens of shots under the basket and allowed the Catamounts to outrebound them 41-34, pulling down 18 offensive rebounds. Illinois made only 13 of 19 free throws to worsen its cause.

"We have to be tougher," Groce said.

Shannon Ryan

Illini hang on, Gonzaga next

There was only one blowout Tuesday night at the Assembly Hall and it wasn’t No. 13 Illinois' 72-64 victory over Western Carolina.

While trying to encourage his team, Illini coach John Groce blew out the seat of his pants while demonstrating a defensive stance and said the incident taught him a valuable lesson.

"I learned that I need to wear dark underwear," Groce said after Illinois improved to 9-0.

Afterward Groce laughed at the costume malfunction and said his dark suit was headed for the scrap pile. "Probably not salvageable," Groce said.

Tupper

UI 72, Western Carolina 64: Zags 'owe us revenge'

Not long after No. 13 Illinois pulled away for a 72-64 win against Western Carolina, Tracy Abrams was asked for his opinion about 10th-ranked Gonzaga, Illinois' opponent Saturday.

"I don't know nothing," was the sophomore point guard's response.

The answer didn't reveal much, but it was perfect for Illinois coach John Groce.

"Good answer," the first-year UI coach shot back.

Marcus Jackson

Rob McColley

[EddiesSweetJ]

Originally Posted by CharlesLawrence

Bad shooting night and we score 72 points....

That is pretty amazing. In the past, bad shooting nights like this would result in 50 points. Interesting ...

[EddiesSweetJ]

Originally Posted by troydove

I want DJ to stay in front of his man, that's all. If he's to tired to play D, sit him. Yes he can get hot and go 3 for 12 from three. JB and MYKE needs some of their minutes.
TA will drive under the basket with nowhere to go,over and over.
Griff,JB and Myke need more shots instead 15 apiece from the low % shooters. DJ saves his legs, TA learns from the bench. 30 min for each is way too many. I'd like to see 15 shots from JB,Myke and Griff.

We need Shaw or Langford to also step up. We go 13-1 but ( the battle of little big horn awaits us) Gonzaga 92 Illini 63
We find out what we're made of.

Ok, first, I am not so sure 3-12 from three is all that "hot" of a shooter ...

As for his D, watch closely and you will see he has trouble staying in front of his man. He tries hard, and he has some quickness, but really, I don't buy that he is a very good defender (and I know many think he is).

Jerrance said it last year that DJ does not understand angles. He tries to pressure the ball out front and his angles are all wrong. Thus, a guy gets a step and gets past him too easily.

If you DVR the game and can rewind or slo-mo it, watch closely how DJ plays D. I am not so much a fan of his D. He brings a lot to the table, but I am not buying the great defender title.

Watch how many of our bigs pick up fouls due to DJ getting beat and them trying to help.

Watch the fast break where they tied the game (around the 5:00 mark). You will see how DJ got completely turned around and the guy gets a layup blowing right by him.

I think some of us are frustrated because it seems he should be better at this than he actually is.

[alexander58]

Originally Posted by JimmyChitwood

Im of the opinion that if this game would have been coached by Weber and we shot like we did we would not have hit the 50 pt mark. We shot bad tonight but still put up 70 lol. This team is nothing like the team under Weber.

Under Groce shots are taken more often. Other than that , the offense relies on the 3 alot, just like before. The main difference is after disappointing games (where fans expect a blow out), the new coach gets the benefit of the doubt.

[Geno33]

Originally Posted by HeartofaChampion

+1000. BP hates contact, including in practices and scrimmages. It's the main reason he doesn't consistently drive the lane and attack the rim.

He will never make it in the NBA if he dosen't like contact.

[Groundhogday]

Originally Posted by alexander58

Under Groce shots are taken more often. Other than that , the offense relies on the 3 alot, just like before. The main difference is after disappointing games (where fans expect a blow out), the new coach gets the benefit of the doubt.

As he should. We are 9 games into a new regime, I really don't want to go back to the days when every single movement, decision or statement from our head coach is critiqued and ridiculed. Just imagine what the response on this forum would be if Weber ripped his pants!:laugh:

[Indicchief]

....... the offense relies on the 3 alot, just like before........

While the statement is true, I think that there is a huge difference.

Last year there were very limited options, and with the clock winding down we shot a three.

This year the three is encouraged as long as it is part of the flow - no clock-winding-down. Kids use the three when ever they get a good look.

But the options, as compared to last year, remain about the same - no real inside threat and threrfore the three. This should change with better inside representation in following years. The three then would be more natural and we would complain less about them even if the count for threes remained high.

[kcib8130]

This may have been said, but I think games like these last few we have had are alot better for the team than the blowouts in maui. The things that have happened the last few games are completely different from outcomes of the last few seasons, in regards to finishing games out. Granted, I fully believe we shouldn't have been in that situation, but anyway thats how it went down. This team showed it at least had the ability to distance itself last night when the going got tough. Maybe it's just the glass-half-full outlook I have though.

[AK Illini]

JMO but all these attempts to paint these performances as much different than last year are getting old.

[Botb9]

Happy they got the win. Even happier to see Shaw in the game early and Devin contributing the way he is. Ecstatic to see Tracy have a turnover-less game and make some big plays at the end to try to take over.

However...

I think it's easy to see why this team is considered a bit overrated, nationally. Even if they have the skill to be great, I don't know if they have the will to be great (wow that sounds corny). They may think they do, but something lost in most college players these days is the need to dominate their opponent. WCU looked absolutely hapless in the first two minutes of this game, and that should have been the blood-in-the-water moment where you go up 15 and never look back. Instead, they got to a point where they felt "comfortable" with the lead that was there, and didn't continue to pressure the Catamounts. This is going to burn them more than once this year.

[CrazedUIFan]

Originally Posted by AK Illini

JMO but all these attempts to paint these performances as much different than last year are getting old.

Agree and I understand it's expected. This team has some weaknesses that will be exposed when we start playing high level teams. That isn't too surprising. We have issues inside which affects our inside scoring and rebounding. It's no secret. I would expect our guards to play better with another year of experience. I'm certainly not complaining about the wins. It's great to be 9-0. I think our ranking is quite lofty and expect that changes after a few more games. I hope they prove me wrong! I look forward to seeing how this team bounces back.

[chucktownillini]

Originally Posted by CharlesLawrence

Bad shooting night and we score 72 points....

[kcib8130]

Originally Posted by AK Illini

JMO but all these attempts to paint these performances as much different than last year are getting old.

well, you've got 5 years of letdown on one side compared to 9 games of upside on the other. My point was more that I think games like last night prepare you better for the upcoming B1G season and tournament than 30-point blowouts that you see other teams have, and most of those teams are the major letdowns come tournament time.

I understand these are still the same players that lost by 30 at NU last year, so the ability to not show up to play will be a lingering fear.

[cubs204]

Originally Posted by saltygrapes

Elias Harris is going to score 35 on Saturday

Hopefully Paul can too

Afer watching this team live for the first time last night. ^^THIS!

[OrchardDowns]

Originally Posted by CharlesLawrence

Bad shooting night and we score 72 points....

EXACTLY what I was thinking too!! In years past a bad shooting night meant 33 points....

[IntenselyOrange]

Originally Posted by AK Illini

JMO but all these attempts to paint these performances as much different than last year are getting old.

I agree. But I think many of these same people were optimistic last year at this point. However they were opposed by those who couldn't understand why the coach was brought back and provided a very vocal counter-argument. That group is now giving the new coach a chance and is relatively silent so you are hearing largely from the Kool-Aid drinkers.