Indiana 73, Illinois 65 POSTGAME

[EyeoftheIllini]

I predicted a final score of 80 - 65 so the ILL defense is definitely improving.

I also predicted ILL to play close the first half and lose the second half. It was not difficult to predict that though.

I predicted a 75-68 loss and someone wanted to me to pass them the pipe I was smoking.

 

[Illiniguy13]

I predicted a 75-68 loss and someone wanted to me to pass them the pipe I was smoking.

There is reason to be optimistic, yet. This was a commendable effort last night. Player retention and recruiting are paramount. On another note, Ayo will be a star and Giorgi is gonna be a bad dude in this league as an upperclassman.

 

[EyeoftheIllini]

Indiana set a school record defensive stat, holding opponents to 6 shot clock violations.

That was driving me nuts. But the ones that really kill me are when ball is inbounded without a full shot clock. Do these guys talk at all? They have to know how much time is on the clock. The Illini aren't the only ones I've seen have this problem though. I've noticed it a lot this season when watching other games.

 

[RML]

I see some progress on the defensive side, from bad to merely poor. On the offensive side, I really don't see any progress. It seemed to me that the points we scored early primarily came when we got a shot off before they set up their defense. Once we went into our half-court offense, we got a decent look only about 10% of the time. All game long. The run at the end of the game all seemed to mostly come after we gave up on our half-court game, and just played scatterball. Please tell me I'm wrong.

 

[ChiefIllini]

Was Kane dressed?

 

[TCTORNADO]

Was Kane dressed?

Yes. Was surprised to see that. Must be because 2nd semester has not officially started. I can't ever remember somebody not making it from 1st semester to 2nd semester. Higgs did not make the trip. He still can't even practice.

 

[ChiefIllini]

Yes. Was surprised to see that. Must be because 2nd semester has not officially started. I can't ever remember somebody not making it from 1st semester to 2nd semester. Higgs did not make the trip. He still can't even practice.

Wasn't Kane also having troubles qualifying for the 1st semester? A different animal for sure, but a trend is forming. College can be a shock for even the smartest people, honestly, if he was going to have to sit the entire 2nd semester, this would seem to be the year to do it. Likewise with Higgs, though that seems like much much more of a certainty at this point.

 

[ChiefGritty]

College can be a shock for even the smartest people, honestly

Particularly people for whom English is a second language and who had an itinerant, basketball-driven high school academic career.

 

[Deleted member 6376]

He does not appear to be trying too hard. It appears just the opposite.

Good fight, but in the end was as expected. No surprise.

However I don't get all the friction toward Kipper. Certainly has not found his groove. Positionless or not, he's being played as a 6'6" back up center. Thats a tough role for him. He's at a disadvantage on defense every time down the court. He's really an undersized 4 or a beefy 3... but not a 5. He's clearly in a rut - trying too hard and fouling out. I'm rooting for the kid. I'd rather see Samba and GB (only) rotate in for each other at the 5 and he go fill a different role...score 6-8 points and and clear 8-10 boards vs other forwards. I think we need to adjust expectations for him.

 

[TCTORNADO]

Giorgi has now fouled out of 5 games this year and had 4 fouls in another 5 games. Yet IMHO, he is this years most pleasant surprise (understatement). Ayo's 3 pt shooting is up there too.

 

[UncleBob]

"The pressure the Illini put on you is just so hard to replicate in practice. Nobody else in the country plays defense quite like a Brad Underwood team does. Our scout team was asked to do a lot this week. At one point we asked them to not guard anyone inside 15 ft just to duplicate that swarming Illini defense." - Archie Miller

Looks like Archie has correctly assessed the Illinois defensive philosophy. They practiced by not guarding anyone inside 15 ft?????

 

[Illinijack77]

This +1000

I was a BU guy as well until the last 7 minutes of the Mizzou game. Took me that long to realize that these kids are expected to play like robots on the offensive end and if they make one mistake they’re getting subbed out. They know this and you can see it in their face and in their body language immediately. This offense is terrible. I don’t care who the personnel is on the court. Kipper needs to come off the bench and AG/TJ need most of his minutes. Get Giorgi the ball down low and spread the floor. He went for 18/7 tonight and I think we missed him 4 or 5 other times Howard was behind him. Get it to him early and let him work. TF, Ayo and AJ will get more open 3’s if Giorgi becomes an established presence. Just not enough MEANINGFUL ball movement.

BU needs to put the kids in a system that they can have more freedom in and just let them play. You see little glimpses of confidence and the kids having fun and as soon as they make a mistake the entire team, minus Giorgi, just looks deflated as they await the wrath of BU. It was hard for me to get excited down 9 with 3:36 left because the team I was watching didn’t even look like they were pumped to be back in the game.

Agree 100 percent

 

[coachingillini]

I see some progress on the defensive side, from bad to merely poor. On the offensive side, I really don't see any progress. It seemed to me that the points we scored early primarily came when we got a shot off before they set up their defense. Once we went into our half-court offense, we got a decent look only about 10% of the time. All game long. The run at the end of the game all seemed to mostly come after we gave up on our half-court game, and just played scatterball. Please tell me I'm wrong.

You are exactly right!