Feliz. Couple big runners against the trees. one with clock winding down and offense stagnating; defense keying on Ayo. Couple big rebounds.
Ayo was MVP but Feliz. getting it done.
Ayo was MVP but Feliz. getting it done.
Illinois 62, Penn State 56 POSTGAME
Chambers was really whiny. Wanted a travel on Griffin on the transition 3 early in the game, watched it again and wasn't a travel. Said Frazier pulled their guy down on another call when they were both going for a rebound and the guy fell back on Frazier. get your eyes checked dude
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His hook shots dropped well against Rutgers I believe. Just had an off night. He will be fine
Has to be a frustrating night for Chambers. Highest ranking ever, playing great basketball, 1 game out of first place, and your home arena is only 60% full.
If I were him I'm jumping on the first offer I get from a school that actually cares about basketball.
He could have taken DaMonte out. Everyone knows he doesn’t contribute cuz he can’t score. /s
Two comments:
1. Everyone has mentioned that Ayo is a special player and he is...but there are several others who are equal and some slightly more talented. But.......there is one player on this team that is unique...like no other I have ever seen. One of the Illini's top scorers...consistent and dependable night after night. Can anyone recall seeing any player who uses his skill set to score most of his points within 6 feet of the rim and is only 6' tall (I know the roster lists him at 6'2" but he is in fact closer to 6'). And he does not do it by being faster and more athletic getting to the rim like Ayo. We may never see a player of his ilk ever again. Yes, Don Freeman was listed at the same height but was likely at least 2 inches taller and could jump maybe 15 inches higher. Feliz may be able to dunk, but I don't think he ever has in a game. Freeman was a skywalker and averaged around 25 plus as a sr., but that was 55 years ago and he did not do it against the height and speed of today's inside players. Anyone else come to mind?
2. In reading post-game comments, likely a couple of hundred, I have seen many wishing for a 4-1 finish. To be honest, I expected this 5 games to end in a fifth straight loss. However, I also expect the season to end with a six game winning streak going into the BTT. Make it 7 and get to the semis and anything goes. But, the bell curve will catch up at some time as these guys simply are do not have enough shooters to continue much farther past the second round of the tourney. Not that they will get blown out by anyone, but I just do not see it. Nevertheless, winning breeds upon itself and these kids are winners and BU has the playing hard.
Illini basketball is once again where it should be and we hope it gets to be a habit. No one looks forward to playing the Fighting Illini.
1. Everyone has mentioned that Ayo is a special player and he is...but there are several others who are equal and some slightly more talented. But.......there is one player on this team that is unique...like no other I have ever seen. One of the Illini's top scorers...consistent and dependable night after night. Can anyone recall seeing any player who uses his skill set to score most of his points within 6 feet of the rim and is only 6' tall (I know the roster lists him at 6'2" but he is in fact closer to 6'). And he does not do it by being faster and more athletic getting to the rim like Ayo. We may never see a player of his ilk ever again. Yes, Don Freeman was listed at the same height but was likely at least 2 inches taller and could jump maybe 15 inches higher. Feliz may be able to dunk, but I don't think he ever has in a game. Freeman was a skywalker and averaged around 25 plus as a sr., but that was 55 years ago and he did not do it against the height and speed of today's inside players. Anyone else come to mind?
2. In reading post-game comments, likely a couple of hundred, I have seen many wishing for a 4-1 finish. To be honest, I expected this 5 games to end in a fifth straight loss. However, I also expect the season to end with a six game winning streak going into the BTT. Make it 7 and get to the semis and anything goes. But, the bell curve will catch up at some time as these guys simply are do not have enough shooters to continue much farther past the second round of the tourney. Not that they will get blown out by anyone, but I just do not see it. Nevertheless, winning breeds upon itself and these kids are winners and BU has the playing hard.
Illini basketball is once again where it should be and we hope it gets to be a habit. No one looks forward to playing the Fighting Illini.
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BillyBob1
- Champaign
Got some big rebounds too!
Trent shoots free throws by feel. With the long stoppage of play after the scrum, he got tight. He has a good routine, but to be consistent regardless of fatigue or if you are stiff or loose, you have to rely on the length and timing of the lift before release. Ayo is better in that regard, but has just a little bit too much lateral movement before getting into his lift to max. his efficiency. I would have both slow just a bit so their eyes get dead still and the ball gets centered and stopped before getting to the lift point and then all they need to do is work on the speed of the lift which would minimize the effect of their fatigue or stiffness factors. Both are good, both can get much better.And I think the right hand basket was the wrong height based on the free throw shots by Trent in the first and Stevens first free throw in the second... In seriousness, Trent was acting like his shoulder was bugging him on both technical shots. That was weird seeing him leave two of them not just short but reaaaaaally short.
