Illini Basketball 2018-2019

[Illiini]

What if you are doing all of this while drinking your protein shake from a 10 year old 32oz Chief cup, wearing orange boxer briefs while smelling the finest of scents from your Illinois Scentsy wax warmer (rare)?

Oh man, I just read this and I'm going outside.:tsk:
#wewilldosomethingproductivetoday

You can get officially-licensed UofI orange cocoa mix.

But yes, I can dress without anything not Illinois/Illini touching my skin (other than the blue jeans. My wife draws the line at orange and blue striped pants. We're not Indiana. Fortunately blue jeans are blue).

And shirts. I have shirts. Yes, I do.

 

[breadman]

Watching that video with Gorgi... I thought I was watching a quicker M. Morgan, (Gorgi moves well...not just on dance floor).

Stated by others but some advantages we have this year...
1. assistants are settled/know what BU wants
2. most of the team is on campus (save Kane)
3. a few players are seasoned in the system.

On last year compare....with
1. alstork and Matic moving in August
2. assistants searching for housing, moving household goods and family, starting recruiting and trying to cram on figuring out BUs system last summer
.......last years team was at a big disadvantage.

BL, regardless of position shortfalls, we have players and asst coaches on campus that have a season under their belt knowing what BU wants to implement.

Call me "skeptically optimistic". I think seasoning for some players and for the asst coaches could make a big difference, but not ready to call this a tourney team yet.



Sent from my VS500 using Tapatalk

One more addition: a whole season worth of Illini-based video of BU's system to study and learn from. Actually, will be wondering how much of these videos will actually be used as teaching tools of BU's system.

 

[Ransom Stoddard]

I agree with this. But nobody had us at 14-18. You can maybe squint a little bit and say inbound the ball against Maryland and wipe off the buzzer beater at Nebraska and we're in the neighborhood of where a neutral outside observer might have predicted, but on the whole we notably underperformed any reasonable expectation level.

This first one is a little bit off, but darned close on a couple of other things. This is the Nostradamus post from that poll thread.

15-17, 7-11 in conference and 0-1 in the Big Ten tournament.

Finke graduate transfers to Horizon league, Te'Jon transfers to MVC, Black returns to school, Vesel goes back to Europe.

Here's a 14-16 (i haven't looked to see what is/isn't accurate other than the win count)

W vs Southern Fri, Nov 10
W vs UT Martin Sun, Nov 12
L vs DePaul Fri, Nov 17
W vs Marshall Sun, Nov 19
W vs Augustana (IL) Wed, Nov 22
W vs North Carolina Central Fri, Nov 24
L @ Wake Forest Tue, Nov 28
L @ #19 Northwestern Fri, Dec 1
L vs Maryland Sun, Dec 3
W vs Austin Peay Wed, Dec 6
L @ UNLV Sat, Dec 9
W vs Longwood Wed, Dec 13
W vs New Mexico State* Sat, Dec 16
L vs Missouri* Sat, Dec 23
W vs Grand Canyon Sat, Dec 30
L @ #15 Minnesota Wed, Jan 3
L @ Michigan Sat, Jan 6
W vs Iowa Thu, Jan 11
L @ Nebraska Mon, Jan 15
L @ Wisconsin Fri, Jan 19
L vs #2 Michigan State Mon, Jan 22
W vs Indiana Wed, Jan 24
W vs Rutgers Tue, Jan 30
L @ Ohio State Sun, Feb 4
L vs Wisconsin Thu, Feb 8
W vs Penn State Sun, Feb 11
L @ Indiana Wed, Feb 14
W vs Nebraska Sun, Feb 18
L @ #2 Michigan State Tue, Feb 20
L vs #20 Purdue Thu, Feb 22
W @ Rutgers Sun, Feb 25

14-16 (5-11 BIG). Rebuilding year. Still more optimistic than I have been in a long time.

FWIW, KenPom had us at 15-16 at the beginning of the season and a lot of people dismissed that because stats.

 

[jmilt7]

Problem is that they'll look good in practice but will get a reality check when they first play a team with good interior defense. It would be in their best interest to schedule a secret scrimmage against a team with a loaded frontcourt. You gotta do something to somewhat replicate the physicality that we'll face in a game with better post players. Might mean throwing Fletcher in and see them try to box him out or having certain players have a role to hit extra hard when they're driving to the basket.

And what about Antigua? He's a big, like 6'7". Put some trunks on him and throw him in there, too.

 

[TCTORNADO]

You can get officially-licensed UofI orange cocoa mix.

But yes, I can dress without anything not Illinois/Illini touching my skin (other than the blue jeans. My wife draws the line at orange and blue striped pants. We're not Indiana. Fortunately blue jeans are blue).

And shirts. I have shirts. Yes, I do.

Got any of this??

 

[Second and Chalmers]

FWIW, KenPom had us at 15-16 at the beginning of the season and a lot of people dismissed that because stats.

