Pregame: Illinois vs Augustana, Wednesday, November 22nd, 6:00pm CT, BTN Plus

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#1      

Dan

Admin
Illinois vs Augustana
Wednesday, November 22nd
6:00pm CT
BTN Plus

:illinois:
 
#3      

UofIChE06

Pittsburgh
Why we schedule such stupid games... I'd rather taste some strong teams and get smoked to prepare for early B1G games

That is the last thing this team needs. Sure playing tough competition makes for better TV but this team needs to build confidence and learn the system. So many new faces and guys getting used to college hoops.
 
#4      
Why we schedule such stupid games... I'd rather taste some strong teams and get smoked to prepare for early B1G games

Got to ask the old coaching staff.

BU sounded like he wants a tougher schedule in the future when asked after the depaul game.
 
#6      
Got to ask the old coaching staff.

BU sounded like he wants a tougher schedule in the future when asked after the depaul game.

I'm pretty sure the AD makes the schedules. Probably with some input from the coaches, but the AD is responsible for the schedule.
 
#8      
last year we would be 3-1 with a couple nail biters and double digit WTFs

Actually, last year we were 4-0 at this point -- although the doubts were around from the get go, the actual cracks didn't start to fully show until the Winthrop game when our schedule started to get challenging.

The Augustana game will show us how the team is maturing. They are a well coached team that basically returns most of the players who made it to the D-III championship game last year. They are way ahead of us in terms of their ability to work together as a team, run their offense, etc., though significantly behind us in terms of talent. But our players would be wise to pay attention to the scouting, etc. Reminds me a little bit of the (exhibition) game against Washington University last year -- if we simply expect to win by showing up, it will be a much tighter game than most expect. If our guys respect the process the way they should, it should be a fairly straightforward win.
 
#9      
That is the last thing this team needs. Sure playing tough competition makes for better TV but this team needs to build confidence and learn the system. So many new faces and guys getting used to college hoops.

You are correct sir! Play hard, learn, get better, keep improving, keep building confidence, keep improving the chemistry on both sides of the ball. When you look at rebounds and the turnovers we're forcing you really get a feel for how much harder this team is hustling. The Eastern smack-down was all we needed for now. They're working hard and and that's all you can ask for.
 
#10      

UofIChE06

Pittsburgh
We have won 4 games against bad or ok teams.

Getting wins while making mistakes that the coaching staff can teach off of is infinitely better than having all the shortcomings exposed at once and getting smoked by a team like Villanova or Kansas. Listening to Underwood they clearly aren't just going into the post game meetings happy that they won and moving on. Even based on the tweets from today BU was on the team up 20 about things they were doing wrong.
 
#11      

BlindLoyalty

FartNoiseMotivation
There might not be 2000 people at this game. You play who is on your schedule, but boy is the OOC schedule weak.
 
#12      

illinitrav

NW Suburbs
I'm pretty sure the AD makes the schedules. Probably with some input from the coaches, but the AD is responsible for the schedule.

This is incorrect. In basketball, scheduling is done primarily by a designated assistant coach, with heavy input from the head coach. The only role the AD has is providing availability dates for home games.
 
#14      

icengineer

Southern Illinois
Might as well make tickets free considering (1) it's a really really weak team and (2) it's during Thanksgiving week. Or...maybe just make tickets 5 dollars? :confused:

I agree, doubt it will happen though. Maybe for students, who happen to still be around.

But yeah, why not sell all upper level tickets for $5.00??? Give season ticket holders who happen to have seats up there a voucher for a soda and hot dog or something? Yeah, not equitable but it's a concession of sorts. Fill the place up!!!

How about maybe 10 minutes after tip-off, all seats are $5.00? Do something to get bodies in there.
 
#16      

Glory Days

Palmetto, FL
Since Matic's redshirt is burned, I hope Coach lets him get 20-25 minutes of court time. Playing 1-3 minutes at a time is just no way to get into the flow of anything.

Let him sweat, put up a few numbers, learn from some mistakes, and feel like he contributed. It won't change at all what he can do to help the team vs Michigan State, but it will help his outlook and get him energized to keep developing.

Besides that, the fans want to see some teets.
 
