BananaShampoo
Captain 'Paign
- Phoenix, AZ
One big reason I was really hoping we could have landed Nolley or the Finn. Need more shooters badly to keep defenses honest and break those zones.
Illinois 64, Austin Peay 57 POSTGAME
Peoria Illini
- Peoria, IL
Wow, according to realtimerpi.com, we really made a jump last night, improving 46 spots up to 183rd... Yikes.
They have us winning the rest of our 5 non con games, but only going 6-12 in the B1G this season, starting off 1-7 in the conference, and finishing 17-13. (18-13 with Augie win). Our SOS is really weak. Will need to hope the O starts to click.
They have us winning the rest of our 5 non con games, but only going 6-12 in the B1G this season, starting off 1-7 in the conference, and finishing 17-13. (18-13 with Augie win). Our SOS is really weak. Will need to hope the O starts to click.
Well sure, but we have no point guard like Maryland. Both of our guys shoot the three at < 13%. The problem is that Frazier keeps chucking them (4/31 vs. 1/8 for Lucas).
Sit back and enjoy the show. In a night full of upsets we found a way to win. We lose this game last year.
Our Three Amigo's ( Frazier, Williams, Smith ) are adjusting to college ball and they are picking it up at different rates. We cant forget Smith did start hot. When they all three get it and start to stride we will have more victorious nights then other. I don't mind watching these young men grow up before my eyes.
Finke does us no good unless he shoots at least 8 times a game. Hopefully he got out of his mini-slump.
Too early for all the "NEGATIVE NELLY" thinking!!
Our Three Amigo's ( Frazier, Williams, Smith ) are adjusting to college ball and they are picking it up at different rates. We cant forget Smith did start hot. When they all three get it and start to stride we will have more victorious nights then other. I don't mind watching these young men grow up before my eyes.
Finke does us no good unless he shoots at least 8 times a game. Hopefully he got out of his mini-slump.
Too early for all the "NEGATIVE NELLY" thinking!!
Regarding Finke:
My biggest problem with Finke is that he's passing up too many shots. He is probably our 2nd best 3 point shooter. When he's open he has to shoot. He's not a space eater or someone to deter guards driving to the basket on defense. For him- I think he's doing fairly well on the defensive end.
My biggest problem with Finke is that he's passing up too many shots. He is probably our 2nd best 3 point shooter. When he's open he has to shoot. He's not a space eater or someone to deter guards driving to the basket on defense. For him- I think he's doing fairly well on the defensive end.
But KenPom Adjusted D stats show us at #59, plus we are 49th in the country in offensive rebounding.
Chieftain13
- StL
...and it looks even worse when you see that the AdjD for our opponents is 321st in the nation...
Agree with your post, and I would add that besides the 3 freshmen guards, plus our 10th man Ebo, we have 2 sophomores who played basically 1/2 a year or actually 1/2 year in Kipper's case, plus a junior in AJ who played very little in 2 prior years. That's 6 of 9 players in our rotation, or 7 of 10 including Ebo, who have very little to no prior college experience. Now add to those facts that all of us a running a new system.
People expecting everything to run smoothly should take a deep breath. This team will be tough to beat in another 4-6 weeks. Not only will that be the case because of the learning curve, but because we play 9 guys at least 17 minutes/game and no other B1G has more than 7 guys playing 17 minutes. Our fatigue factor should be lower than other teams as the schedule grinds forward.
WOW
Still a huge amount better than what we have had for a long time!!!! We finally have a coach that has brains and Kahonas!!!
Still a huge amount better than what we have had for a long time!!!! We finally have a coach that has brains and Kahonas!!!
Illini_1979
- Oregon
1. It seems to me that when Finke has been at his best this year he was shooting the three from the baseline. Lately, he has been out top and not hitting them. I would be interested in seeing a chart of from where on the floor he has taken his shots and which were misses/makes. I'm pretty sure he needs to be at the baseline to make a good percentage of his shots.
2. At one point in the second half, the play-by-play announcer on BTN said that our entire team is essentially freshmen because they are all learning a new system. I agree with this and think that we will improve as the year goes by and we get more comfortable in this new system (at least I hope so!).
2. At one point in the second half, the play-by-play announcer on BTN said that our entire team is essentially freshmen because they are all learning a new system. I agree with this and think that we will improve as the year goes by and we get more comfortable in this new system (at least I hope so!).
THIS!!!!!!!!
No... Tejon lucas and Tate are not even in the same zip code. Lucas is way way better offensively and defensively
+1, but hopefully we can keep games like those to a minimum.:thumb:
Think many of the guys are wondering exactly where they fit in the system. The fact we have 9 avg 17min/game is a testament to that. Given we still early in the season, all get substituted often with different groups of guys, making it difficult to get a rythmn. All players are adjusting to the system, hopefully we find a rotation, continue the defense, cut out turnovers. The offense will come, but we need to get more shots, and make them count.
Liked we won, but a better played game against UNLV, would help make the unit more solid.
Tate isn't on the team this year. Alstork is playing better. Some folks just need to find a new dog to kick when things aren't going as smoothly as they believe things should be going at the time.
Ubermensch
BOOM! Feed my ego.
I think you've already forgotten how much JT struggled offensively at Illinois. Brooks Taylor was Kobe Bryant in comparison.
Loyalillini10
- Urbana, IL
I think some folks are being a little too hard on Finke's defense. He is not the best defender on the team by any means but he took 3 charges last night. I bet he has taken the most charges on the team this season.
Now wrt Lucas, comparing him to Tate is just silly-borderline dumb.It seems like Illini fans have to have one guy on the team be the patsy. It is ridiculous. He has missed some free throws, he has made some turnovers, but he is also a big help in some manner just about every game. During the NW game, I heard people yelling at the end of the game, "That's a Groce player for you!" Lucas was the only player that was doing anything for us offensively at the end of the game. He missed 2 important free throws and that hurt, but the last play when he got blocked, he had no help. Everyone was standing around behind their man. He is a good basketball player (a lot better than Tate) and he will be helpful moving forward.
Now wrt Lucas, comparing him to Tate is just silly-borderline dumb.It seems like Illini fans have to have one guy on the team be the patsy. It is ridiculous. He has missed some free throws, he has made some turnovers, but he is also a big help in some manner just about every game. During the NW game, I heard people yelling at the end of the game, "That's a Groce player for you!" Lucas was the only player that was doing anything for us offensively at the end of the game. He missed 2 important free throws and that hurt, but the last play when he got blocked, he had no help. Everyone was standing around behind their man. He is a good basketball player (a lot better than Tate) and he will be helpful moving forward.
I agree with you on the last line. Reference: Ayo
But regarding Tejon vs Tate performance, look at GA65s post regarding scoring comparison to date. It’s not even close
I think Trent will start hitting threes. I think he’s still adjusting to speed of college game, and exerting so much effort to play against stronger faster players.
Tate and Lucas have nothing close to each other’s talent and Finke took what 3-5 charges last night.
:hurl: that's what it is
except on inbound passes:doh:
Totally agree!
Ok, we won, that's good, but stats were nothing to write home about.
http://www.fightingillini.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&id=14906
http://www.fightingillini.com/boxscore.aspx?path=mbball&id=14906