News & Notes - February 18th

[Dan]

Video: Orange Krush at Northwestern

Audio: First Word With John Groce 2-18-13

http://www.wdws.com/audio/2013-02-18...e-2-18-13.html

Illini keep rolling, rock Wildcats

"We're more connected defensively," big man Sam McLaurin said. "We talk a lot more now. Early in the season we weren't talking at all defensively. We were just winning with our talent.

"Now we're communicating out there and it has made us better."

Tupper

Illinois 62, Northwestern 41: 'This support is amazing'

"I'm really proud of our guys for the way they defended, I think we're getting better defensively," coach John Groce said.

"I think we're getting better offensively, but when we play well it starts with our defense. I thought we were really locked in."

Marcus Jackson

I Like Where This Is Going

DJ is maybe third team All Big Ten at this point, right? He has to be. On New Years Day, it looked like Brandon Paul was headed for First Team All Big Ten and possibly second team All American. And now I'm pretty sure that DJ might finish ahead of him on the All Big Ten teams.

http://alioneye.com/2013/02/17/i-lik...this-is-going/

Illinois 62, Northwestern 41: Notebook

A big reason for Illinois' recent resurgence has been the play of D.J. Richardson. The senior from Peoria has been getting it done on the floor, scoring in double figures for eight straight games thanks to Sunday's 18-point effort. He's averaging 17.2 points in that span.

He's also been a leader in the locker room. Ever since he called the team meeting before the Nebraska game, the Illini have looked like a new team.

"D.J. has been playing great. He's always been that vocal leader and the guy who's made big shots for us," McLaurin said. "It's the final games of his career here and he’s wanted to step it up a little bit and help us reach our goals."

http://www.illinihq.com/sports/illin...-notebook.html

Illinois extends winning streak to four with 62-41 rout of Northwestern

"It was crazy," Abrams said. "I thought we had more orange in here than purple. It was like a home game for us."

D.J. Richardson led the Illini with 18 points, which is what he has
averaged during the winning streak.

"It feels great," Richardson said. "A four-game winning streak. We aren't finished yet. We're just trying to keep it going. It's fun winning; it hurts losing. We want to keep feeling good."

Herb Gould

Illinois gets its revenge against Northwestern

"I thought we were really active, really locked in and really focused," coach John Groce said. "We felt like we got carved up in Game 1. Guys took a little pride in defending better."

Northwestern (13-13, 4-9 Big Ten) endured a painful span of more than nine minutes without scoring as Illinois (19-8, 6-7) used a 26-0 run between the halves to build a 45-15 lead, much to the delight of the Illini fans who made up at least half of the crowd.

The Welsh-Ryan Arena crowd erupted in sympathetic and mocking cheers when James Montgomery III hit a shot that ended a span of 11-plus minutes without a field goal.

Shannon Ryan

[Dan]

Tom Crean: Not happy with the B1G!

Big Ten Player of the Week: Trey Burke, Michigan

http://www.bigten.org/sports/m-baskb...021813aaa.html

Tom Crean just asked the Big Ten teleconference guy if winning fit into the weekly awards. Hint....

http://twitter.com/peegs

Tom Crean goes after B1G PR guy about POW award, asks where winning fits in criteria. Fitting since Burke takes award after 23-pt loss

http://twitter.com/ScottDochterman

[WeatherfordForMVP]

Like that quote by Sam McLaurin. Hope the rest of the team understands the difference between winning with talent alone and winning because they're using their talent as a team. Will only be more necessary as they finish out conference play and hopefully do well in the postseason.

[cjcastan]

Originally Posted by Dan

Tom Crean: Not happy with the B1G!

He tries to find ways to be unlikeable doesn't he.

That kind of whining is ok for armchair coaches like us. But for a real B1G coach. come on man.

[MastFan1]

Originally Posted by cjcastan

He tries to find ways to be unlikeable doesn't he.

