Iowa 83, Illinois 62 POSTGAME

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#27      
I don’t know what it is. I like what Underwood does to these players because he knows how to get them up to play hard and fight. He brings the intensity. I’m just skeptical on his offense. Defensive system has no place in the game anymore. If you watch ACC, Big 12, and SEC basketball, it is all a completely different style from the B1G. Everyone plays a zone. Very free flowing offense. So much spacing throughout the whole floor. Maybe it’s the other coaches that place emphasis on playing lockdown defense because Belein, Izzo, Crean, Turgeon, Self, Weber, and Bo were/are successful in this conference when their teams just play normal straight man or zone without pressing, picking the right spots to be aggressive, and focus on ball movement with passing and a motion offense rather than dribbling and trying to outsmart defenses and attempting to confuse them with just running around the three point line with handoffs that don’t help move the offense vertically and closer to the basket. Even Thad Matta was great when he mastered the inside-Out game and drive-kick out with Craft and Conley at the point and having the knock down shooters. Underwood needs to reassess what the college game is about because a young team and trying to over complicate a defense where missed assignments happen far too often in this team will not bring this team back to even a consistent 3-6 place team in the conference. Over coaching is a thing and coach K hasn’t had that issue in at least 10 years. This off-season will need to bring some strategic changes or BU will be gone in 3 years.
 
#30      
We now have the 8th longest NCAA tourney drought of any high major team. Hard to believe that could happen.

Underwood needs to end that drought next year, no excuses
 
#32      
As well he should have. That's not a question you ask 20 minutes after the season ended.

I fully expect him to declare, but not hire an agent. We'll see what feedback he gets. He owes that to himself.
That's probably the best route to get the feedback. Think he'd benefit from another year, but what I've read says that after Zion, this draft class is weak. If you can get into first round with guaranteed millions, you'd be stupid not too. I know he could make more of he's a higher pick, but he could also tear his ACL and never be the same again.
 
#33      

Deleted member 236589

D
Guest
We now have the 8th longest NCAA tourney drought of any high major team. Hard to believe that could happen.

Underwood needs to end that drought next year, no excuses
There are a ton of excuses with the first potentially being his starting PG wearing an NBA jersey next year and the second being potential transfers.

Let's see how the off season plays out. We'll know more by the end of April.
 
#35      

Deleted member 236589

D
Guest
That's probably the best route to get the feedback. Think he'd benefit from another year, but what I've read says that after Zion, this draft class is weak. If you can get into first round with guaranteed millions, you'd be stupid not too. I know he could make more of he's a higher pick, but he could also tear his ACL and never be the same again.
100% right on.

The question is what NBA team is good enough to be able to use their first round pick on a PG that absolutely needs game reps.

Can you imagine how an NBA fan base, who has never seen Illinois play, will react to drafting a player that didn't make 1st, 2nd or 3rd team All Conference on a team that was 12-21? Lol

Tough sell for a GM.
 
#38      

Tacomallini

Washington State
I missed it. What did he say?
In the post game press conference Giorgi and Ayo were asked a two-part question: "first off, will you be back next year..." Georgi answered "yes" and then answered the rest of the question. Ayo just plain ignored that bit and answered the rest of the question (favorite memory of the year or something). Underwood cracked a smile.
 
#40      

RedRocksIllini

Morrison, CO
I think we officially made it all the way through the year where every thread had Giorgi's name misspelled at least once.
 
#41      

illini80

Forgottonia
Excuses are just that. The reality is, we are a tiny bit better than northwestern and no where near the team most expected to see by the end of the season. I have no idea how the team that had a nice run a month ago completely regressed into what we saw last night. I just don’t see how this team transforms into a tourney team by next year unless Underwood has a different plan. Relying on 3-4 new players to be the difference sounds like another building year to me.
 
#42      
Excuses are just that. The reality is, we are a tiny bit better than northwestern and no where near the team most expected to see by the end of the season. I have no idea how the team that had a nice run a month ago completely regressed into what we saw last night. I just don’t see how this team transforms into a tourney team by next year unless Underwood has a different plan. Relying on 3-4 new players to be the difference sounds like another building year to me.
I agree totally with this. I believe it's going to at least take 2 more years. As PPL have jumped on coach speak good thing is freshman become sophomores phrase, well that's hoping 3 or 4 freshman make a big jump as we have seen that doesn't happen. Add in the 3 or 4 new players making a big impact and hoping that those players will gel. We have went from a border line tourny team to the bottom of the big ten with historic losses. I just don't see a big jump here in the big ten, I'd ask who will we move in front of? Minny? Well I think we can agree Penn State will be better. Recruiting right now we sit 8th with one recruit that might not ever play here. So right now it looks very bleak.
 
#43      
Iowa looked like Golden State shooting the ball last night, i look forward to next year till next year comes. I am scared i hope it is just Iowa hang over
 
#44      
Excuses are just that. The reality is, we are a tiny bit better than northwestern and no where near the team most expected to see by the end of the season. I have no idea how the team that had a nice run a month ago completely regressed into what we saw last night. I just don’t see how this team transforms into a tourney team by next year unless Underwood has a different plan. Relying on 3-4 new players to be the difference sounds like another building year to me.
You say this, but at the same time Illinois beat most of the projections for how they were going to do in the Big Ten.

They showed what they can be during a stretch in the middle of the season. They didn't have the horses to keep that up for the remainder of the season. Their lack of size got exposed at the end of the year. As long as there isn't a mass exodus of players they could be in the conversation of a bubble team next year.
 
#45      
At this point I’ll take John Groce N.I.T berths rather then 2 losing seasons in a row. I’m tired of copping pleas for mediocrity. Great coaches adjust there philosophies to benefit the team. Plus the season was over in December. So the young guys should’ve been playing period. I’m all for rebuilding a culture and program. But to not try to adjust your offense and defense to your personnel all season is inexcusable. The great coaches adjust the system and make it easier and to give the team the best chance to win. I will say Underwood had the kids playing hard but most of all the 2nd halves of games this season the team was dead tired from using all that energy on a gimmicky defense that was easily broke down or drew numerous fouls. Hopefully it gets turnaround but you can tell Underwood is very stubborn in changing his philosophies.
 
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#48      

ILL in IA

Iowa City
At this point I’ll take John Groce N.I.T berths rather then 2 losing seasons in a row. I’m tired of copping pleas for mediocrity. Great coaches adjust there philosophies to benefit the team. Plus the season was over in December. So the young guys should’ve been playing period. I’m all for rebuilding a culture and program. But to not try to adjust your offense and defense to your personnel all season is inexcusable. The great coaches adjust the system and make it easier and to give the team the best chance to win. I will say Underwood had the kids playing hard but most of all the 2nd halves of games this season the team was dead tired from using all that energy on a gimmicky defense that was easily broke down or drew numerous fouls. Hopefully it gets turnaround but you can tell Underwood is very stubborn in changing his philosophies.
:unsure:
 
#50      

skyIdub

Winged Warrior
Excuses are just that. The reality is, we are a tiny bit better than northwestern and no where near the team most expected to see by the end of the season. I have no idea how the team that had a nice run a month ago completely regressed into what we saw last night. I just don’t see how this team transforms into a tourney team by next year unless Underwood has a different plan. Relying on 3-4 new players to be the difference sounds like another building year to me.

Not really. With the exception of a few optimists...and Kathy....we are exactly where we thought we would be.

Enjoyed reading through this!
https://www.illinoisloyalty.com/Forum/threads/2018-2019-predictions-thread.24649/

Of course it's another building year. We're rebuilding.
 
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