#17      

GortTheRobot

North Bethesda, Maryland
Ultimately playing a tougher schedule would be great...but only when we come into that schedule with a system and players that have been established. MSU can get away with losing some rugged early games because they have a track record of success. It looks like we can get there, but I am not upset that we have some easier games to let our young guys acclimate.
 
#18      
Whose minutes do you want to take away to get those 20-24 minutes of playing time? I think all he is going to get is a couple minutes of playing time against lesser competition and is not leaving the bench against the tough teams.

I think he is talking about the Augustana game only. If they are as overmatched as some think, I'd also like to see both freshmen big guys play a lot.
 
#19      

Joel Goodson

respect my decision™
Actually, last year we were 4-0 at this point -- although the doubts were around from the get go, the actual cracks didn't start to fully show until the Winthrop game when our schedule started to get challenging.

The Augustana game will show us how the team is maturing. They are a well coached team that basically returns most of the players who made it to the D-III championship game last year. They are way ahead of us in terms of their ability to work together as a team, run their offense, etc., though significantly behind us in terms of talent. But our players would be wise to pay attention to the scouting, etc. Reminds me a little bit of the (exhibition) game against Washington University last year -- if we simply expect to win by showing up, it will be a much tighter game than most expect. If our guys respect the process the way they should, it should be a fairly straightforward win.

This. VG analysis. Hopefully, some good tick for Greg and Teets.
 
#20      
Since Matic's redshirt is burned, I hope Coach lets him get 20-25 minutes of court time. Playing 1-3 minutes at a time is just no way to get into the flow of anything.

Let him sweat, put up a few numbers, learn from some mistakes, and feel like he contributed. It won't change at all what he can do to help the team vs Michigan State, but it will help his outlook and get him energized to keep developing.

Besides that, the fans want to see some teets.

Someone please refresh my memory, but was under the impression a freshman could play in any of the non-conference games, but once the first conference game came up on the schedule, he could not enter any game afterwards, which would null and void a redshirt for that year.
 
#21      
Don't sleep on Augie. They are highly ranked D3 and execute well.
 
#22      
Don't sleep on Augie. They are highly ranked D3 and execute well.

Will be a good test of the team's defensive focus. I would hope Augustana would not be able to handle us defensively, but at the same time, they might force us to defend the full 30 seconds. Not knowing their offense specifically, but this ituation somewhat reminds me of teams struggling against the Princeton offense.
 
#23      
Getting wins while making mistakes that the coaching staff can teach off of is infinitely better than having all the shortcomings exposed at once and getting smoked by a team like Villanova or Kansas. Listening to Underwood they clearly aren't just going into the post game meetings happy that they won and moving on. Even based on the tweets from today BU was on the team up 20 about things they were doing wrong.

We are currently on #283 Strength of Opponent from BPI and #302 SOS from Kenpom. Next we play a D3 opponent. I don't think this is the level that a B1G team should learn things from. You can smash 20 potatoes and then get smashed in the conference.

I don't think our games before the conference can prepare us well enough for how to deal with Happ/Haas/Bridges or even Vick Law
 
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#24      

Ransom Stoddard

Ordained Dudeist Priest
Bloomington, IL
We are currently on #283 Strength of Opponent from BPI and #302 SOS from Kenpom. Next we play a D3 opponent. I don't think this is the level that a B1G team should learn things from. You can smash 20 potatoes and then get smashed in the conference.

I don't think our games before the conference can prepare us well enough for how to deal with Happ/Haas/Bridges or even Vick Law

I agree with this, but to play devil's advocate a bit--these guys are learning a new system and learning to play together. I'd rather have that happening against weaker teams. I guess I'm choosing them gaining confidence in the system over confidence in playing against higher caliber talent. Either one should lead to the other if everything is working correctly.

Big "if," I know.
 
#25      
So basically this game is another exhibition? Wonder if BU will treat it as such. Would be a good time to get Ebo more PT.

I'm sure he will want to use it as an opportunity to get everyone some tick, but you simply cannot lose. Other than our outrageously negative Facebook "fan"base that displays its complete lack of perspective, grammar skills and basic common sense in the comments section of all of our program's posts ... no one gave a rat's a$$ that we lost to Eastern in an exhibition at their place before the season started. People will, however, freak out if we lose to Augustana in Champaign, and rightfully so. So, I think we start out playing just like any other game and only "experiment" if we are up big.
 
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