Hmm. I wonder what they will say this year?

 

[RichBradIllini]

NM

 

[dbeverly26]

Hmm. I wonder what they will say this year?

The efficiency rating should be about the same, if not better. Last year, we returned about 30% of our possession-minutes, with the only high-volume player being Leron. I think that Pomeroy's initial ratings give very little weight to incoming freshmen outside of five-star types. We probably got a bit of a bump from Alstork, though.

This year, we're returning 40% of our possession-minutes, primarily due to the fact that Frazier and Nichols are high-volume guys. They also scored at a higher efficiency than Black did in '17 (and in Kipper's case, a much higher efficiency). We'll get a bump from Ayo, and may add a fifth-year senior again.

All that's to say that from the perspective of Pomeroy's initial model, things actually look better on paper this year than they did last.

That doesn't address the lack of interior defense. It's worth noting that if you use blocked shots as a proxy for rim protection, in 2017 we were #307 nationally in that category, with the only significant shot-blocker being Morgan. Last year, we were #310, with the only significant shot-blocker being Ebo. Since Ebo only played about ten minutes a game, it's not unreasonable to think that Kane can basically provide the same thing.

In other words, our interior defense essentially can't get any worse than it has been in recent years. That's a sign that we might see slight overall improvement in performance this year.

The much tougher schedule will have an impact on the record, though (both in real life and in the computer ratings), so it might be tough to get results even if the on-court product improves. The Big Ten is going to be very deep, and our nonconference schedule is brutal. I generally support a tough schedule, but there's no way around the fact that it'll be an obstacle to collecting wins.

 

[Spoon House]

Got any of this??

why is that facing the wrong way

 

[Second and Chalmers]

why is that facing the wrong way

They say that's the correct way :noidea:

 

[skyIdub]

They say that's the correct way :noidea:

 

[Ferd]

They say that's the correct way :noidea:

Because it is!

 

[skyIdub]

Because it is!

Uhhhh....nope.

 

[tpbradley]

Yes, finally, something worth discussing! I'm a rollover guy, but my entire family are rollunders. At least that I can see from the one time per year they change the paper roll.

 

[The Galloping Ghost]

That doesn't address the lack of interior defense. It's worth noting that if you use blocked shots as a proxy for rim protection, in 2017 we were #307 nationally in that category, with the only significant shot-blocker being Morgan. Last year, we were #310, with the only significant shot-blocker being Ebo. Since Ebo only played about ten minutes a game, it's not unreasonable to think that Kane can basically provide the same thing.

In other words, our interior defense essentially can't get any worse than it has been in recent years. That's a sign that we might see slight overall improvement in performance this year.

Honestly, that's kind of reassuring.

 

[dbeverly26]

Honestly, that's kind of reassuring.

We've been sub-300 in this category since Egwu left. I used to joke that you could plunk a CAUTION: WET FLOOR sign down at the edge of the restricted area and get as much rim protection as you got from Maverick. Apparently, that wasn't a joke.

 

[EJ33]

Yes, finally, something worth discussing! I'm a rollover guy, but my entire family are rollunders. At least that I can see from the one time per year they change the paper roll.

Heh, heh.

Mine just set the roll on top of the holder if and when they bother to get a new roll.

 

[TCTORNADO]

Heh, heh.

Mine just set the roll on top of the holder if and when they bother to get a new roll.

No over/under problem here!!

 

[Newman]

They say that's the correct way :noidea:

I've always respected your opinion but you just ruined it.

 

[Ratskin]

Yes, finally, something worth discussing! I'm a rollover guy, but my entire family are rollunders. At least that I can see from the one time per year they change the paper roll.

Judging by your name, I’d say you’re an expert.

 

[Illini B-Ball Fan]

FYI, to settle all the current discussion:

https://owlcation.com/misc/Ten-Fun-Facts-About-Toilet-Paper

So back on topic, Kane will be back in August as an Illini, take him at his word until proved differently.

 

[tpbradley]

Judging by your name, I’d say you’re an expert.

:tsk:

 

[Illini Resurgence]

This first one is a little bit off, but darned close on a couple of other things. This is the Nostradamus post from that poll thread.



Here's a 14-16 (i haven't looked to see what is/isn't accurate other than the win count)



FWIW, KenPom had us at 15-16 at the beginning of the season and a lot of people dismissed that because stats.

I really wish I was wrong with that prediction from last year. Even worse, at this point in time, I believe a last place finish this upcoming season is a distinct possibility. But I am still optimistic for 2 - 3 years down the road

 

[urbanite]

While Bart Torvik isn't Ken Pomeroy, the system is similar, and his projections are already up for next season. #57 overall but with a record of 14-14 (8-10).

 

[ChazzReinhold]

While Bart Torvik isn't Ken Pomeroy, the system is similar, and his projections are already up for next season. #57 overall but with a record of 14-14 (8-10).

He's missing 2 conference games.