I was just so happy to see Ayo back on the court playing basketball. And to play that well was amazing.
A very memorable season. Enjoy each game.
A very memorable season. Enjoy each game.
Reallllly shut up the crowd.
They had curtains blocking the upper deck ends. That said, Penn State is really in the middle of nowhere, a long way from Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Hard to get a big turnout on a weeknight.
That's actually historically a decent turnout for them, which is really sad. I was reading an article from 9 or 10 years ago complaining about the same thing. #9 in the country and only slightly more than half full. 
By playing to his strengths not his weaknesses. Dont take threes and get inside attacking the basket using his footwork and both hands. We need shooters like AG, TF or even Ayo feeding the post that must be guarded and GB needs to be on the glass and playing down low.
not as long as AG is on the floor. I would consider AF with Dre and Ayo because AG and Dre are so good on the glass and AG adds a little more size and to be honest ways and has been shooting better than tTF has lately i believe.. Last night we needed DW on the floor to cover sSevens. He played great on D.
I think that is where having Grandison next year will help. Having a 6'7 wing will help if he is ready to go along with Griffin.
I believe Gandison is 6'6'' butt that will help. I do think he is more of a 3. I think what will help hopefully is a healthy Verdonk. Also as i mentioned earlier and was mentioned on BTN last night what the impact will be if and likely when in April the transfer rules about having to sit a year are changed. That will shake things up big time i would imagine in college hoops and increase the amount of transfer to fill in holes in a lot of teams line ups wit h experienced goof players
The story of the year in Big Ten is the huge step forward by Illinois, Penn State, and Rutgers. I don't mind rooting for our fellow (former) have nots, except when they play us. Still #NeverIndiana. Can't take any wins for granted, not even NW or Nebraska. IMO there are 14 good coaches now.
Alright, waking up from a late night drive home from State College. Made this trip I believe for the 5th straight away game at State College. I know that the stadium was not full but this was by far the largest and most intense crowd we've seen there. When Penn St went on their run in the second half and pulled ahead the noise courtside was deafening. Combine that with absolutely smothering Penn st defense and I again was left with the thought of how does anybody play under these conditions.
Well you have Ayo, that is how!!
Ayo has put himself in legendary mode now after this game, was kinda already there, but injury to hero in a week!?! this will be remembered for a long time. Penn St has a tremendous on the ball defense and really quality on the ball defenders around the perimeter. Not one of them could keep Ayo in front of him. This was even more impressive in person than on TV. His length and quickness was truly unstoppable. Having this man on our team actually gives me hope that a deep run could happen. he was relishing the moment. The taunts, the jeers, even when Watkins was trying to intimidate him(which he was stalking around staring at Ayo after the T and Ayo was just like nodding his head and saying 'yeah, lets go, alright, you gonna feel it') he was so up for this game. Just incredibly proud he is on Illinois and he reps are team through and through.
Defense was out freaking standing. Everybody was nails. Of course Damonte and Kipper held Stevens in check, but it was all around great team defense. Griffin, Dre, trent, ayo, Kofi all doing their part. Heavyweight slugfest. This team is super dangerous. The skeme on defense was great also, leaving Wheeler open all second half, rotational help was always a constant. Helps that he went back to ultra solid 8 man rotation with Kipper instead of Tev. Team is a load when they know their roles.
Great, great win.
Well you have Ayo, that is how!!
Ayo has put himself in legendary mode now after this game, was kinda already there, but injury to hero in a week!?! this will be remembered for a long time. Penn St has a tremendous on the ball defense and really quality on the ball defenders around the perimeter. Not one of them could keep Ayo in front of him. This was even more impressive in person than on TV. His length and quickness was truly unstoppable. Having this man on our team actually gives me hope that a deep run could happen. he was relishing the moment. The taunts, the jeers, even when Watkins was trying to intimidate him(which he was stalking around staring at Ayo after the T and Ayo was just like nodding his head and saying 'yeah, lets go, alright, you gonna feel it') he was so up for this game. Just incredibly proud he is on Illinois and he reps are team through and through.
Defense was out freaking standing. Everybody was nails. Of course Damonte and Kipper held Stevens in check, but it was all around great team defense. Griffin, Dre, trent, ayo, Kofi all doing their part. Heavyweight slugfest. This team is super dangerous. The skeme on defense was great also, leaving Wheeler open all second half, rotational help was always a constant. Helps that he went back to ultra solid 8 man rotation with Kipper instead of Tev. Team is a load when they know their roles.
Great, great win.
Barnhart and Altenberger commented several times on the radio that it was the loudest game at Penn St they remembered. May not have been full but, sounds like Penn St is making progress in the basketball crowd department. As they should with the #9 ranked team in the country.