That kind of whining is ok for armchair coaches like us. But for a real B1G coach. come on man.

I'd love it if Groce did that. Sheehey had a pretty great week, and IU didn't lose. Shows you have your player's backs. Kudos, Crean.

[SaintLouisIllini]

Originally Posted by cjcastan

He tries to find ways to be unlikeable doesn't he.
That kind of whining is ok for armchair coaches like us. But for a real B1G coach. come on man.

Well said.

Originally Posted by MastFan1

I'd love it if Groce did that. Sheehey had a pretty great week, and IU didn't lose. Shows you have your player's backs. Kudos, Crean.

It's petty. And kinda disrespectful. Player of the week awards mean nothing in the long run. At best a coach could lobby behind the scenes, but I'd think he'd have better things to do with his time.

[MastFan1]

Originally Posted by SaintLouisIllini

It's petty. And kinda disrespectful. Player of the week awards mean nothing in the long run. At best a coach could lobby behind the scenes, but I'd think he'd have better things to do with his time.

It was a side comment in a regularly scheduled press conference. Probably took 30 seconds of his time. Sheehey had a career week and it probably would've been one of his best career accomplishments to date.

To be honest, it does seem silly that Burke won the award after his team got ROLLED at Michigan State.

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by MastFan1

It was a side comment in a regularly scheduled press conference. Probably took 30 seconds of his time. Sheehey had a career week and it probably would've been one of his best career accomplishments to date.

To be honest, it does seem silly that Burke won the award after his team got ROLLED at Michigan State.

Is it "Player of the the Week" or "Players of the Week on a team that won the most during this last Week"?

[Dan]

Bennett ball?



Basketball coaches salivate over good defense.

Some fans enjoy it as well. There's always a portion of a fanbase that likes watching a pitcher's duel. But most spectators prefer home runs.

You and I, and this Illini team love John Groce because he gives us what we want to see on a basketball court. It's audacious. It's violent.

Rob McColley

[AzIlliniFan]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the shoving incident last night with Cal Coach Montgomery and his starting guard Crabbe. Coach shoved him in the chest during a timeout because he missed his last two defensive assignments allowing his opponent to make a pair of 3 pointers. Crabbe had to be restrained by teammates after being shoved and left the court. He came back several minutes later and led the team to a comeback victory.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sports...,6833102.story

[gibb52]

Originally Posted by AzIlliniFan

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the shoving incident last night with Cal Coach Montgomery and his starting guard Crabbe. Coach shoved him in the chest during a timeout because he missed his last two defensive assignments allowing his opponent to make a pair of 3 pointers. Crabbe had to be restrained by teammates after being shoved and left the court. He came back several minutes later and led the team to a comeback victory.

http://www.latimes.com/sports/sports...,6833102.story

I saw that report today on ESPN. MM will be on thin ice from this point on. Totally unacceptable.

[Rall]

Originally Posted by gibb52

I saw that report today on ESPN. MM will be on thin ice from this point on. Totally unacceptable.

I bet you don't think parents have the right to spank their kids either.

Seems to me that the Cal coach got Crabbe's attention and the results speak for the coaches' action. I haven't seen the altercation, but occasionally physical contact, within bounds, is helpful to break through the noise. Sometimes words don't carry enough emphasis.

[zpfled]

Originally Posted by Rall

I bet you don't think parents have the right to spank their kids either.

Seems to me that the Cal coach got Crabbe's attention and the results speak for the coaches' action. I haven't seen the altercation, but occasionally physical contact, within bounds, is helpful to break through the noise. Sometimes words don't carry enough emphasis.

I think spanking is acceptable, and I think that adults pushing other adults in anger is not. Did I just blow your mind?

[AHSIllini32]

Originally Posted by zpfled

I think spanking is acceptable, and I think that adults pushing other adults in anger is not. Did I just blow your mind?

Yeah, how is pushing a college player and spanking one's own child even remotely similar? Silly argument.